Security alarm systems and methods

A method of providing notification of an alarm event to a plurality of individuals and communication therebetween comprising the steps of:

• receiving an alarm event signal from an alarm system indicative of an alarm event out of a plurality of possible alarm events;
• determining a customer associated with the alarm event;
• determine a plurality of individuals that are to be contacted based upon the customer that has been determined as being associated with the alarm event;
• selecting a transmission vector having a corresponding transmission identifier from a plurality of available transmission vectors each having a corresponding transmission identifier;
• correspondingly associating the selected transmission identifier with the alarm event;
• sending an alarm event notification to each of the plurality of individuals the at least one individual utilizing the selected transmission vector;
• awaiting and receiving a response to the alarm event notification on the selected transmission vector and automatically associating information of the alarm event with the response based on the response being received on the selected transmission vector which has been correspondingly associated with the alarm event;
• directing each of the plurality of individuals into a virtual chat room corresponding to the alarm event;
• and
• facilitating communication between the plurality of individuals within the virtual chat room, to, in turn, facilitate the resolution of the alarm event.

An alarm operational system comprising:

• an alarm system positioned at a first location, the alarm system having a control module, a communication module coupled to the control module and at least one sensor coupled to the control module and configured to be triggered upon sensing a predetermined condition, with the communication module configured to transmit an alarm event signal when the at least one sensor is triggered;
• and
• a central monitoring station control system located at a second location remote from the first location, the central monitoring station positionable in communication with the communication module so as to receive the transmitted alarm event signal from the alarm system indicative of an alarm event out of a plurality of possible alarm events, the central monitoring station including:
• a determination component for determining a customer associated with the received alarm event and for determining at least a plurality of individuals that are to be contacted based upon the customer that has been determined as being associated with the alarm event;
• a selection component for selecting a transmission vector having a corresponding transmission identifier from a plurality of available transmission vectors each having a corresponding transmission identifier;
• an associating component for correspondingly associating the selected transmission identifier with the alarm event;
• a sending component for sending an alarm event notification to the plurality of individuals utilizing the selected transmission vector;
• a receiving component for awaiting and receiving a response to the alarm event notification on the selected transmission vector and automatically associating information of the alarm event with the response based on the response being received on the selected transmission vector which has been correspondingly associated with the alarm event;
• a directing component for directing each of the plurality of individuals into a virtual chat room corresponding to the alarm event;
• and
• a communication component for facilitating communication between the plurality of individuals within the virtual chat room, to, in turn, facilitate the resolution of the alarm event.