First Alarm (company)
First Alarm is an American private security services company that works for San Jose city Government for guarding and patrolling airport, public works, transportation and ESD department until 2018. The company is headquartered at Aptos, California with locations in Rohnert Park, San Jose and Monterey. First Alarm is called by Santa Cruz police department to work as an extension staff of their department in The Downtown area for patrolling during the holiday season.
History
The company was founded in 1966 by Jarl Saal to offer security and patrolling services in the Santa Cruz area. Like other security companies, it limited its services to guard and patrolling services until establishing a central monitoring station in late 90's. Through the center it managed surveillance activities by accessing live and recorded video streaming from its office location to offer commercial and residential security services to residential, government, retail and corporate bodies. It later started offering security surveillance products, fire & life safety and medical alert systems including FirstConnect, FirstNet, FirstLink and FirstView that are controlled and managed by its control and monitoring station. One of its security guard, Linda Rascon gained media attention when she was killed while rescuing a hospital patient during an accident.
Operations
First Alarm central monitoring station is located in Aptos, California. Their services includes guarding service, patrolling service and security & alarm products that are connected to their analog and IP systems for video surveillance. They later introduced web based services, to monitor alarm activities on multiple locations, access control system virtually through live streaming and automated email response. As part of its mandate, First Alarm along with its subsidiary company First Alarm Security & Patrol, Inc. instructs officers in self-defense tactics and techniques.