24-Hour Monitoring

SOS Monitoring Centers:

Capable, Professional, Reliable Major expenditures and efforts by SOS have been made solely to ensure (1) that the monitoring centers are equipped with the best hardware; (2) that procedures are continually refined for optimal effectiveness; and (3) that only the best people are hired and retained as emergency communications technicians (ECTs) in the monitoring centers.

While the equipment in the field must work and work without flaw, it's what happens once an alarm has been received that is most important. This is where SOS is head and shoulders above the competition. SOS's monitoring centers are located at the corporate office complex in New Smyrna Beach, FL, and in an SOS facility in Valdosta, GA. Great efforts and monies have been expended to ensure the operating integrity of the centers.

The centers are electronically linked, which means that if either center were unable to function for any reason, all incoming signals can be immediately switched to the other center. This ensures uninterrupted service and protection for subscribers.

Redundant Backup Systems

The centers have dual-path multicircuit in-bound phone lines, all underground from the central office; service interruption electronic warnings; and 100 percent battery back-up of all receivers for short term power failure and automatically implemented 40,000-watt generator power for extended power outages.

We feel these backup systems, coupled with our ability to transfer monitoring responsibility between two separate locations, provides an unmatched level of protection. SOS subscribers can be assured that every precaution has been taken to ensure uninterrupted service.

Subscriber files with complete information regarding medical conditions, medications, and responses to alarms are maintained on our custom computer database. Hard-copy backup files are also maintained and are easily accessible. All incoming and outgoing calls are digitally recorded for the protection of all parties.

Center Personnel: Carefully Selected and Highly Trained

Equally as important as the equipment in the monitoring centers and in the field are the people responsible for answering alarms and determining the appropriate action in response. Because SOS's primary business is medical alarm monitoring, and because peoples' lives are at stake in this area of electronic monitoring, our emergency communications technicians (ECTs) must be fully capable and knowledgeable - and that means intensive training.

SOS offers competitive wages in recruiting for positions in the monitoring centers and exercises great care when hiring. In fact, only a small percentage of applicants accepted for training make it through the process to become ECTs. This is because few can meet SOS's standards. Training is demanding and testing is stringent. SOS will not compromise on the quality and capability of people staffing this critical operational area. Applicants are thoroughly screened, trained and tested before assuming their duties. Ongoing training ensures that ECTs continue to develop their knowledge and abilities. Periodic mandatory drug testing is also conducted among all employees, and a positive test is grounds for immediate dismissal.