About the Alarm Professor

Russ VanDevanter has been involved in the security industry in the Pacific Northwest since 1969. He installed and monitored over 15,000 alarm systems through his company Security Holdings from 1984-1996. Alarm Monitoring Service (AMS), which Russ founded in 1975, was the Northwest’s largest central station monitoring company.

Russ has been a long time member of the Washington Burglar Alarm Association and has served as its President, Vice President, Treasurer and Sergeant of Arms. Russ also has participated on several local and national focus groups that have worked with police departments to help develop methods and procedures to reduce false alarms.

Currently Russ is an equity partner/director of security relations for ION Digital LLP as well as Blockwatch Alarm and Blink Alert. ION Digital designs and manufactures wireless alarm devices for Honeywell in the security industry, as well as products compatible with DSC, HAI, 2GIG and GE (ITI) wireless protocols. All these products are available on this website. He provides consulting services for many local alarm companies and home and business owners.

Russ still actively installs and services alarm systems in the greater Puget Sound area. For low cost alarm monitoring of nearly any system, Russ helped create Blockwatch Alarm – a hybrid monitoring service you control while keeping costs at only $20 a month.

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“Russ was fabulous. Very friendly, very prompt and responsive, and super knowledgeable!! I rarely do reviews but I totally recommend him. If you want your system fixed (or installed) by a pro call these guys.”

- Marina S., Seattle, WA, from Yelp