We are glad you asked. A “Monitoring Station” was typically a location that was staffed 24/7/365 to receive alarm signals and notify the appropriate parties. Many monitoring stations operated out of telephone answering services, and even some alarm company owner’s homes. Other monitoring stations were located in secure facilities with controlled access, standby power, protected communications facilities. Damar Security Systems operated a fully ULC Listed Monitoring Station from 1976 to approximately 2000 when the Canadian designation was changed.
A “Central Station” was an enhanced monitoring station that employed guards who would respond to alarm signals either as a primary responder instead of the police, or as a secondary responder in place of the protected premises owner or his representative.
In the early 2000’s the Underwriter’s Laboratories of Canada Standards Development Organization determined that “Central Station”, “Monitoring Station” and “Central Monitoring Station” had become generic terms that did not adequately describe the true functions envisioned by the applicable standards. The term “Signal Receiving Centre” was adopted by ULC. Damar Security Systems has operated our own Signal Receiving Centres since the designation was changed.
