Wearable Panic Button: What it is and Who Needs it

From a medical emergency to a burglar breaking in when your alarm is off, scary and unexpected situations can happen that require help right away. A wearable panic button ensures you are prepared for the worst—and can save the life of you or a loved one when seconds count during an emergency. 

This blog explains how pendant alarms allow you to rest easy, knowing help is only a button push away. 

Designed to be worn around the neck or wrist or carried in a pocket so they are always within reach, pendant alarms are small but powerful devices that instantly trigger a panic alarm through your home security system. 

Frontpoint’s Panic Pendants couldn’t be easier to use: simply press and hold the red button for three seconds within 100 feet of your Frontpoint Hub. A 24/7 monitoring service ensures no alarm goes unanswered, immediately contacting the homeowner and sending emergency assistance if there’s no response.

In many cases, panic pendant alarms are routed to the police. But Frontpoint allows the default dispatch to be customized: for instance, caregivers of aging parents concerned about falls can specify medical assistance to be contacted if the button is pushed.

A recessed-button design minimizes false alarms by making it difficult to push the button accidentally. And a 1.5" x 1.2” size ensures the panic pendant isn’t obtrusive or annoying to wear.

Frontpoint’s pendant alarms also feature a fully sealed, shockproof housing tested to function in up to a meter of water. Water resistance is a critical function since many home accidents happen in the bathroom. A CDC study found that over 200,000 people over the age of 15 are treated in the ER after falling in the bathroom in a given year.

Panic pendants mean calling for help is only a button push away. 

Home emergencies happen more often than most people think. The ease and convenience of wearable panic buttons can deliver peace of mind to people who suffer the highest risk, such as the elderly or people with disabilities who live alone. 

Pendant alarms can enable seniors to age in place with dignity and safety, giving them more confidence in their ability to live independently by ensuring they can call for assistance quickly. This fast access to emergency response helps some families avoid or delay the difficult decision to move aging parents into costly assisted-living facilities. 

Security panic buttons also work in tandem with other Frontpoint home security system features to help keep seniors safer at home. For instance, smart sensors can learn behavior patterns and provide discrete reassurance that aging parents move successfully through their daily routines. 

For a detailed look at home security system features that help seniors safely age in place, read our previous blog: “Senior Safety and Smart Home Security Systems.”

But seniors aren’t the only ones who can benefit from panic pendants and quick access to emergency responders. There are many reasons to consider a pendant alarm, including:

• You live alone, or members of your family are home alone often. Nearly 30% of burglaries occur when someone is home, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). And of the roughly one million burglaries that happen while a household member is present, more than 266,000 result in that person becoming a victim of a violent crime. If a break-in occurs when you are home but you didn’t arm the security system—or you check a doorbell camera and see a suspicious person lurking outside—a wearable panic button makes it easy to call for help.
• You are age 65 or older. Again, falls rank as the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among older Americans. About 36 million seniors fall each year, leading to more than 3 million ER visits and more than 32,000 deaths. If you or your loved ones are home alone, fall, and can’t access a phone, a panic pendant can ensure help is within reach. Besides carrying a panic pendant, the CDC offers other essential tips for preventing falls in the home, like keeping floors clutter-free, installing grab bars in bathrooms, and adding bright lights to stairways.
• You have a history of stroke and/or heart attack, or your doctor said you’re at high risk. One in every four deaths in the U.S. in 2020 was caused by heart disease or stroke, a number that often approached one in three before the pandemic. Seconds count during these events, when rapid medical attention can limit damage to the heart and brain and increase the chance of a full recovery. If the worst happens when you are home alone, a panic pendant can be the difference between life and death.
• You or a loved one has a disability that impacts the ability to get around safely.
• You have a condition that causes seizures. Having a severe seizure when you are home alone can cause significant injury. A wearable panic button makes it easy to seek assistance.             
• You or someone you love is in danger of being harmed. A pendant alarm that gets emergency responders to your home quicker can save lives and prevent injury if a guest becomes violent, after a suicide attempt, or in response to other threats that wouldn’t trigger a traditional alarm.

Frontpoint’s Panic Pendant comes pre-programmed to sync with your system Hub, so it’s ready to use out of the box. It's completely wireless, battery-powered, and transmits a strong, reliable radio frequency signal to the control panel.

If the pendant alarm is added later, simply contact Customer Support at 1-877-602-5276 to activate it. The Frontpoint App also provides simple, step-by-step instructions on how to connect your panic pendant to your Hub.

Keep in mind that your wearable panic button will trigger an alarm even if your security system is disarmed. It’s essential that you only push the button in the event of an actual emergency.

A “heartbeat” LED light located above the red panic button blinks every minute to assure you that the pendant alarm is working properly. The pendant alarm also sends hourly supervisory signals to the Hub to ensure it is good to go. 

Frontpoint’s panic pendant comes with a non-replaceable battery that lasts four to six years. If your unit sends low battery signals to the Hub, just contact Customer Support for a replacement.

Nearly 30% of burglaries happen while someone is at home. Wearable panic buttons ensure emergency responders are on the way even if the alarm is off.

If you worry about getting the quick assistance that you or your loved ones may need, wearable panic buttons networked to a home security system help you breathe easier. Police or medical help is available at the push of a button, meaning you’re always prepared for emergencies.

Frontpoint helps keep you safe and informed with expert monitoring, powerful technology, and customizable home safety solutions. Take a look at our security packages or get a quote today by calling 1-877-602-5276.