Northumbria Police has announced that, from 1 July, they will accept automatic Intruder Alarm System (IAS) and Hold-Up Alarm System (HUA) activation calls via ECHO. All ARCs registered with Northumbria Police are expected to move to ECHO at the earliest opportunity.
Electronic Call Handling Operations (ECHO) connected police forces receive automated alerts from Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs) direct to their despatchers via the ECHO hub. The automated system avoids the risk of miscommunication.
In 2017, the FSA, the British Security Industry Association and the Fire Industry Association joined forces to create a not-for-profit company, ECHO, to modernise alarm call handling and meet the needs of the police, industry and the public.
Initial police estimates show a saving of up to four minutes in response times, which in intruder and other situations could make a crucial difference to emergency outcomes.
Last updated 25 May 22