VC International FirstCall User manual

User Guide
®

1
Please ensure that you test the equipment regularly, by making test-calls through to
your responders.
FirstCall Medical Alarms can be connected to the National Broadband Network (NBN)
UNI-V connection.
Tell anyone who contacts you about the NBN that you have a FirstCall Medical Alarm
and that you require a battery back-up power supply. For more information see the
FirstCall website at: www.firstcallmedicalalarms.com.au
If this equipment does not make a call to the Monitoring Service when activated,
or if help does not arrive as expected, use another method to get help.

Table of Contents
2
Introduction 3
Life Support Policy 4
Choosing Your Responders 5
Installing FirstCall 6
Testing FirstCall 11
Operation
Pendant and Watch Triggers 13
Making an Emergency call 14
How to Cancel an alarm 15
Answering a Phone Call with the Pendant/Watch 15
Voice warning messages 16
The Lights 17
Warning Lights 18-20
Mode-3 telephone Connection 21
ADSL Filters 21
Questions & Answers 22-24
Notices 25-26
Warranty 27
Connecting Through a PABX 28
Additional Equipment 29

…for choosing FirstCall. We believe this equipment will help you to live independently in the safety
and security of your own home.
FirstCall consists of a Pendant/Watch and an Alarm Unit which is connected to the telephone line and
a power point. When the HELP button on the pendant/watch or the Alarm Unit is pressed, the Alarm
Unit will call your family and friends and automatically play them a voice message requesting help.
Your family and friends will know who you are and that you need help, and they may also speak to
you through the loudspeaker in the Alarm Unit. It is not essential for them to speak to you, but if they
can they can find out the nature of the problem and reassure you that help is on the way.
This equipment is designed and manufactured in Australia by VC International Pty. Ltd. (VCi), a design
and manufacturing company which benefits from over 30 years experience.
FirstCall should give many years of trouble free service, however, there are things you need to know
about the operation, testing and potential limitations of the equipment.
Please read this manual carefully, including the Notices section.
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The FirstCall Alarm System enables caregivers to provide an effective response system. However, the
Alarm System is not a life saving device and cannot provide a guaranteed level of performance beyond
what can be expected from technology of this kind.
The manufacturers of the Alarm System design equipment and systems of high performance and
reliability. The Alarm System employs extensive self-testing and error checking techniques that
minimise the risk of false or missed calls. While the equipment is inherently reliable, it can only
perform it’s function when operated correctly. It is essential that the user develops operating
procedures which include regular system testing and consideration of other forms of communication
to call for assistance in the unlikely event that a malfunction occurs.
To ensure that the system performs as designed, it must be installed, operated, maintained, and regu-
larly tested in accordance with the information contained in this Guide and other supporting documen-
tation.
The user has the sole responsibility for maintaining and testing of the alarm.
Use of the FirstCall Alarm is acknowledgement that you understand and agree to these conditions. If
you do not agree to these conditions please return the alarm equipment to FirstCall Medical Alarms at
the address shown at the back of this manual, within 30 days of equipment purchase, for a refund of
all money paid less delivery charges.
Life Support Policy
4

5
You can choose who takes your calls depending on your needs.
Your calls for assistance can go directly to your family and friends, thus avoiding any on-going fees.
FirstCall can also be configured to send all your calls to a professional 24-hour alarm monitoring serv-
ice. We can arrange this service for you either at the time of purchase or at any time after. Several
days notice is required for changing from family and friends to the 24-hour monitoring Option.
If you choose to have your family and friends take your calls, you should have at least three people
who are willing and able to take those calls, 24-hours a day, every day of the year. You need to choose
those people very carefully.
Your Responders should have some way of gaining access to your property. FirstCall can supply a com-
bination lock and key holder for that purpose which can be attached to a secure fixing point in your
property.
Using family and friends to take calls for assistance is not suitable for everyone, so if you do not have
at least three people who are in constant land-line or mobile phone contact, or your health condition
warrants it, you should consider using a professional 24-hour Monitoring Service instead.
Additional information about the 24/7 Monitoring Service is available from FirstCall.
Choosing Your Responders

The following steps describe how to install and test your FirstCall.
You should have:
●One Alarm Unit
●One pendant/watch
●One telephone line adaptor
connected to the telephone lead*
* supplied connected to the Alarm Unit.
The Alarm Unit should be located next to a power point and a telephone socket, and if possible close
to where you spend a lot of time. A living area or bedroom is always a good choice.
Find a Good Location for the Alarm Unit
Unpack the Alarm
6
How to Install Your FirstCall
Before installing FirstCall, please
see the sections ‘ADSL filters’ and
‘Mode-3 connections’ in this manual.

7
Plug into the Power
Plug in the power transformer and turn on the power-point. Check the
green light on the power transformer comes on.
If the green light does not come on please check the power point is work-
ing by plugging in another appliance or a light.
Double adaptors and power boards should be avoided as they can be
unreliable. Extension cords can be used but position them carefully so
they do not become a trip hazard.
Plug-in the Telephone Connection
The Alarm Unit can be plugged into new-style or old-style telephone sock-
ets. The following pages describe how to connect the Alarm Unit to new
and old style telephone wall sockets, and how to then re-connect your
telephone.
New style RJ-11
telephone socket
Old style 610
telephone socket
Green Light

Connect the Alarm Unit
to the telephone line socket
with the supplied telephone lead
Connect the phone
to this socket only
If your home has a new style telephone socket
Refer to the diagram above.
Remove the telephone adaptor plug and plug the alarms telephone lead into the new-style wall socket.
Plug the other end of the telephone lead into the socket on the rear of the Alarm Unit as shown. The
telephone lead is usually supplied already be connected to the alarm.
Plug your house telephone into the socket on the rear of the Alarm Unit as shown. This socket may be
masked-off with a plastic cover which must be removed.
Pick-up your telephone handset and check for dial-tone. If you cannot hear dial-tone recheck all the
connections.
Continued….
New style phone socket
8

9
Old-style
wall socket
Telephone lead
to house telephone
Adapter plug
If your home has an old-style phone socket
Remove the house telephones lead from the wall socket
and plug-in the large adaptor plug.
Plug the house telephone lead into the rear of the adaptor
plug as shown in the diagram.
Pick-up your telephone handset and check for dial-tone.
If you cannot hear dial tone recheck all the connections.
Unwrap the Radio Antenna
The loose wire from the rear of the Alarm Unit is the radio antenna.
Stretch it out to it’s full length and let it hang out behind the Alarm Unit.
Telephone lead
to Alarm Unit
Continued….