ECHO Announces Successful End to End Testing of New Automated Alarm Signaling Service

ECHO (Electronic Call Handling Operations Ltd), the not-for-profit industry backed alarms handling operator, has completed the first ‘end-to-end’ testing of its new automated alarm signalling transmissions between an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) and the pioneering Essex Police Control Room.

Over recent months ECHO, with support from network providers BT Redcare and CSL, has set up resilient connectivity to handle alarm signals from approved ARCs recognised by the police, enabling onward transmission to police control rooms via secure networks, as they become ECHO-connected.

Working with the Banham Security ARC, its software provider Monitor, and Essex Police, live alarm signalling traffic is now being handled seamlessly between the ARC and Essex Police control room despatch desk via ECHO. For a pilot period Banham will now transmit confirmed alarm signals directly to Essex Police to check system resilience.

The NPCC estimate that ECHO-connected police forces will save on average 1-4 minutes in responding to intruder and hold up alarm activations. In their experience ‘every second counts’ in protecting people and property, and time saved by ECHO could be crucial in arriving at alarmed premises. Their aim is to provide a faster response to confirmed alarms installed by approved companies.

ECHO is currently gearing up to provide this service on a commercial basis in any ECHO-connected Police area with a full service offer from early 2021. 

The ECHO service delivers on the NPCC’s “Police Operational Advice and Security Industry Requirements for Response to Security Systems” 2020 (3.1.4). This states, “Electronic Transfer of IAS and HUA activations will be mandatory with effect from 1st April 2020 where forces are able to accept such activations. Forces that are able to accept activations after this date will provide a 6 month period of notice to ARCs to enable connectivity between both parties [to be established]”.  

Essex Police are shortly expected to give notice to all ARCs serving their area to become ECHO-connected and lead the expected roll-out of the new ECHO service across the UK. 

Chief Superintendent Ewen Wilson, Head of the Contact Management Command, Essex Police explained “Essex Police is delighted to have been involved from the outset with the ECHO project as the pioneering police force to test the automated transmission of alarm signals to control rooms.  We have seen there is real potential as part of this collaboration to reduce call-handling demands and police response times to an alarm activation. We’re encouraged by the recent successful testing, and the completion of the pilot phase will set the blueprint other forces around the UK can adopt.”  

Martin Herbert, Managing Director, Banham Security said “The new technology offered by ECHO will transform the way our industry responds to alarm activations.  Through our testing we have seen first-hand the benefits that ECHO can bring in reducing response times, supporting the Police, and giving additional peace of mind to our customers. Banham has been at the forefront of security innovation for over 90 years and is delighted that our Alarm Receiving Centre has been an integral part of the successful end to end testing of ECHO.”

Martin Harvey, Director, ECHO declared “Reaching this important milestone has taken ECHO a little longer than we had first envisaged when the project started a number of years ago. Since those early days a number of people have given their time and expertise to ECHO that has enabled this successful end to end beta test to go ahead. I would like to thank everyone involved to date and look forward to rolling the system out nationwide over the coming months.”

Paul Miller, Director of AVR Group Ltd, the ECHO appointed hub provider commented, “AVR is delighted to have played an integral role in the development of ECHO’s electronic call handling service. The successful test is truly ground-breaking using technology to bring efficiency over traditional manual call handling between Alarm Receiving Centres and Police despatch.  As other Police Forces around the country become ECHO-connected, the benefits of a more rapid emergency response will be realised nationwide.”

Michael Askew, Managing Director, Monitor Computer Systems “Monitor Computer Systems has been seeking for many years to provide electronic delivery of alarms to the emergency services.  Now at last it is possible through the ECHO project. We are delighted to play a part in this development by integrating our Sentinel product with the ECHO platform.”

For more information on ECHO visit www.echo.uk.net

Linkedin search: ECHO (Electronic Call Handling Operations Ltd)

-Ends-

Press contact:  Dianne Gettinby NSI Head of Marketing Communications 

T: +44 (0)1628 764869 E: [email protected]

Editors Notes

Established in 2017, ECHO (Electronic Call Handling Operations Ltd) is a not for profit industry backed organisation delivering automated alarm signalling between the Alarms industry and the Police.

The BSIA, FIA, ECA and NSI have played key roles in developing and implementing the initiative. The launch presents a significant opportunity to facilitate more efficient use of emergency services, increasing call handling speed and accuracy, and police response.

The British Security Industry Association (BSIA), as the voice of the professional security industry, represents multiple sectors of private security in the UK. Its members provide over 70% of the UK’s security products, services and they adhere to strict quality standards. For more information visit http://www.bsia.co.uk

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) is the largest fire protection trade association in the UK with 850+ members. We are a not-for-profit organisation and a major provider of fire safety training. Our objective is to promote, improve and perfect fire protection methods, devices, services and apparatus. For more information visit www.fia.uk.com

The Fire & Security Association (FSA) is the leading trade association dedicated to companies who design, install commission, maintain and monitor electronic fire, emergency and security system. As a specialist group of the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) and working in partnership with SELECT, the Scottish electro-technical trade association, the FSA is uniquely positioned to improve industry standards and enhance and develop members' businesses. For more information visit www.fireandsecurityassociation.co.uk

The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) is the UK's most highly trusted and respected independent third-party certification body approving more than 1800 companies for a wide range of services in the security and fire safety sector. For 50 years NSI has been protecting businesses, homeowners and the general public providing rigorous auditing through its highly trained, in-house team of experts. Buyers of security services who choose NSI approved companies can be assured of security and fire safety services delivered to British and International Standards and Industry Codes of Practice, by businesses committed to quality. For more information visit: www.nsi.org.uk