RF Technology HELP ALERT User manual

HELP ALERT®Fob
User Guide

© 2018 RF Technologies, Inc. All specifications subject to change without notice.
All Rights Reserved. No Part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any
means without written permission from RF Technologies, Inc.
® and ™ indicate trademarks owned by RF Technologies, Inc.

Contents
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CONTENTS
CONTENTS ................................................................................. 1
WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS .................................................... 3
Warnings ............................................................................... 3
Bio-Incompatibility Notice...................................................... 5
Cautions ................................................................................ 6
Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Compliance ... 6
PREFACE.................................................................................... 7
Overview ............................................................................... 7
Intended Audience ................................................................ 7
Contact Information............................................................... 7
Technical Support........................................................... 7
Customer Care ............................................................... 8
Sales............................................................................... 8
Product Warranty .................................................................. 8
GENERAL INFORMATION......................................................... 9
Introduction............................................................................ 9
Device ................................................................................... 9
Display .......................................................................... 10
LED Light Guidelines .................................................... 11
Activate ......................................................................... 13
Batteries .............................................................................. 13
Alarms ................................................................................. 14
Alarm Activation............................................................ 15
Device in Alarm............................................................. 15
Mass Notify in Alarm..................................................... 15
Device Acknowlege ...................................................... 16
Alarm Tracking.............................................................. 16

Contents
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Initiating Mass Notification............................................ 17
Alarm Acknowlege ........................................................ 18
Alarm Clearing .............................................................. 18
TESTING AND CARE ............................................................... 21
Device Testing .................................................................... 21
Periodic Testing ............................................................ 21
Visual Inspection........................................................... 21
Operation ...................................................................... 22
Storage................................................................................ 22
Device Cleaning and Care .................................................. 23
Approved Cleaners ....................................................... 24
Non-Approved Cleaners ............................................... 24
SPECIFICATIONS..................................................................... 25
Help Alert Fob ..................................................................... 25
REVISION HISTORY................................................................. 27

Warnings and Cautions
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WARNINGS AND
CAUTIONS
It is important for your facility to implement and enforce the
following WARNINGS and CAUTIONS in order to keep all
equipment functioning properly. Disregarding the information and
instructions in this document is considered abnormal use and may
result in injury or system failure.
Warnings
ACCESSORIES (SUPPLIES)—To ensure
resident safety and proper operation of equipment,
use only parts and accessories manufactured or
recommended by RF Technologies, Inc. Parts and
accessories not manufactured or recommended
by RF Technologies, Inc. may not meet the
requirements of the applicable safety and
performance standards.
Failure to use the components and supplies
specified by RF Technologies, Inc. may result
in equipment and/or system failure.
EXPLOSION HAZARD—These devices should
not be used in the presence of flammable gas
mixtures. It should also not be used in oxygen
enriched atmospheres.
STATIC DISCHARGE—Do not touch the PCB or
battery contacts. Damage to the device may
result.
SYSTEM WIRING—All permanent supply
connections must be done in accordance with
National Electric Code, NFPA 70.

Warnings and Cautions
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INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION—It is
the responsibility of the facility to follow the
installation instructions carefully, as outlined in the
applicable system guides, and to use the
components and supplies specified by RF
Technologies, Inc. for all installations.
Failure to use the components and supplies
specified by RF Technologies, Inc. may result
in equipment and/or system failure.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SET UP AND USE—It is
the responsibility of the facility to follow the
instructions for set up and use carefully, as
outlined in this manual, and to use the
components and supplies specified by RF
Technologies, Inc. for set up and use.
Failure to use the components and supplies
specified by RF Technologies, Inc. may result
in equipment and/or system failure.
SYSTEM INSPECTION—It is the responsibility of
the facility to establish and facilitate a regular
inspection schedule for your system. RF
Technologies, Inc. recommends reviewing the
system health on a monthly basis.
To arrange for a quarterly inspection by RF
Technologies, Inc., call our Technical Support
Department at (800)-669-9946 or [phone].
Failure to provide regular inspection of these
products may result in equipment and/or
system failure.

Warnings and Cautions
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SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AND TESTING—It is
the responsibility of the facility to establish and
facilitate a regular maintenance schedule for your
system. This includes regular inspection, testing,
and cleaning. RF Technologies, Inc. recommends
monthly maintenance and testing of your system.
It is also recommended that your facility keep
records of maintenance and test completions.
Failure to provide regular maintenance and
testing of these products may result in
equipment and/or system failure.
USER TRAINING—Only users who have received
adequate training on the use of the system, as
outlined in this manual, should use the system. It
is the responsibility of the facility to ensure all
users have been trained.
Failure to adequately train employees may
cause system failure due to user error. In
addition, incorrect use of the equipment may
also result in system failure.
MR UNSAFE
All RF Technologies transmitters, pendants and
banding material “PRODUCT” have been
determined to be MR Unsafe as defined by ASTM
F 2503-05. Use of “PRODUCT” in a Magnetic
Resonance Imaging system will cause injury to
residents and staff, MR system malfunction or
“PRODUCT” malfunction. Do not bring
“PRODUCT” into the MR system area and follow
your facilities policies to classify and label
“PRODUCT” as MR Unsafe.
Bio-Incompatibility Notice
Do not use with people that have sensitivities or allergies to device
materials. The device materials include Acrylonitrile butadiene
styrene (ABS), Silicon, Rubber, and Neoprene.

Warnings and Cautions
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Cautions
DISPOSAL—At the end of their service life the
products described in this manual, as well as
accessories (i.e. lithium batteries, etc.), must be
disposed of in compliance with all applicable
federal, state and local guidelines regulating the
disposal of products containing potential
environmental contaminants. Dispose of the
packaging material by observing the applicable
waste control regulations
PRODUCT WARRANTIES—Failure to follow the
Warnings and Cautions in this guide voids any
and all Product Warranties.
WORN OR DAMAGED PARTS—If the devices
are worn or damaged, you must have the product
serviced. For more information, see the section
entitled “Service and Return.”
Federal Communication Commission
(FCC) Compliance
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not
cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation of the device.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment.
This portable transmitter with its antenna has shown compliance
with FCC’s SAR limits for general population / uncontrolled
exposure. The maximum listed SAR level is 0.18 W/kg (body). The
antenna used for this device must not be co-located or operating in
conjunction with any other antenna or transmitter.

Preface
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PREFACE
Overview
This guide provides detailed instructions
about using the HELP ALERT®Fob as well
as specific requirements.
WARNING: The HELP ALERT System
(powered by Pinpoint) is designed and
intended to work in conjunction with a
facility’s overall security program, including
reasonable operating policies and
procedures. It is the responsibility of the
facilities security team to maintain their best
practices and operating procedure based
upon HELP ALERT notifications.
Intended
Audience
This User Guide is intended for users who
use the HELP ALERT devices. It includes
detailed information about care and cleaning,
testing the devices, alerts, and device
specifications.
Contact
Information
For more information about RF Technologies,
Inc. products, go to www.rft.com.
Technical
Support
For technical support, contact the Technical
Support Team at:
[phone], option 5 or [phone]
[e-mail]

Preface
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Customer
Care
For questions on part replacement or for
ordering new parts, contact the Customer
Care Team at:
[phone], option 2
[e-mail]
Sales
For questions regarding system add-ons,
contact your Sales Manager.
Product
Warranty
Product Warranty information can be found
with your original system proposal and
invoice.

General Information
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Introduction
This chapter provides general information
about the fobs. It includes information on
the HELP ALERT®devices, displays,
alarms, and changing batteries.
Device
The HELP ALERT Fob is a small wireless
transmitter that enables users to call for
assistance and to be located within their
facility. The device is designed to appear
as a normal key fob, and a press of the
thumb button sends a silent wireless signal
to the HELP ALERT software and then
silently provides location information to the
HELP ALERT system so security staff can
track the user’s location if it changes. Upon
activation, it can vibrate to provide tactile
feedback to the user and a bright LED
flashes until cleared.
For a device configured with the optional
Mass Notification feature, a secondary set
of squeeze buttons provide a Mass
Notification alarm that can alert all staff to
security situations.
NOTE: To prevent damage to the device,
avoid humid/wet conditions and dropping
the device.
Email and SMS notifications can be
configured to monitor for alerts or devices
requiring assistance (such as battery
replacement).

General Information
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Display
The LED on the device will provide
feedback on to what the device is doing
(see the LED Light Guidelines for
additional information).
The device has 3 buttons:
The primary button on the top activates
an alarm within the software.

The two side buttons will activate a
secondary alarm. The secondary
alarm is activated by simultaneously
pressing and holding both side buttons
for ~2 seconds. Once activated, the
device will vibrate to let the user know
the alarm has been sent.
NOTE: If Mass Notification is enabled and
configured in the software, the Mass
Notification event will occur when both
buttons are pressed.
If Mass Notification is not configured in the
software, then the secondary button
activation will trigger a Priority Alert.
RADIO FREQUENCY: The radio
frequency (RF) characteristics of certain
building materials may interfere or block
the device’s signal.

General Information
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LED Light
Guidelines
The LED on the device is a status
indicator. The meanings are in the
following table:
Listed below is the device LED activity
reference table:
•Blink - Solid P
Button Press
LED Sequence (over
10-15 sec)
Meaning How to Respond
• •
Blinking Normal
operation
Battery status is good
No action required
• •
Blinking Normal
operation
Battery status is low
Change batteries
immediately
••••
Cannot connect to
AP
Battery status is good
Move to area within
range of network and
wait < 5 min for
blinking pattern to
change
If condition
continues, contact
technical support
---------------------------------
Solid Orange –
Brown Out State, the
battery made
momentary contact
with the terminal and
did not power up
properly
Cycle the batteries
P------ •--------------- • -----
Alarm is being
triggered
The sequence was
started by user
holding top button for
> 1 second
P---- •------------------ • -----
MassNote Alarm is
being triggered
The sequence was
started by user
holding both side
buttons for > 2
second

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LED Sequence (over
10-15 sec)
Meaning How to Respond
-----P---- • ------------------ • -----
Alarm is escalated to
MassNote triggered
The sequence was
started by user
holding both side
buttons for > 2
second during alarm
---- • ------------------ • ----- Device is in alarm No action required
---- • ------------------ • ----- Device is in
MassNote alarm
No action required
---- • ------------------ • ----- Device Alarm has
been acknowledged
No action required
---- • ------------------ • ----- MassNote Alarm has
been acknowledged
No action required
------------- --------------
or
------------- --------------
Device is not
receiving updates
from system server
Attempt to move
within range of the
network
•••••••••••••••••••••••
Rapid red blinking –
Firmware is being
updated
Wait until finished
before use
••••••••
Red-green-red
flashing – Device
configuration is being
updated
Wait until finished
before use
P•P•P•P•P• •
User has forced the
Device to check in
Sequence was
started by user
pressing button five
times
P•P•P•P•P•
Forced Device
check-in not reaching
system server
Attempt to move
within range of the
network, or retry
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
Device Blinking
Orange once a
second – Device was
reset to manufacturer
defaults
Exchange with
supervisor

General Information
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LED Sequence (over
10-15 sec)
Meaning How to Respond
No Activity – Device
may not be
functioning
Remove/Replace
Batteries, or
exchange with
supervisor
Activate
HELP ALERT devices are pre-configured
to customer specific enviroments. To
activate the device, insert the batteries.
Batteries
RF Technologies uses only Energizer
Ultimate Lithium AAA batteries (model #
LR92). These batteries provide more
battery life than other batteries of the same
size. Depending on pendant use, the
batteries will last approximately 6 months
.
To replace a battery:
1. Unlock the battery door either with the
provided tool, or by rotating the latch.
2. Open the battery door.

General Information
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3. Remove the old batteries and dispose
of properly.
4. Insert the new LR92 batteries in the
battery compartment. Be sure to align
the positive (+) end of the battery (plus
side up) as marked inside the battery
holder.
5. Close the battery door
6. Lock the battery door either with the
provided tool, or by rotating the latch.
Alarms
Watching for Active Alerts
An active alert is triggered when an
individual has pressed the Alert button on
their device or when an equipment tracker
has been tampered with.
1. Navigate to the URL provided by the
system administrator
2. Log in using your assigned username
and password
3. If there are no alerts in the system, the
page will contain a message explaining
that there are No Active Alerts

General Information
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Alarm
Activation
Trigger an Alarm
To activate the alarm,
press and hold the button
for at least one second.
When activated, the
device vibrates briefly
and the red light flashes
until the alarm is cleared.
Trigger a Mass
Notification
Firmly press and hold the
two side buttons until you
feel the device vibrate (~2
seconds)
Device in
Alarm
The LED light shines RED for 10 seconds
at a time to indicate that the device is in an
alarm state
Mass Notify
in Alarm
The light shines BLUE for 10 seconds at a
time to indicate that the device is in an
alarm state
NOTE: As the other devices in the system
receive the mass notification signal, they
will vibrate and enter the mass notification
state as well.

General Information
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Device
Acknowlege
When a responder has indicated that help
is on the way, the light will begin to shine
GREEN for 10 seconds at a time.
Alarm
Tracking
1. If one or more alerts are active in the
system, a RED card will appear on the
left-side of the screen containing
information about who triggered the
alarm and their calculated location.
2. Priority Alarms will show first and have
a Priority indication on the card
3. The right-side of the screen will display
a map of the floor/building

General Information
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4. When a mass notification is triggered,
a PURPLE card will appear on the left-
side of the screen containing
information about who or what
triggered the alarm and their calculated
location.
5. Mass Alert alarms will always display
first in the list and have a MASS
ALERT indication on the card
Initiating
Mass
Notification
1. If the notification needs to go out to all
participants, click the YELLOW MASS
ALERT banner to initiate the mass
alert
2. If asked if you want to Initiate MASS
ALERT?, click the Yes button
NOTE: This will only appear when
Mass Notification User Consent has
been configured for the system
3. Every device within the system will
start to alarm and the RED cards will
appear in the list

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Alarm
Acknowlege
1. Address the alert(s) according to
priority by clicking the alert’s
information card on the left-hand side
of the screen
2. Click the Acknowledge button to
indicate that the alert has been seen
NOTE: If this is a mass notification,
click the Acknowledge button on the
original Mass Alert notification
3. The card will turn ORANGE to
differentiate it from any new alarms
that might appear in the system
4. If the alarm is a mass notification,
every device within the system will turn
to ORANGE when it is acknowledged
5. Once a responder has Acknowledged
an alert in the system, the light on the
alarming device will turn GREEN to
indicate to the user that assistance is
on the way
Alarm
Clearing
1. Once an alert situation has been
Acknowledged and addressed
according to your facility’s protocols,
click the Clear button
NOTE: If this is a mass notification,
click the Clear button on the original
Mass Alert notification and all devices
within the system will be cleared