“First Security Services” is not specific enough to identify a home-alarm provider. Similar names can refer to guard companies, patrol services, event security, commercial protection, alarm dealers, installers, or unrelated businesses in different states. Before comparing equipment or price, verify the legal company, office, license, service area, contract party, and exact service being quoted.
First Security Services review at a glance
| Question | Why it matters | Written proof to request |
|---|---|---|
| Which company is this? | Similar names can lead to the wrong reviews, licenses, or contract terms | Legal name, DBA, address, phone, website, license, and contract entity |
| What service is being sold? | Guards, patrol, alarm installation, monitoring, and cameras are different jobs | Scope of work, staffing or device list, response procedure, exclusions |
| Who performs and supervises it? | Employees, subcontractors, installers, and monitoring centers may differ | Named provider roles, licensing, insurance, background standards, escalation |
| What does it cost? | Hourly labor, installation, recurring service, overtime, and cancellation vary | Itemized three-year total and rate-change terms |
| How is performance accepted? | A uniform, camera, or alarm label does not prove the service works | Post orders, acceptance test, reports, response records, fault escalation |
1. Resolve the company identity
Match the legal entity, DBA, physical office, phone, email domain, website, state registration, security license, salesperson, invoice name, and contract party. Search reviews only after those identifiers match. Do not combine feedback from similarly named companies or assume a marketplace profile is the official company record.
2. Separate guard and patrol work from alarm service
A guard company may provide on-site officers, mobile patrol, alarm response, concierge, gatehouse, event, fire-watch, or commercial services. A home-alarm provider may install sensors, keypads, sirens, cameras, communications, and monitoring. Ask which functions are included and which are referred to another company. One service does not automatically include the other.
3. Verify licensing, insurance, and authority
Ask for the license type and number relevant to the state and the quoted work. Verify it with the regulator. Request current insurance and clarify whether workers are employees or subcontractors. Confirm who can enter private property, detain, touch evidence, access cameras, carry equipment, receive alarm information, or contact police. Legal authority and training depend on location and role.
4. Define guard or patrol coverage
| Service | Questions to settle |
|---|---|
| Standing guard | Post location, hours, breaks, relief, duties, prohibited tasks, supervision |
| Mobile patrol | Visit frequency, randomization, route proof, dwell time, missed visit, escalation |
| Alarm response | Dispatch source, response priority, keyholding, entry authority, false alarms, reports |
| Gate or concierge | Visitor verification, package handling, resident privacy, emergency access |
| Temporary or event work | Dates, staffing, crowd role, handover, emergency contacts, overtime |
5. If an alarm is included, demand a zone-level design
List every door, window, motion route, keypad, siren, panic function, communicator, camera, storage device, smoke or CO interface, water sensor, and smart-home device. Record make, model, quantity, ownership, warranty, installation location, communication path, battery, service dependency, and recurring fee. Do not accept “complete security package” without a device and zone schedule.
6. Define monitoring and response
Identify the monitoring center, certification claimed, account owner, communication paths, test mode, verification, contact order, dispatch procedure, permits, duress handling, and restoration process. If a patrol service responds, state when it is dispatched, how it receives the event, expected limitations, keyholding, property-entry rules, and what happens when nobody can be reached.
7. Audit cameras and access to footage
Record camera model, field of view, power, network, first-frame capture, night image, audio, storage location, retention, overwrite, export, timestamps, administrator roles, provider access, privacy masks, and offline alerts. For staffed sites, define whether guards can view live or recorded footage and how access is logged. Keep cameras away from private household areas and unnecessary neighboring views.
8. Read staffing and service terms
For guard work, review minimum hours, overtime, holidays, training, uniforms, equipment, supervision, replacements, call-offs, incident reporting, rate increases, and client responsibilities. For alarm work, review installation, activation, monitoring, video, service calls, equipment ownership or financing, warranty, agreement term, renewal, cancellation, moves, and returns.
9. Compare three-year cost
| Cost | Include |
|---|---|
| Setup | Survey, mobilization, installation, activation, permits, keys, network work |
| Labor | Regular hours, minimum shift, overtime, holidays, supervision, patrol visits |
| Equipment | Panel, sensors, cameras, storage, radios, vehicles, uniforms, batteries |
| Recurring | Monitoring, video, software, reports, cellular, service, taxes, fees |
| Changes and exit | Rate increases, additions, cancellation, equipment return, account release, final reports |
10. Run an acceptance test
- Verify the legal vendor, licenses, contacts, roles, and escalation tree.
- For guards or patrol, run a supervised post-order scenario and confirm time, report, communication, and handover.
- For alarms, trigger priority zones in test mode and verify sensor, siren, monitoring receipt, contact, and history.
- Test internet and AC failure without combining failures.
- Export a camera clip and incident report with the correct time.
- Record faults, owners, deadlines, and the date the service is accepted.
11. Red flags
- The salesperson will not provide the legal company or license before payment.
- The contract name differs from the advertised company without explanation.
- Guard, patrol, alarm, monitoring, and police response are described as if they are interchangeable.
- Pricing omits minimum shifts, overtime, activation, monitoring, equipment ownership, or cancellation.
- No written post orders, zone list, acceptance test, incident process, or privacy roles exist.
- Pressure to sign immediately replaces a property survey and written scope.
Where Abode fits
For a household that needs a sensor-led alarm rather than guards or patrol, Abode offers a DIY path with local alarm behavior, app access, self-monitoring, and optional paid services. It is not a substitute for an on-site guard requirement. Compare the Abode Smart Security Kit and current Abode plans, then test sensors, siren, communication, contacts, cameras, and outages.
FAQ
Is First Security Services a home-alarm company?
The name alone cannot answer that. Verify the exact legal entity and whether it provides guards, patrol, alarm installation, monitoring, cameras, or another service.
Can a guard company monitor a home alarm?
Only if the required providers, licenses, systems, monitoring center, dispatch, and contract are in place. Verify each role in writing.
What should a security-services quote include?
It should identify the company, service scope, staffing or device list, schedule, response, reports, licensing, insurance, price, changes, and exit terms.
How should I compare guard service with a DIY alarm?
Compare the actual job. Guards provide human presence or patrol; a DIY alarm provides sensors, warning, communication, and a response path. Some properties need one, both, or neither.
William is a tech buff and former corporate security officer turned cybercrime analyst. Computers have few secrets left for him, but home security and alarm systems… Well, those have plenty of secrets for their users, which William is now uncovering and explaining. His articles on home security helped many people take the matter seriously, invest in highly performing systems, and avoid becoming victims of burglaries.
Rich says
A lot of people tried telling me not to go with First Security and I felt like something was off. I contacted them several times and asked question after question. I found no reason not to choose them. They didn’t hide anything from me, they were honest. They told me what I was going to be paying and they made sure it would be in the cap of my budget. I am overall impressed with First Security!
Rick says
First Security has been my family’s go to choice for yeas now and I am proud to say that I got them in my home now too. My wife and I recently bought our first home together and since we are expected soon (4 months a long) we want to have security to keep her and the babies safe when I am away on business. I usually spend 5 to 10 days of the month out of town. I am over all pleased with our experiences.
Brian Patrick says
I live just north of LA and the more years that go by the more I want a security system for my home. I told my daughter I will be getting one this year. It is just me and her in the house and when I am at work she is on her own. She is a smart girl but still she is only 15 so I do worry a lot. Thanks for all this information on First Security. I will check out your other reviews to see my other options.