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Alarm Actions

Comprehensive action toolkit for managing alarms: acknowledge, dismiss, escalate, snooze, reassign, and add operator notes.

Overview​

Alarm Actions provide operators with a comprehensive toolkit to manage alarms throughout their lifecycle. From initial assignment to final resolution, GCXONE offers a range of actions that enable efficient alarm handling, proper documentation, and seamless workflow execution.

Core Alarm Actions​

1. Acknowledge Alarm​

Purpose: Mark an alarm as being actively handled by an operator.

When to Use:

  • When you begin working on an alarm
  • To indicate you've seen and are processing the event
  • To prevent other operators from taking the same alarm

How to Acknowledge:

  1. Select the alarm in the queue
  2. Click "Acknowledge" or press the keyboard shortcut
  3. The alarm status changes to "Acknowledged" and is assigned to you

2. Assign/Reassign Alarm​

Purpose: Assign an alarm to yourself or another operator.

When to Use:

  • Taking ownership of an unassigned alarm
  • Transferring an alarm to a specialist operator
  • Distributing workload across the team

How to Assign:

  1. Select the alarm
  2. Click "Assign to Me" or "Reassign"
  3. Choose the target operator from the dropdown
  4. Optionally add a note explaining the reassignment

3. Dismiss/Close Alarm​

Purpose: Mark an alarm as resolved and remove it from the active queue.

When to Use:

  • After verifying the alarm is false
  • After completing the required response actions
  • When the incident has been resolved

How to Dismiss:

  1. Complete all required workflow steps
  2. Click "Close" or "Dismiss"
  3. Select the closure reason:
    • Real Alarm - Genuine security event that was handled
    • False Alarm - False positive, no actual threat
    • Technical - System or device malfunction
  4. Add a brief note describing the resolution

4. Escalate Alarm​

Purpose: Elevate an alarm to a supervisor or specialist team.

When to Use:

  • When an alarm requires higher-level attention
  • When you need assistance from a specialist
  • When an alarm exceeds your authority level

How to Escalate:

  1. Select the alarm
  2. Click "Escalate"
  3. Choose the escalation target (Supervisor, Manager, Specialist Team)
  4. Add a note explaining why escalation is needed
  5. The alarm is automatically routed to the selected recipient

5. Snooze/Park Alarm​

Purpose: Temporarily remove an alarm from your active view with automatic return.

When to Use:

  • Waiting for a callback from police or keyholder
  • Temporarily deferring non-critical alarms
  • Managing workflow when handling multiple alarms

How to Snooze:

  1. Select the alarm
  2. Click "Snooze" or "Park"
  3. Set the duration (15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc.)
  4. The alarm disappears from your active window
  5. The alarm automatically returns after the set duration

6. Add Operator Notes​

Purpose: Document actions taken, observations, and important information.

When to Use:

  • Recording actions taken during alarm handling
  • Documenting observations from video review
  • Adding context for other operators or supervisors
  • Creating an audit trail

How to Add Notes:

  1. Select the alarm
  2. Click "Add Note" or use the notes field
  3. Enter your observation or action
  4. Notes are timestamped and linked to your operator account

Advanced Actions​

7. Isolate Device/Site​

Purpose: Temporarily suspend monitoring for a specific device or site.

When to Use:

  • During scheduled maintenance
  • When a technician is on-site
  • During planned deliveries or events

How to Isolate:

  1. Select the alarm or navigate to device settings
  2. Click "Isolate" or "Disarm Temporarily"
  3. Set the isolation duration (30 minutes to 8 hours)
  4. GCXONE automatically re-arms the device after the timer expires

8. Test Mode​

Purpose: Place a site in test mode to log alarms without displaying them in the active queue.

When to Use:

  • During system testing or maintenance
  • When verifying device functionality
  • During training exercises

How to Enable Test Mode:

  1. Navigate to site settings in Talos CMS
  2. Enable "Test Mode"
  3. Alarms are logged but don't appear in the active queue
  4. Disable test mode when testing is complete

9. Audio Announcement​

Purpose: Make live audio announcements through IP speakers at the site.

When to Use:

  • Deterring intruders with verbal warnings
  • Directing authorized personnel
  • Emergency announcements

How to Use Audio:

  1. Select the alarm
  2. Click "Audio" or "SIP Announcement"
  3. Use the microphone to speak live
  4. Or select a pre-recorded message
  5. The announcement is broadcast through site speakers

10. Trigger Digital Output​

Purpose: Remotely activate lights, gates, sirens, or other devices.

When to Use:

  • Illuminating an area during an alarm
  • Activating deterrent devices
  • Controlling access points

How to Trigger:

  1. Select the alarm
  2. Click "I/O Control" or "Digital Output"
  3. Select the output to activate
  4. Confirm the action
  5. The device activates immediately

Workflow Integration​

Every alarm action is integrated with Workflows - predefined sequences that guide operator responses:

  1. Initial Assessment: Determine if alarm is real or false
  2. Audio Deterrence: Use GCXONE Audio (SIP) for live announcements
  3. Intervention: Call keyholder, guard service, or police
  4. Parallel Actions: Automated actions run in background (SMS, email, I/O triggers)
  5. Documentation: Record all actions in notes and audit logs

Best Practices​

Action Timing​

  • Acknowledge immediately when taking an alarm to prevent duplicate handling
  • Add notes in real-time rather than waiting until closure
  • Use snooze sparingly - only for non-critical alarms when waiting for callbacks

Documentation​

  • Be specific in notes - include timestamps, actions taken, and outcomes
  • Use standardized terminology for consistency across operators
  • Document false alarms to help improve system tuning

Workflow Adherence​

  • Follow the workflow steps in the order presented
  • Don't skip steps unless explicitly authorized
  • Escalate when uncertain rather than making assumptions

Keyboard Shortcuts​

For faster alarm handling, use keyboard shortcuts:

  • A - Acknowledge alarm
  • C - Close alarm
  • E - Escalate alarm
  • N - Add note
  • S - Snooze alarm
  • R - Reassign alarm

Need Help?​

If you're experiencing issues with alarm actions, check our Troubleshooting Guide or contact support.

Need Help?​

If you encounter issues during configuration, please:

  1. Check the troubleshooting guide
  2. Review the FAQ
  3. Contact support for assistance