Froula Alarm Systems, Inc.

• Test your alarm system monitoring monthly.
• Call us before you change telephone service companies.
• Call us before you replace windows and or doors.
• Update your emergency contact list.
• Replace batteries in wireless panic buttons.
• Receive one month free monitoring by paying annually.
• Refer us to a friend or co-worker and receive one month monitoring credit. Familiarize yourself with the false alarm ordinance in your city at http://www.froulasolutions.com/ordinances.html

Periodic testing of your alarm system is important to maintain its reliability. Changes such as moved furniture or walls, telephone work, addition of pets, etc... can cause the alarm to function differently than expected. Also, moisture and pests can compromise the integrity of the system.
1. Call the monitoring station at 206-362-3805 or 1-800-FROULA1 and give the operator your account number or password and tell them how long you would like the system placed on test (generally one hour is sufficient). During that time, the monitoring station will not respond to any signals received. They will not allow you to place it on test for longer than 24 hrs. 

2a. If your keypad has a button labeled "TEST" (the #5 key) you may test as follows: 

• Enter your four digit alarm code and press the TEST key.
• The siren will immediately trip for three seconds and a test signal will be generated to the monitoring station.
• Then as you walk around opening doors and windows, and moving past motion detectors the keypad will chirp.
• If something doesn't chirp, then there is a problem.
• When complete, enter your four digit code and press "OFF".

Know your Panic Alarms*

Generally, there are two types of panic alarms. The first is an audible panic triggered by pressing and holding either the * and # keys simultaneously or the police button for more than two seconds. The sirens/bells will ring until disarmed and a panic signal will be trans­mitted to our monitoring station.

The second is a silent duress trig gered by entering a specific code into the keypad. The sirens/bells will not sound and there will be no evidence that the alarm system is transmitting an alarm sig nal to the monitoring station. Depending on your alarm system, the code will either have been selected by you or it will be a derivative of your user code.

In the latter case, the duress code is your code incremented by 1, so for ex ample, instead of code 1234, the duress would be 1235; this type of code causes false alarms and is no longer an accept able practice. If you have this type and would like it removed, please contact our office, in most cases we can disable it re motely or at least change how we respond to it.

Our monitoring station treats both types of alarm the same. We will only dispatch the police, without calling first to verify a false alarm as we do with other signals. On occasion, the police will call the premise to verify if there is an emer gency but usually they will just respond.

Your alarm system may also have a medical and fire panic button. Again, press and hold for two seconds. The medical will not sound the sirens/bells but the fire will. Our monitoring station will receive the appropriate signal; we will call the site to verify a false alarm before dis patching the fire department.

As always, please frequently test your system and call our office if you have any questions at 206-575-1962.

* Applies primarily to Ademco alarm systems installed by Froula Alarm Systems, Inc.

Originally mailed on Sept 28, 2006

Dear Customer,

We have recently implemented a complete system upgrade: server, computers, and integrated software; the Okidata printer served us well for many years! All of our data has been loaded into the new system but forms and reports will look different. Please bear with us while we fine tune these items.

Regarding your billing for the monitoring service:

If you are billed annually, please note that our policy changed from pay for 12 and get the 13th month free to pay for 11 months and get the 12th month free (slightly better value for you and simpler to understand for all of us). For those of you who pay annually and live in Seattle, Tacoma, Newcastle and Olympia, we will be able to bill your annual burglar alarm license with your annual monitoring.
We welcome your comments. You may call the office and speak with Andy, Alison, or Marjory or you may email any of them followed by @froulaalarms.com.

Are you considering switching your telephone service to VoIP, VoC or Cellular Only?

Here's what you need to know about how it affects your alarm system monitoring.

• Your alarm must be connected to a working telephone line to be monitored.
• Neither alarm system manufacturers nor Froula Alarms guarantee alarm signals will be properly transmitted to the central station with VoIP; we have seen intermittent prob lems with alarm signals not communicat ing consistently with VoIP.
• Make sure there is a battery back up sys tem for the cable or internet modem to ensure phone service during power out ages.
• Realize that if you transport the modem with you, there will be no alarm monitor ing.
• Verify after the installation that the moni toring is working and that "line seizure" is in place. (Call a friend, trip the alarm, and ensure the alarm cuts off your call so it can call the monitoring station).

• If you drop your standard phone line, regu larly test your alarm system monitoring.
• Install a cellular back up unit or an internet alarm communicator (both cost approx. $500 plus add'1 monthly fees).
• Keep one standard phone line using meas ured service for the alarm - long distance is not required for the alarm.

Regarding: Cellular Back Up Monitoring

Dear Customer,

On February 18, 2008 the mandate for wireless carriers to maintain the analog (AMPS) cellular networks will expire. Analog service for your cellular backup system will not be supported beyond this date. All analog systems currently in use need to be upgraded to operate on the digital network.

If you would like to maintain your cellular back up monitoring beyond February 18, 2008 then we will need to upgrade your unit to the Uplink Digicell Anynet. Your cost is $250.00 for the upgrade. You can contact our office to schedule the upgrade Monday through Friday 8-4:30pm. There is no change to the monitoring price.

If you have any further questions, please call the office at 206-575-1962.

Sincerely,
Marjory EarlePresident

Tips on Reducing False Alarms

• Do not wait for them to call you – if your line is busy or has an answering machine, the operators will continue down the emergency contact list.
• Do not assume you have shut the alarm off fast enough that a signal was not sent to the monitoring station.

• Trouble clearing faults in order to arm your system indicates a protection point may be compromised and should be serviced, promptly.
• Keypad keys can stick if dirty or old and prevent the system from disarming properly – sometimes leading to an accidental panic alarm being triggered

• Comcast or Vonage phone service: If you've changed phone service you must call us to test your monitoring. Vonage does not work with the alarms and Comcast must be connected properly (and under some circumstances, does not work either.)
• Emergency Contact List (ECL): Update the phone numbers, new cell phones or new work numbers.
• Window and Door Replacements: Call us ahead of time.
• System Testing: Can your alarm make phone calls when necessary? (We don't know it isn't working unless you tell us.)
• Friends: Refer a friend, neighbor etc.... and get one month free monitoring.

WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING CREDIT CARDS !!! (VISA, MASTERCARD AND DISCOVER) 

AUTOMATED BILL PAYMENT OPTION...

• Is convenient - no more checks to write
• Saves you money -eliminates postage and check costs
• Is safe -prevents your check from being lost or stolen in the mail