---
title: "Receive an alarm"
source: /gc-surge/operator/receive-an-alarm
locale: en
updated: 2026-09-23
---
GC Surge receives alarms from your cameras automatically once they are connected. This article explains how alarms flow into the platform, where to find them, and how to act on the first one.

## **How an alarm reaches GC Surge**

1. A camera detects motion and sends an event to GC Surge (via SMTP, REST API, or FTP — configured during device setup).
2. NOVA99x analyses the event and classifies it as **real** or a **false positive**.
3. Real alarms appear in the **Alarm Center** and are routed to an available operator.
4. The operator reviews the alarm in **ZenMode** and closes it with a closure tag.

## **As a Super Admin — monitor incoming alarms**

1. Click **Alarm Center** in the left sidebar.
2. Two tables are visible: **Sites Unassigned to Operators** (sites with no operator assigned) and **Sites with Assigned Operators** (sites currently being monitored). Each row shows the site name, last alarm time, alarm count, and lock status.
3. Use the **Viewing Period** selector at the top to adjust the time range (last 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days, or custom).
4. The **Sites Unassigned to Operators** table shows sites that have open alarms but no operator currently assigned to them.

![image-20260628-125839.png](/api/media/file/image-20260628-125839.png)

> For the full alarm table, filter options, and KPI breakdown, see [Alarm Center - Admin View](/admin/alarm-center-admin-view).

## **As an Operator — process alarms in ZenMode**

1. Click **Start Shift** to go on duty. The **Sites Unassigned to Operators** table appears, showing sites that need coverage.
2. Find a site with **Available** lock status. Click **Assign to me** in the Actions column. ZenMode opens and the site is automatically assigned to you — alarm processing begins immediately.
3. Each alarm card shows the site name, camera name, snapshot, and timestamp. Review the image carefully.
4. Review the event and decide whether it is a real threat or a false positive.
5. Close the alarm by selecting a **closure tag** from the dropdown. The standing list is set up by a Super Admin — see [Setup your alarm closure tags](/new-admin-quick-start/setup-your-alarm-closure-tags). Operators can also create one while closing an alarm: type a name that is not on the list in the **Closure tags** field and pick **\+ Create “name”**. The new tag joins the list everyone picks from, so agree naming with the team first.
6. The next alarm loads automatically. Continue until the queue is clear.

![Screenshot 2026-06-28 161432.png](/api/media/file/Screenshot-2026-06-28-161432.png)

> For the full ZenMode interface and alarm actions, see [ZenMode — Operator Monitoring](/operator/zenmode-operator-monitoring) and [Alarm Center - Operator View](/operator/alarm-center-operator-view).

## **Confirm alarms are flowing after setup**

After connecting a new camera, use these three checks to confirm alarms are reaching GC Surge correctly:

1. **Video Search** — events from the new camera should appear here. This is the fastest way to confirm the alarm pipeline is working.
2. **Home Dashboard** — KPI metrics (alarms received, APT, CPO) should update to reflect activity from the new site.
3. **Alarm Center** — the new site should appear in the list once the first real alarm arrives.

> If no alarms appear after 10–15 minutes, check that the camera status in **Configuration** shows **Active** and that alarm forwarding credentials are correctly entered in the camera’s settings. See [Add a device](/new-admin-quick-start/add-a-device) for setup steps.