The Alarm Process
When entering any Capital City Bank office after hours, on holidays, or any time the bank is closed, the first associate in the office needs to disarm the alarms. The access card that provides entry into the building also disarms the alarm.
From the time an associate enters the building and triggers the alarms, they have 90 seconds to get to the alarm panel and disarm the alarms. If the associate takes longer than 90 seconds, the monitoring company is notified.
Upon notification, Securitas, the current alarm monitoring company, follows a standard procedure to attempt to validate the alarm. Typically they view video of office cameras and call the office. If no one answers, they begin calling the contact numbers on the After Hours Call list.
When the associate answers, the Securitas operator requests they provide their Voice Personal Identification Number (VPIN). This validates the associate's identity prior to disregarding the alarm. Associates are setup with a VPIN when assigned their card access. If you cannot remember your VPIN, contact Corporate Security and Risk.
For more information on what to do if you receive a call after hours, see Alarm Instructions for After Hours Calls. For instructions on updating and maintaining the After Hours Call list, see After Hours Call List Procedure.
Arming and Disarming the Alarms
Disarming the Alarms
If the alarm has a red light and is beeping, it is armed.
To disarm the alarms:
- Press the button labeled CMD.
- The screen displays Arm or Disarm.
- Press the button below Disarm.
- The next screen asks for a code.
- Hold your access card up to the DMP logo card reader.
- The panel reads your card and asks if you want to Disarm All.
- Always select YES. Your access has been tailored to your job function and only disarms the areas you are authorized to disarm.
Arming the Alarms
To arm the alarms:
- Press the CMD button on the panel.
- The screen displays Arm or Disarm.
- Press the button below Arm.
- Hold your access card up to the DMP logo card reader to have it read your access.
- The screen displays ARM ALL.
- Always select YES. Any areas that you do not have access to automatically arm at 10 p.m.
- You have 90 seconds to exit the building before the system begins monitoring.
Alarm Auto Arm
All offices are set with an automatic alarm arming function at 10 p.m. nightly. This ensures the office is secure if someone from the cleaning crew or an associate forgot to arm the alarms. If you are the last person to leave the office always arm the alarms. Do not rely on the auto-arming function to do it for you.
Weekends and Holidays
The office alarm system has a separate program for holidays and weekends, when offices are not scheduled to be open. Associates must disarm the alarms if they need to enter an office on these days. The alarms automatically arm themselves every 2 hours. The associate must disarm the alarms each time they reset. When leaving the office, always arm the alarms. Do not rely on the auto-arming function to do it for you.
Special Circumstances
The Main Corporate office and Trust buildings in Tallahassee are set to automatically disarm Monday through Friday at 6 a.m. Associates entering these 2 offices after 6 a.m. do not need to disarm alarms. These alarms do not automatically disarm on weekends or holidays.
The Chipley office does not have the card read ability for arming and disarming the alarms. To arm or disarm the alarms associates must enter a code.
If an associate's card does not disable a specific area and there is a need for the area to be disarmed (for example: a vendor or technician working on equipment), the associate can contact Corporate Security and Risk to have their access temporarily changed.
FAQs and Common Issues
Read through the questions (accordions) to find answers and solutions to your frequently asked questions and issues.
90 seconds isn’t long enough to get to the panel, can we make it longer?
90 seconds is the industry standard. If you are having a specific difficulty please contact Corporate Security and Risk.
I left my phone/keys/wallet/purse inside, can I just run in and grab it?
You must disarm the alarms if you are going to go in the office. If you do not, law enforcement will be called and there is a high likelihood that the bank will have penalties and fines assessed against us.
The alarm panel is asking me if I want to bypass something, what is that all about?
When arming the alarms, the system looks to make sure that all of the areas look “normal". If anything is in “Alarm” it will ask this. This means you must be very still so that motion sensors are not being set off. If, however you get this message and it is not in regard to the motion sensors, it is okay to bypass an item, just please note what it is and report it to Corporate Security and Risk so we can check equipment to ensure it is working correctly.
No one ever told me I was setup for alarm access, do I have access?
If you have a card that gives you access to a building with an alarm, your card is set up with alarm access. You can confirm this by e-mailing Corporate Security and Risk.
Will the office be disarmed this weekend/holiday if I need to work?
No, the office remains armed; however, you can use your access to disarm the alarms. Keep in mind, they automatically arm every 2 hours when disarmed outside of normal business hours.
Who do I call if I have an alarm problem?
During normal business hours, contact Corporate Security and Risk. Outside of normal business hours contact the alarm monitoring company Securitas at 855.331.0359. Securitas will ask for your VPIN code to authenticate your identity. Without your VPIN code, Securitas will not follow any instructions you provide or give you any information.
How do I put the alarms in “test” mode?
Contact the alarm monitoring company Securitas at 855.331.0359. Securitas will ask for your PIC code to authenticate your identity. Without your VPIN code, Securitas will not put the system in test mode.
What will my card disarm?
Alarm access is based upon your specific job duties and areas of the office you should have authorization to disarm.
For example: If you are an associate who needs access to the vault, your card will disarm the vault. If not, it won't. If you are an associate who works in a non-retail area, your card will disarm any areas you have access to.
Are alarms set to arm and disarm by floor for multi-story offices?
The only office with a separate alarm arm/disarm by floor is the Main office Tallahassee. Access to the main floor is controlled by the access card assigned, the alarms are armed and disarmed based upon access authorized to that floor.