What is a Duress System and what does it comprise of?
A Duress system comprises three broad functions;
- Send the message; Duress alert transmitter (usually carried by the user)
- Receive the message; A receiver or message centre, and
- Act on the message; End recipients of the message (a phone or mobile, a flashing light or alarm, a computer or a security monitor)
It is a set of components brought together in a tailored system or uniquely programmed to satisfy your precise requirements. The units that make up the system will differ from need to need. Here are the main questions you need to consider.
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| Across a room, house, large building, site, city, country. |
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| Message sent by sender pushing button, or man-down tilt switch, no-motion. A built-in switch detects if sender is lying horizontal or not moving. Or pull cord where a message is sent if unit is pulled from the sender’s belt. |
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| The transmitter unit (carried by the person) activates an auditory message like an alarm, a visual message like a flashing strobe light, a voice message, SMS, send message to a computer, or combinations of these. |
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| An on-site receiver, or off-site telephone or mobile, a computer, an alarm, a light, a pager or other receiving device. |
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| Acknowledgement & Escalation |
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| Message can escalate through five or more phones. If first doesn’t answer, then it goes to the next and so on. Person who finally answers then cancels the escalation (acknowledgement). |
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| Monitored or Non-Monitored |
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| Message can also go to central monitoring point like a security company or computer for record keeping. |
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| How many sending units are required? (How many people require a unit at any given time). |
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Three example scenarios
Here are three hypothetical situations ranging from the simplest to complex
- One person in another part of the house or building needs to be able to alert you if there is a problem.
They carry a simple push button wireless pendant (like a remote car lock), and press the button which rings an alarm and/or flashes a light in your office or room. The alarm also activates a phone message sent to your mobile or land line.
- A staff member in an unsupervised area of the factory needs to let you know she is in trouble. She's sitting down but disoriented
She carries a pendant or belt unit on which she pushes the button. This activates an alarm in the office. Remote sensors around the factory identify where she is and pinpoints her location on a map on the computer screen.
- 330 workers at a mine site, some working up to 6 kms from the central office, need to be monitored and you need to know if one is injured or disabled on the ground
- Each worker carries a belt unit with pull cord, alert button and tilt switch.
- If a worker goes down, the tilt switch activates within 30 seconds and sends a voice message to an escalating list of telephones. Two of these are in the office and three are mobiles. If the first three don't answer, the 4th does and stops the escalation. A message is also sent to a central computer and to an external monitor, (like a security company).
These range from simple to complex.
- On-Site - Duress
- On-Site - Duress, Man Down
- On-Site - Duress, Man Down, Voice
- On-Site - Duress, Man Down, Voice, SMS Messaging & Alarm
- Wide area - Private Network up to 10km
- Wide area- Public Network
- anywhere in GSM, satellite coverage anywhere in Australia
