I was doing an inspection yesterday in Orlando when I found a funny looking switch in one of the bedrooms. I thought this must be some kind of dimmer switch so I pushed it in. Nothing happened so I was going to make a note of it on my report. Then the phone rang to which I thought nothing of it, until about a few minutes later I had 2 Orange County sheriffs knocking on the door wanting to know what was happing in the house. Yes it was a panic button linked to the Sheriffs Dept. Lucky enough they found it funny and about they proper duty’s. Anyone else done anything like this before
Oh yeah, recently tested a smoke alarm I didn’t know was connected to a monitored system. Had two fire trucks, sheriff’s deputy and the neighborhood monitor (who was in tears) at the home within 5 minutes. Also, at a job a couple years ago we had a new receptionist that found a little necklace device with a push button. You guessed it, after she played with it for a couple of minutes we had about 6 Austin PD officers at the front door with guns drawn. She didn’t last long.
Had the alarm code for the house but couldn’t open the front dead bolt with the key. Went to the back door and the key worked fine. Forgot that there might not be an alarm delay on the back door. Turned off the alarm with the code. About ten minutes later Houston’s finest pulled up while I was out in the street with my binoculars. I was impressed with the response time!
Inspected a house way out in the bush of outer Ontario a few years ago. agent gave me the lock box code but failed to tell me there was an alarm. About two minutes after I started the alarm went off ( insert sound of air raid sirens from Battle of Britain here).
Eventually the noise stopped and I wondered what the point was in having sirens miles from anywhere until the neighbour from two miles away turned up on his ATV with a pump action 12 guage under his arm.
It was a good thing I have my truck well marked as he eventually accepted the story that I was just inspecting the house and not robbing it. Of course the agent thought that the whole incident was my fault as I should have known that there was an alarm system in a house 20 miles from nowhere.
Too funny, Carl, did you include the response time in your report? :mrgreen:
Regards
Gerry
Some of the newer Senior Living developments are pre-built with panic buttons in every unit.
No Gerry I did not, but I did have to take out that I found some buttons that did not work. The realtor and buyer who where both at the inspection found the whole thing hilarious
Carl:
About 3 years ago, I was up on a 4 story roof (thru roof jumping) in Center City Philadelphia.
I heard the Sirens and stayed up on the Roof as my vantage point gave me an incredible view of Center City and Liberty Towers.
Imagine my surprise as the Fire Trucks and Police pulled up in front of the Home that I was inspecting.
Client was investigating the elaborate system that was installed on this Historic Home and tripped the tampering alarm that was incorporated within the Fire/Safety System.
No Muss. No Fuss. No Fees Incurred.