Why Raise an Alarm with Peoplesafe Instead of Calling 999?

When you're in an emergency, every second counts. Our highly trained and experienced Alarm Controllers are dedicated to responding to lone worker alarms and managing life-threatening situations daily. Supported by some of the industry's most experienced ARC managers, we ensure fast, effective assistance when you need it most.

On average, we respond to alarms within 5 seconds, consistently exceeding industry standards for response times.

Your Peoplesafe device or app sends real-time information directly to our Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), including:

• Who You Are: Your profile, including the work you do and the risks you face.

• Where You Are: Your precise location within 5 meters using GPS, Wi-Fi tracking, and What3Words.

• What Is Happening: Live audio of the alarm, allowing us to assess the situation in real-time.

In emergencies, our Alarm Controllers can dispatch emergency services directly to your location, bypassing the need for a 999 call. Additionally, they provide continuous support while recording the situation for potential future evidence.

The ARC is the heart of our personal safety service, ensuring the protection of employees at risk. Unlike other services, our focus is solely on safeguarding your well-being—without the distractions of services like CCTV monitoring or intruder alarms.

When Should I Raise an Alarm?

You should raise an alarm as soon as you feel that your safety or welfare is at risk. Trust your instincts—if you sense that a situation is escalating or becoming dangerous, don’t hesitate to activate the alarm.

Here are some examples when you should raise an alarm:

• Threatening Environment: You enter a property and spot deadly weapons. Raise the alarm immediately and describe the situation to the Alarm Controller.

• Suspicious Behavior: A customer enters your shop and displays threatening or suspicious behavior.

• Health Concerns: You start feeling extremely unwell and suspect your health is deteriorating rapidly. Raise the alarm and explain your symptoms to the controller.

• Injury: You injure yourself and are alone, requiring medical assistance and support.

What Should I Say?

The Alarm Controller cannot see you, so it’s essential to communicate clearly and describe the situation in detail.

• Direct Communication: If the situation allows, speak directly to the Alarm Controller through the device or app after the beep.

• Describe the Situation: Use clear and descriptive language to help the Alarm Controller understand the situation. Be discreet, especially in situations where privacy is needed.

• Duress Words: Use pre-arranged duress words or phrases to discreetly signal to the Alarm Controller that a specific action is required.

For example, you might say: "I am in danger, there are weapons in the property. Please send help immediately."

What to Expect After You Raise an Alarm

When you raise an alarm, here's what will happen:

1. Alarm Activated: The Alarm Controller begins assessing your situation immediately. They will review your profile and understand your current risk.

2. Monitor: For at least 10 seconds, the Alarm Controller listens to your environment to assess the urgency of the situation.

3. Verify: The Alarm Controller determines if the alarm is genuine or a false alarm. They do this by evaluating the context and your profile and the audio provided on your alarm.

4. Respond: Based on the verification, the Alarm Controller will choose the best course of action:

   • Communicate: The Alarm Controller will try to communicate directly with you if it’s safe. If possible, they may ask for more details about the situation.

   • Dispatch: If the alarm is valid, emergency services will be dispatched to your location right away.

   • Escalate: If needed, the Alarm Controller will escalate the incident to your colleagues or other support networks to ensure help is on the way.

5. Manage: The Alarm Controller will continue to monitor the situation, staying in communication with you and emergency services until the threat is neutralized.

6. Close Alarm: The alarm will only be closed once you are safe, or once emergency services have arrived.

Once the alarm is closed, a copy of the report, including all notes and actions taken, will be available in the Nexus portal for your management team to access.

How will the Alarm Controller communicate with me?

The Alarm Controller may communicate with you directly through your device or by phone call during an incident.

The controllers prioritize your safety and will ask questions to gather vital information, such as:

• "What is happening?"

• "Are there any weapons?"

• "How many aggressors are involved?"

They may also provide advice, such as guiding you to safety, offering reassurance that help is on the way, or giving updates on the emergency services’ response.

Here is an example alarm:

When should I call emergency services myself?

If you are safe and have removed yourself from the situation, it might be sensible to contact 101 or 999 directly, so you can provide detailed information to the control center.

While the Alarm Controller at Peoplesafe can call 999 for you in an emergency, we recommend calling emergency services yourself only if you are safe, well enough, and able to provide the necessary details.