Alarm Response Services in Surrey and the Lower Mainland
Written by Paul Thandi, Operations Manager, On Guard Security Ltd. — 10+ years in BC security · Updated September 2026
When a monitored alarm goes off at 3 a.m., someone has to go and look. Often that someone is the business owner or property manager, driving across town in the dark to check a door. Our alarm response services send a licensed guard instead. On Guard Security Ltd. attends alarms at commercial, industrial and residential properties in Surrey, Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Langley, Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley. One thing up front: we don’t sell, install or monitor alarm systems. Your monitoring company watches the signal; we’re the people who show up.
Key takeaways
Alarm response means a guard attends the property when your monitoring company calls, checks it, secures it if possible and reports back.
On Guard Security Ltd. does not sell or monitor alarms; we work alongside whichever monitoring company you already use.
The RCMP advises alarm owners to have their monitoring service contact them or a named property representative before calling police.
Municipalities set fees for police attendance at repeat false alarms, so a guard who can confirm a false alarm on site has real value.
Guards don’t hold police powers: where there are signs of a break-in, they call police and keep the scene as found.
An alarm system does two things: it detects something and it tells someone. Everything after that depends on a person going to the property. Alarm response services fill that gap. When your monitoring company receives a signal, it calls us as your nominated responder, and a guard drives to the site to find out what happened.
Most of our alarm response work is for businesses and properties that are empty at night: offices, retail units, warehouses, industrial yards, construction sites and vacant buildings. It also suits property managers looking after several buildings who would rather not be the ones called out after midnight. Many clients combine it with mobile patrol, so the same team that checks the property on scheduled rounds also attends when the alarm trips.
Every attendance follows the same routine, agreed with you in advance:
Exterior check. The guard walks the outside of the building, checking doors, windows, roll-up doors, fencing and any signs of forced entry.
Interior check if authorised. Where you’ve provided keys or access and it’s safe, the guard checks inside, resets the system if instructed, and confirms the cause if it can be found.
Signs of a break-in. If there’s evidence of forced entry or someone inside, the guard doesn’t go in. They call police, keep watch from a safe position and meet officers when they arrive.
Securing the site. Where a door was left unlocked or a window is open, the guard secures it. If there’s damage, we contact you to arrange a board-up or repair and can stay until the site is secure.
Other emergencies. If the cause is a water leak, a fire alarm or another hazard, the guard calls the right emergency service and your contacts.
Written report. You receive a report with the time of the call, arrival, what was checked, what was found and what was done.
Key insight: The value of alarm response is the answer as much as the visit. A report that says “rear door secure, motion sensor near the loading bay triggered, no sign of entry” tells you what to fix before the next false alarm.
Most alarms that go off don’t involve a crime. The RCMP’s False Alarm Reduction Program page lists the common causes as malfunctions linked to maintenance, accidental activation and activation during testing. It also makes clear that property owners or occupiers are responsible for the proper use, installation, maintenance and operation of their alarm system.
The same page advises owners to keep contact details up to date with their monitoring service and to tell that service to contact them, or their identified property representative, before contacting police. It notes that each municipality has set fees for police attendance at repeat false alarms. A response guard is one practical way to act on that advice: we attend first, confirm whether the alarm is real, and call police when there are signs of a crime.
Key insight: Alarm response doesn’t replace police. It sorts the maintenance fault from the real break-in, so police are called for the second and your property is still checked for the first.
Setting up is straightforward, and we can take over from an existing arrangement:
Site details. We record the address, layout, entry points, hazards and your contact list.
Keys or access. If you want interior checks, you provide keys, fobs or codes, which we hold under a documented process.
Instructions. We agree what the guard should do in each case: whether to reset the system, who to call and in what order, and when to arrange a board-up.
Monitoring company. You add On Guard to your monitoring company’s call list as the responder.
Alarm response services are usually billed per attendance or included in a commercial security or patrol contract. The price depends on the number of properties, how often alarms are expected, whether keys are held and how long a guard may need to stay on site. If you’re deciding between response-only coverage, patrols and an on-site guard, our comparison of static guards and mobile patrol explains the trade-offs.
Every guard is licensed; you can confirm licences with the province’s licence status verification tool. On Guard Security Ltd. has worked in BC security for more than 10 years, is WorkSafeBC compliant and fully insured, and our line is answered 24/7.
Tell us the address, what kind of property it is, who monitors the alarm now and whether you’d like us to hold keys. We’ll set up alarm response services to match. Call 778-990-5070 or send us a message.
Monitoring prices are set by alarm monitoring companies and vary by provider and package, so ask those companies directly. On Guard Security Ltd. doesn’t sell or monitor alarms. We provide the guard who attends when your monitoring company calls, billed per attendance or as part of a patrol or security contract.
How much is a police response alarm?
According to the RCMP, each municipality sets its own fees for police attendance at repeat false alarms, so check your city’s bylaw for the amount. The RCMP also advises asking your monitoring service to contact you or your property representative before calling police, which is the role an alarm response guard fills.
What does an alarm response guard do when they arrive?
The guard checks the outside of the building for signs of entry, checks inside if you’ve authorised it and it’s safe, secures anything left open, and calls police if there are signs of a break-in. You receive a written report of the time, what was checked, what was found and what was done.
Do you monitor or install alarm systems?
No. On Guard Security Ltd. doesn’t sell, install or monitor alarm systems. We work alongside your existing monitoring company, which calls us to attend when your alarm goes off.
Do I need to give you keys?
Only if you want interior checks. Without keys, the guard checks the exterior and reports. With keys, fobs or codes, which we hold under a documented process, the guard can check inside when it’s safe and reset the system if you’ve asked us to.
How is alarm response priced?
Usually per attendance, or included in a mobile patrol or commercial security contract. The price depends on the number of properties, how often alarms are expected, whether we hold keys and how long a guard may need to stay on site. We quote after reviewing your properties.
Google Review
Jack Willson
A pleasure to recommend company On Guard Security; mostly I enjoyed their quality services and effective response. They understand our security needs and able to ensure the best possible or professional services. Team members were professional, friendly experienced and highly approachable and live up to our expectations.
Google Review
James Cook
On guard security is my preferred choice when I need reliable security services. The team and professional service are unmatched. Their security guards and overall security are really dedicated. Recommend them for any security guard or private protection services!
Google Review
Patrick Parker
The reason I called on guard security is because they are local. They did not waste any time from the first phone call. I greatly appreciate the professionalism, service, and peace of mind offered by this security company.
Google Review
Thomas Chase
I was experiencing many incidences of shoplifting at my store and so I hired On Guard Security to provide professional guards. They did a fantastic job and now my business and merchandise are fully protected.
Google Review
Jon Wiltz
I was looking for a reliable and affordable security company for my clothing store and On Guard Security Ltd have done a fantastic job! I would definitely recommend them to fellow small business owners.
Google Review
Alan Cooper
I am happy with the performance of On Guard Security Staff assigned to our facilities. The guards respond quickly to needs and questions. I would definitely recommend this security company to others.
Google Review
~CrystalStarHomesLtd.
The guards were friendly and very cooperative. Excellent services with prices you can’t turn down. I had 24 hours security patrol on all sites. I would recommend OnGuard Security to anyone who’s looking for security services . Thanks so much Rajan really appreciate your services looking forward to meet again!
Google Review
~Jovan Dhillon
Very respectful staff, staff got to my site on time. Would book again
Google Review
~Aman Johal
I would highly recommend On Guard Security. We hired them for my brothers wedding and they provided great service. The staff always showed up on time.
Google Review
~Jason Powell
We used On Guard for our building while we were transitioning to our new intercom and entry system. They were always incredibly professional to deal with and the guards showed up well ahead of time and did a great job as we went through the process, which extended longer than expected. On Guard was also great at getting somebody on site the first night we needed them on very short notice. Overall, we were extremely happy with their service.
Google Review
~Balraj Malhi
Very good company to work with on gaurd ” Rajan is very proffesional and so are the guards. I would definetly reccomend On Guard security”Always Treat like a Famliy
Google Review
~kiran sohal
I hired on guard for my sisters wedding this past weekend, the guards were there 15 minutes early and made sure everything went smoothly , definitely will hire again
Google Review
~Sukh Brar
Provided an excellent service with my wedding events last week!! Very professional team of workers. Will definitely call for on guard’s services for future needs.
