Carbon County has an alarm monitoring service for residents, visitors and businesses if disaster strikes.

On Thursday, the county commissioners approved a request from Gary Williams, communications director, to increase the alarm monitoring fees, effective Jan. 1, 2023.

The county offers homeowners, businesses, churches and other entities with the opportunity to receive alarm monitoring through the 911 communications center instead of a third-party company.

The fees for annual monitoring are $175 for residential and churches; $275 for commercial and $600 for banks. Schools, hospitals/fire/EMS/municipal buildings and public safety personnel remain the same as before.

This is the first rate increase since 2002.

Williams said that providing in-county monitoring service for emergencies can save time, as well as property or lives.

He noted where third-party monitoring companies called in several minutes after an alarm went off at a residence, which could mean the difference of saving a home in a fire or it being destroyed.

He also cited instances where the companies are out of state and don’t have the accurate location information, meaning emergency responders are sent to the wrong location.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that this service provides dispatchers with accurate information and can help first responders.

To learn more about the service, Williams said county residents and business owners can call him at the center at 570-325-3298. He can answer any questions and provide them with a contract.

Williams said that homes would need to be serviced by a landline to receive the monitoring, but said he could discuss options during the inquiry.

He also said that existing alarm systems already in a home can be used.