When you create a new Alarms site in Verkada Command, you need to go through a few steps to configure settings for the site.
You can modify these settings at any time:
In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Alarms.
Select the site that you want to configure.
Alarm settings
Click to expand each option below to learn more about settings options.
General
General
On the General page, specify the physical location of your Alarms site. Ensure this address is accurate and specific. Verkada uses this address in case emergency services need to be dispatched. Each unique address requires one Alarms license.
Alarm triggers
Alarm triggers
You can choose which events should trigger an alarm: cameras, sensor inputs, and doors. The events that exist in this Alarms site can be selected as alarm triggers. This means that when the site is armed, any of the following events can trip the alarm.
When alarm devices go offline
By default, if any alarm devices go offline for more than five minutes while the system is in an armed state, it automatically raises an alarm.
If any alarm devices go offline while the system is in an unarmed state:
It records the offline event, but does not raise an alarm.
It does not raise an alarm when the system is armed later, unless the Alarm device comes online and goes offline for more than five minutes.
Change default behavior of offline events
To change the default behavior of offline events:
Navigate to Settings > Offline Events.
Select Raise alarm, Notify only, or Do nothing in the event a selected device goes offline.
Cameras
Cameras
To enable a camera as an alarm trigger:
On Select Cameras, select the camera for person detection. Once selected, anytime the system is armed and a person is detected, a video verification event is logged and sent to our monitoring agents for review.
Click Done when you're done with your selection.
Specify a region of interest
You can specify a region of interest where the selected region (in blue) is the only area where person detection is running; everything outside of the blue box is ignored.
Wired sensors
Wired sensors
An alarm panel detects a relevant state change (door open, glass break, water detected, motion detected, and so on).
Wireless sensors
Wireless sensors
Configure wireless sensor-specific settings:
Door Sensor
Sensitivity Level (Low, Medium, High)—The higher the sensitivity, the greater distance allowed between the sensor and the magnet to register a closed event.
Universal Transmitter Mode (Normally Open, Normally Closed)—Allows the door contact sensor to be utilized as a wireless transmitter, turning any standard 2-wire sensor into a wireless signal
Panic button
Button Press Pattern (Single, Long, Double, Triple)—Allows you to specify the type of button press pattern required to send a panic signal.
Mobile Mode—This setting should be enabled for mobile panic buttons that are expected to be carried on an individual's person or when the panic buttons are expected to be out of the wireless range of a hub for extended periods of time.
Access control
Access control
An access controller detects a door open, door held open or door forced open event.
Alarm console
Alarm console
You can configure an alarm console as a trigger by using person detection on its camera.
Air quality sensor events
Air quality sensor events
A sensor detects motion, changes in temperature, humidity, air quality, and so on.
Required. Air Quality Sensor Thresholds must be configured for the particular readings that you want to use as a trigger to raise an alarm.
Offline events
Offline events
Set the desired response when an alarm device goes offline.
Alarm responses
Alarm responses
Video Verification
Video Verification
If enabled, video verification allows for a Verkada monitoring agent to review video footage of an incident before raising an alarm. This reduces the likelihood of false alarms. You can configure these levels of security for video verification:
Normal Security—An alarm is only raised if there is a visible threat to a person or property. For example, a person brandishing a weapon, broken glass, etc.
Max Security—An alarm is raised if a person is present or if there are any signs of an intrusion. This alarm level helps to significantly reduce the chance of a false alarm occurring.
Customer Security—An administrator can choose what the monitoring agent will raise an alarm for depending on the video verification rules.
Organizations that create their first Alarms site on or after June 29, 2024, will no longer be able to select a video verification security level; the Alarms site will operate under max security verification.
Use case of trip event
Site is armed
A camera detects a janitor in a safe room
Trip event occurs
Video clip of the event is sent to the monitoring agent for review
In normal security mode, the agent determines that there is no visible threat to people or property and an alarm is not raised. In max security mode, the agent raises an alarm immediately if a person is present when the site is armed.
For video verification to be active for non-camera devices, you need to link your devices to nearby cameras that can provide context for alarm events. For air quality sensors and doors, the cameras you've previously associated with those devices are automatically used for video verification.
For BH61 / BP41 sensor inputs, you can manually add nearby cameras when you configure those inputs.
For more information on the video verification rules, refer to Verification Rules.
Emergency Dispatch
Emergency Dispatch
If emergency dispatch is enabled, the Verkada monitoring agent contacts the individuals in the order of your contact list. If an emergency is confirmed or if no one can be reached, the agent dispatches emergency services to the site address.
Immediate Dispatch on Panic
When enabled, Verkada monitoring agents dispatch emergency services immediately without confirming with contact list. This only applies to duress and panic alarms. Notification recipients still receive a call/SMS to get visibility into the situation.
Monitoring Test Mode
If enabled, the Verkada monitoring agent still reaches out in the order of your contact list, but does not dispatch emergency services if they are unable to reach you.
Permit Number (Optional)
You can optionally add a permit number to be shared with emergency services when dispatch is requested. This is sometimes a requirement in certain counties and states and should be acquired via local Verkada Partner as requirements differ across jurisdictions.
You can also provide property entry or gate codes for monitoring team to provide to emergency services:
Emergency Dispatch Context Cameras
By default, our monitoring agents do not have any access to your cameras. This setting allows you to grant live-only access to a maximum of 10 cameras in addition to any footage that has been video verified to gather additional context during an active alarm.
Contact list
Contact list
Configure Command users to be notified via SMS and/or email notifications when an alarm is raised. These notifications can be sent, regardless of whether emergency dispatch is enabled.
By default, all users will receive SMS and email notifications, but need to be explicitly designated as emergency dispatch contacts. To do that, click the Dispatcher icon. The call order is determined by the number to the right of the Dispatcher icon.
Important. Please ask users on the notification list to save the following numbers to their contact list as "Verkada Monitoring".
These are the numbers that we use to notify you of an emergency:
SMS Phone call
+16193298928 +16193044016
+16193298846
+16193298736
Alarm actions
Alarm actions
You can configure which actions to take when an alarm is raised:
Alarm panel outputs
If you have a BP41 alarm panel, you can configure outputs A and B on the panel to provide 12V of power to sirens, strobes, and other alarm signaling devices in the event of an alarm. Find setup instructions here.
Wireless outputs
If you have a BX21, you can configure the wireless relay as an output for a siren, strobe, or other alarm signaling devices. Find setup instructions here.
Pay alert message
You can also choose to play an alert message on the alarm console.
Access control lockdown
You can leverage a configured lockdown scenario through Verkada access control as a response to an alarm being raised.
Arm/Disarm settings
Setting | Description |
Entry Delay | Number of seconds to wait after a trigger event occurs before raising an alarm. |
Exit Delay | Number of seconds to wait after entering the code entry before arming site. |
Geofence Arm/Disarm | Restricts mobile app arm/disarm when the user is within 200 meters of the alarm site. Note: The Verkada Alarms app will be required to arm/disarm for users with Site Viewer permissions or lower. |
Arm Schedule | Automatically arms the site during the specified window. |
Auto Re-Arm | If disarmed during the arm period, automatically re-arms the site after a set period of time. |
Auto Disarm | Automatically disarms the site at the end of the schedule. |
Arm/Disarm Notification Window | Receive a notification whenever an arm/disarm occurs within a specific time range. |
Output on Arm | A wired output is enabled when the site is armed and disabled when it is disarmed. |
Disarm via Doors | Select which doors automatically disarm the site when the door is unlocked via a badge swipe. This option is only available if a door exists in the site. |
Arm via Doors | Select which doors automatically arm the site when the door is unlocked via a badge swipe. This option is only available if a door exists in the site. Note: The exit delay is 20 seconds. |
Toggle via Doors | Toggle between armed/disarmed for this site when one of these doors grant access. |
Keycodes | You can add multiple site keycodes that arm/disarm the system and individual user keycodes. |
Duress Keycode | You can enter this code to trigger a panic alarm on the alarm console in case of an emergency. When a duress code is entered into the console, the system disarms the site, but still triggers alarm notifications and emergency dispatch (if enabled). |
Alarm console settings
Here are the settings you can configure for the alarm console.
Setting | Description |
Enable Console Video Recording | Gives users access to live and historical video from the alarm console in Command. |
Enable Console Video Stream | Gives users access to live video on the console for all cameras in the site. |
Arm/Disarm Announcement | Console announces when a site is arming, armed, or disarmed. |
Alarm Trigger Announcement | Console announces when a site has been tripped. |
Alarm Raised Announcement | Console announces when an alarm is raised. |
Enable Console Door Chime | Console plays an audio tone when a door in the site is opened. |
Console Controls | Restarts the console remotely. |
Need more help? Contact Verkada Support.