Alertacall - Moving on from hard-wired alarm and warden call systems

Step 1 - Definewhat the future servicewill look like • What systemwill you use to improve resident contact - like Housing Proactive from Alertacall? Many housing providers who decide that they want to decommission their hard-wired alarm and warden call system choose to introduce a new way of communicating with, engaging with and protecting residents at that same time, and use it as an opportunity to have a service which can also be used in general needs properties too (in case that is required in the future). The provision of a service like Housing Proactive can also be useful in easing resident transition away from hard-wired alarm and warden call systems and can generate preventative data that is useful to the housing provider in resource planning. • Which high quality door entry systemwill you use to replace that provided by the hard- wired alarm and warden call system? Whilst it is the recommendation of this paper that you do so, if due to time constraints in a project this seems difficult to achieve, it is possible in the short term to cut off any pull-cords, put plastic “blanking plates” over any emergency buttons and continue to use the hard-wired alarm and warden call system as a door entry device for a short period. Please note this rarely makes sense for any prolonged period because a new door entry system is likely to cost less, and have greater functionality than supporting the hard-wired alarm and warden call system. • Will residents’ smoke alarms be monitored, and if so by which method? A housing provider’s own facilities management or fire-safety team will typically have a preferred approach in this matter. If monitoring is required we recommend that the smoke alarm is attached to a new door entry system, landlord system or is replaced by one that uses the mobile network and that a specialised fire alarm receiving centre is used for the monitoring of the devices. Please see the “Multi- sensor smoke alarms connected differently” section of this document for further information. If due to time constraints a project around smoke alarms seems difficult to achieve, it is possible in the short term to cut off any pull-cords, put plastic “blanking plates” over any emergency buttons and continue to use the hard-wired alarm and warden call system as means of continuing to monitor the smoke alarm for a short period. Please note this rarely makes sense for any prolonged period because the cost of maintaining the hard-wired alarm and warden call system is often greater than the other approaches as discussed. • What other changes will enhance your service for residents? Many housing providers use the opportunity of decommissioning their hard-wired alarm and warden call systems as a way of bringing about new staff structures and working practices within their sheltered and supported housing services. If this is the case then consider the entire proposition, and the opportunities that deploying something like Housing Proactive from Alertacall creates in terms of new and more efficient working practices. The primary recommendation of this document is that an alternative system like Housing Proactive from Alertacall is put in place for residents before the decommissioning of hard-wired alarms and warden call systems take place. This can be done prior to decommissioning to ensure there is no gap in the provision of services and that residents are settled and at ease with the additional advantages of the new approach. These advantages will need to be professionally and transparently communicated to residents to ensure maximum possible engagement and adoption. Installation is easier than it may appear because newer systems do not have the same infrastructure requirements and can be introduced with minimal disruption. Moving on from hard-wired alarm and warden call systems 14 www.alertacall.com