Our Community Alarm scheme helps you stay at home if you are elderly or have a disability.

It's a personal alarm system that gives you the security of knowing you can call for help in an emergency. We are here if, for example, you fall and cannot get yourself up, at any time of the day or night.

How does the alarm work?

You wear the alarm as a pendant your neck or on your wrist, so it’s with you at all times. When you press the alarm, it sends a call to the 24-hour monitoring centre and our operators pick up your call.

Once you've signalled for help, we'll speak to you to find out what the problem is.

If you are unable to speak, or you cannot be heard, the operator will still arrange for help.

Depending on the situation, they will contact:

• your keyholder (usually a neighbour, friend or family member)
  
• Mobile Emergency Care Service (MECS)
• the emergency services, if necessary

If the situation is not an emergency, we will do all we can to help and advise. We may not always need to visit.

What is the Mobile Emergency Care Service (MECS)?

MECS operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This gives vulnerable people someone to call for help, at any time of the day or night. The MECS team will attend to you if your keyholder cannot help, or if we cannot contact them after you trigger your alarm.

MECS wear Fife Council uniforms, identity badges, including their photograph and name.

Do not allow anyone into your home if they do not have photographic identity.

The MECS carers are not medically trained. If you are injured or unwell and require medical attention, they will contact the emergency services, GP, or District Nurse.

How can you help me in an emergency?

The help you get will depend on what your emergency is.

We may:

• contact your GP or emergency contacts
  
• talk with you to reassure you
  
• contact MECS if you have fallen but are not hurt
  
• call paramedics if you are hurt and need medical assistance
  

Who can use the scheme?

You can have an alarm system fitted if you live alone and are at risk, due to

• ill health
• frailty
• disability
• sensory impairment
• extreme anxiety
• isolation
  

You do not need a telephone line to get a community alarm.

How do I get an alarm?

If you think you need a Community Alarm, use our Request a Community Alarm online form. We will contact you to arrange installation. We will visit you at home to install the alarm and explain how to operate it.

If you cannot fill out the online form, you can call the Social Work Contact Centre on 03451 55 15 03 to request one.

If more than one person in your household requires an alarm, each person requiring an alarm (pendant or wrist) must complete an individual form. We can connect you all to the one alarm under the one cost.

You will be contacted to arrange an appointment for installation, within 5 working days.

How often do you check the equipment?

We request that you or your family, friend, or keyholder do a 4-weekly test on your pendant and alarm.

How much does the community alarm cost?

The current charge for a Community Alarm is £3.40 a week as of 1 April 2026. This works out at £176.80 annually. You can pay weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly.

The alarm uses around one unit of electricity per week (depending on your supplier). You must pay for this cost.

If your Community Alarm is installed partway through the year, you will be sent an invoice for this period until the end of March. You will then go onto the annual billing system.

See 'Paying an invoice' for how and where an invoice can be paid.

How do I report faulty or lost community alarms and equipment?

It’s important that all your Community Alarm equipment is working correctly. If any of your equipment stops working or is lost, contact us on 03451 55 15 03 or email us at SW.Contactctr@fife.gov.uk

If your Community Alarm is not working, call us on 03451 55 15 03, Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm. If you need to call us after 5pm or over the weekend, including public holidays, call us on 03451 55 00 99.

How do I let you know about a change?

You can use the contact details above to let us know of any changes we need to know about. This could include getting a key safe or changing your keyholder contact details.

How do I return my community alarm?

If your Community Alarm is no longer required, you can return it to us. You can do this by filling out the Return a Community Alarm form.