How to respond to an alarm as a nominated emergency contact

If your phone number is listed on an Alarm Response Profile, you may receive a call when a lone worker raises an alarm. What you hear, and what you're asked to do, depends on whether your organisation uses Self-Monitoring or Vatix 24/7 Monitoring. We recommend saving the number below in your contacts so you recognise the call when it comes through.

How to respond if your organisation uses Self-Monitoring

With Self-Monitoring, you're called as soon as the lone worker raises the alarm. The call comes from +44 808 169 2431.

1. Answer the call.
2. You'll hear an automated message confirming this is a Vatix alarm and asking you to confirm your name. This is a human ID test to prevent the call being put through to voicemail. Say your name.
3. After the verification is confirmed, the automated message will explain that, after you have assessed the situation, you can press the * key to close the alarm.
4. The system dials you into the two-way audio line. This takes a few seconds.
5. Speak directly to the lone worker and check they're okay. If it's an emergency, follow your organisation's internal escalation processes.
6. Once you have assessed the situation, close the alarm down. Press the * key on your phone, then select one of the three options read out by the automated message:
   1. Confirmed Alert
   2. False Alert
   3. Test Alert

Note: Always close the alarm before ending the call. Safe Pro devices and the Lone Worker app (part of the Vatix app, formerly Protector Mobile app) cannot raise a new alarm while another alarm is still open. If an alarm is left open, it must be closed manually in Vatix Workspace before the lone worker can raise another alarm.

How to respond if your organisation uses Vatix 24/7 Monitoring

With Vatix 24/7 Monitoring, the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) handles the alarm first. You're only called if the operator couldn't verify that the lone worker is safe, or if the operator has identified an emergency.

The operator is calling because they need your help to reach the lone worker and confirm they're okay. Answer the call, tell the operator anything you know about where the worker is or how to reach them, and follow your organisation's internal escalation processes.

Where the operator has identified signs of distress, violence, or another clear emergency, the ARC can dispatch police directly and will contact you in parallel.

What happens if nobody answers

The ARC works through the responders on the Alarm Response Profile in the order they're listed.

If the operator can't reach anyone, the alarm stays open until either the lone worker verifies their identity or one of the escalation contacts reaches them. A Safe Pro device or the Lone Worker app can't raise a new alarm while an alarm is still open, so answer the call if you can, even if you're not the right person to deal with it.

To change who is called, or the order they're called in, read how to edit an Alarm Response Profile.