Alarm monitoring systems are typically associated with basic security measures like intrusion detection and fire alerts.

However, their capabilities extend far beyond these functions, playing a crucial role in public safety, sustainability, environmental and public health monitoring, infrastructure monitoring, and lone worker protection.

Read on to learn more about how local authorities can leverage new technologies to create safer, healthier, and more sustainable communities.

How Does Alarm Monitoring Software Create More Sustainable Communities?  

Alarm monitoring systems contribute to sustainability efforts by ensuring that energy consumption is managed more efficiently. For instance, integrated systems can monitor energy use across different buildings and public spaces, triggering alerts when consumption exceeds predetermined thresholds. This capability allows for immediate adjustments, such as dimming streetlights during low-traffic periods.

Reducing Emissions  

Sustainability monitoring and digital technologies significantly contribute to reducing emissions across various sectors. In fact, research by the World Economic Forum and Accenture suggests that if digital solutions were implemented at scale, they could potentially reduce emissions by up to 20% by 2050 in the three highest-emitting sectors: energy, materials, and mobility. What’s more, if implemented quickly, reductions could reach 4-10% by 2030.

The types of technologies referred to include ‘decision-making technologies that augment human intelligence’ and ‘sensing and control technologies that collect data and alter physical processes to be more sustainable’. Alarm monitoring relates to both of these areas.

MIT Technology Review reflects these sentiments, stating that technologies such as cloud and edge computing, IoT sensors and AI are essential for the transition to a net-zero economy, improving the efficiency of energy-intensive systems and supporting decarbonisation. 

Environmental Health Monitoring

The Health Risks of Urbanisation

One of the major health issues associated with urbanisation is air pollution. Urbanisation is on the rise, with almost 6 billion people expected to be living in cities by 2040.

Data from the World Health Organisation estimates that more than 6.5 million people die prematurely each year due to air pollution, with nearly 90% of these deaths occurring in low and middle income countries.

Poor air quality in urban areas is often exacerbated by congestion and inadequate infrastructure. Combined with water and soil contamination, cities become breeding grounds for disease. 

Mould is another issue, with many older properties exhibiting unsafe mould growth which has the potential to cause various health concerns.  

Mitigating the Risk with Real-Time Monitoring

Connecting alarm monitoring systems with sensors enables the detection of changes in air and water quality, among other variables. Authorities can then be alerted if things are not as they should be i.e., if the measurements cross safe thresholds.

Sensors can also monitor for high levels of industrial pollutants or detect leaks of hazardous substances, enabling a swift response to mitigate environmental and health risks, protecting not just communities but delicate ecosystems as well.

Our New Air Quality Monitoring Device

Our solution already handles alerts from virtually any type of sensor, but we’re taking things a step further by launching our first environmental monitoring device.

The device, manufactured by Iris IoT Solutions, will monitor air temperature, humidity and CO2, key indicators when monitoring for mould presence in properties. We are looking to help local authorities and housing associations be better equipped to identify issues before they become a hazard and to ensure compliance with environmental health standards.

Keeping Healthcare Facilities Safe

In facilities where health and safety are paramount, such as hospitals, monitoring is a critical aspect of infection control.

Maintaining high air quality is essential to prevent the spread of airborne diseases.  Sensors detecting air contaminants can continually assess the levels of various pathogens or pollutants in the air, alerting facility managers in real-time to deviations from set parameters, prompting immediate remediation actions such as activating advanced air purification technologies or adjusting HVAC systems to enhance filtration and airflow.

The use of such technologies also extends to managing humidity and temperature for preventing the growth of mould and bacteria.

In critical areas like operating theatres or intensive care units, where patients are at heightened risk, the integration of this technology provides greater assurance. 

Monitoring systems can also be linked to broader hospital management systems, facilitating not only immediate responses but also long-term data analysis and strategic planning to improve infection control protocols.

Enhancing Public Safety

Alarm monitoring systems can be integrated with city or community-wide alert systems to enhance public safety in various ways.

For example, they can connect to weather alert systems to provide early warnings for severe events such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. This integration allows local authorities to initiate timely evacuations, reducing the potential for casualties. 

Given the changing climate, there will be a greater need for such systems in future.

Public Safety Analytics Using Alarm Data

Cloud based alarm monitoring software can integrate with advanced analytics platforms, and this capability has various implications. For example, it can help predict and prevent crime by identifying suspicious patterns and alerting local police before incidents escalate. This is just one example of many to illustrate how the public can benefit from alarm data.

Proactive Infrastructure Care

Infrastructure is the backbone of any community, and its maintenance is crucial for safety and efficiency. Systems can be deployed to oversee the structural health of buildings, bridges and tunnels, with sensors detecting early signs of wear and tear, such as cracks or vibrations that exceed normal levels.

Authorities can be alerted to these issues before they become severe, which enables proactive maintenance, potentially saving significant amounts of money and preventing catastrophic failures.

Lone Worker Protection

For individuals working in isolated or hazardous conditions, lone worker solutions are a vital consideration. Local authority employees may also be classes as lone workers in certain scenarios. For example, individuals required to visit residents’ properties alone for various reasons may face aggression or other threats on the premises, so they need a way to quickly call for help. 

Alarm monitoring provides a lifeline for these workers – they can wear devices that monitor vital signs or detect falls, automatically sending alerts to emergency services if a worker is injured or in distress. In other situations, workers can activate personal alarms to call for assistance. 

GPS features also ensure that help is directed to the exact location of the incident, speeding up response times and improving chances of recovery/mitigating the threat. 

Conclusion

Alarm monitoring is integral to modern public safety and environmental health strategies, as well as sustainability initiatives. As technology continues to evolve, the potential applications of monitoring systems are likely to expand, further embedding them into such strategies.

GeminiSense, our alarm monitoring solution, ensures a proactive stance against the threats discussed in this article. It can manage alerts from any device and also has a module for lone worker protection. To see it in-action, contact us today to request a demo.