(If you are in doubt as to the communication facilities employed for your service please contact our ULC Listed Signal Receiving Center at 800-265-7562 and we will be glad to answer any questions you may have.)

This User Guide is provided to help you understand the services we are providing and the relationship between Damar Security Systems and your fire alarm service company or contractor. In some cases Damar Security Systems may also provide inspection, testing and repair services for your fire alarm system. If that is the case there will be a separate agreement for service covering the actual fire alarm system control unit, detection and audible devices.

In many cases the Ontario Building Code or the Ontario Fire Code requires the monitoring of a fire alarm system. Continuing monitoring service may be part of the requirements for continued occupancy of your premises.

Damar Security Systems is “listed” by the Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada for the provision of “Fire Signal Receiving Center Systems and Services” and as such our service meets or exceeds the requirements of the Authorities Having Jurisdiction.

Damar Security Systems has been providing the highest degree of service and protection for our fire alarm monitoring customer since 1977. We appreciate the trust you have placed with us!

We can and may receive the following signals related to the fire alarm system installed in your premises:

Fire Alarm - the alarm system in the premises has been activated. The fire alarm bells or horns sounding throughout the building usually indicate this.

Fire Panel Supervisory Signal - Your fire alarm system designer and/or installer may have provided certain "supervisory" conditions that can be displayed on your fire alarm panel. These may consist of supervision signals from a fire suppression sprinkler system such as a water supply valve or a pressure drop. There may be other conditions monitored on your fire alarm panel and you should consult your fire alarm system designer/installer/service person for more information on supervisory signals. Should there be a problem or fault with one of these supervised conditions we will receive a signal.

Fire Panel Trouble Signal - Fire alarm panels are designed to monitor the condition of its circuits that extend throughout your building as well as critical conditions within the fire alarm panel itself. Very likely the most frequent fire alarm panel trouble signal will be a loss of primary electrical power to the fire alarm panel. If the building is equipped with a standby generator you may wish to give us direction in writing that we should take no action on a fire alarm trouble signal if the condition is corrected within a fifteen minute period. This is an option that is available at no additional charge and can save unnecessary calls. Should there be a trouble condition develop within the fire alarm panel we will receive a report of the trouble signal.

Cabinet Tamper Signal- In the event that an unauthorized person should open our transmitter cabinet we will receive a tamper signal. Please make sure that all staff understand that there are no user serviceable components contained within our cabinet. In the event that the cabinet is opened we are obligated to attend at the premises and verify the integrity of our equipment and connections. Unless the cabinet tamper is the result of a technical problem our service response will be a chargeable service call.

Low Battery Signal - We supervise the condition of the standby battery within our signal transmitter. Our service technicians will investigate and take appropriate action.

Fail To Test - Our equipment may automatically generate a test signal to our signal receiving center. In the event that we do not receive an automatic test signal we will initiate corrective action.

Loss of Communications - The connections between your premises and our signal receiving center are continually monitored and we will know of an interruption in communications within three minutes. Our signal receiving center operators will commence corrective action to restore the communications facilities. Part of this procedure may result in a telephone call to you to advise that there has been a failure of communications and we may ask you to observe the Bell Canada provided modem to aid in the investigation of the problem. Our inquiry will be limited to the status of three or four indicators on the front of the modem. In well over ninety percent of the loss of communication situations the problem lies within the Bell Canada Provided facilities.

Notification Procedure - Our procedure is to notify the fire department within thirty seconds of receipt of a fire alarm signal and notify you as soon as possible. In the absence of other direction from you, we will notify you as soon as possible following receipt of a supervisory or trouble signal. One exception is that in the event of a power failure where we have reason to believe that it is wide spread, we likely will not notify you of a fire alarm panel trouble. You do have the option to give us direction in writing to hold the notification of fire alarm panel supervisory and/or trouble signals until the next working day. Such direction to us should only be given after carefully consideration of all aspects of the building fire protection system and the effect this may have on the premises fire safety plan.

It is important that we have a minimum of three contact persons to notify in the event of a fire alarm, supervisory or trouble conditions. Obviously during the daytime occupied hours the contact would be to the premises. Should there be any changes in your staff or their contact information please ensure that our Signal Receiving Center receives the updated information.

Restoration of Alarm, Supervisory or Trouble Conditions - There are no user functions to be performed on our fire alarm system monitoring equipment. Our monitoring equipment is simply a communication device and all operational functions related to the fire alarm system are performed at the fire alarm panel.

Notes Regarding Your Fire Alarm System. With regard to the operation of the fire alarm system please be aware of the following. You should consult your fire alarm system service provider for the proper instructions for resetting alarms, addressing supervisory conditions or correcting fire alarm panel trouble conditions. While our operators are more than willing to provide as much assistance as possible for our customers please understand that the fire alarm panel and system, and the related equipment, are generally not supplied, installed or serviced by Damar Security Systems and as such we do not have adequate information to give you instructions or assistance in the operation of your fire alarm system

Please be sure that construction and fire alarm service contractors use caution around the fire alarm system once the monitoring is in service. In the event that someone will be working on, or testing the fire alarm system please ensure that they call our Signal Receiving Center PRIOR to performing any work. They will need to identify the system number and provide their name and contact telephone number as well as an indication of how long they will be working on the fire alarm system. The system number is posted clearly on the fire alarm panel and on our signal transmitter cabinet. The telephone number for our signal receiving center is 800-265-7562 and this is also posted. They should place the monitoring out of service for sufficient time to complete their work. Should they complete their work prior to the indicated time they should call us again and we will be glad to place the monitoring back in service. If they do not call the monitoring will automatically return to service at the designated time. This means that if they should continue to work on the fire alarm system after the expiration of the "out of service" time we will dispatch the fire department should we receive a fire alarm signal.

Our Obligations. We will visit your premises once per year to conduct an operational test and inspection of our signal transmitting equipment. Damar Security Systems provides an “extended warranty” on the equipment that we supply and install and this means that except for intentional damage beyond our control, there is no charge for any repairs necessary to keep your fire alarm monitoring connection in proper operating order.

Upon receipt of an alarm signal we must notify the responding authority within one minute. If you do not reset your fire alarm panel within eight hours we must follow-up and determine when you will be resetting the system. Upon receipt of a fire alarm panel supervisory or trouble signal we will notify you as soon as possible and if you do not remedy a problem within twelve hours we must follow-up with you.

Important Note. The terms, services and procedures contained herein are general in nature and in some cases the service provided or our obligations may be modified per the formal agreement for service.