Which two categories best describe initiating devices in alarm systems?

• A. Digital and Analog
• B. Manual and Automatic
• C. Local and Remote
• D. Wireless and Wired

Answer: (C)

Initiating devices are the components that start an alarm signal, and the most useful way to categorize them is by where the initiating action occurs relative to the control panel. Local initiators are connected at the protected site and trigger the panel directly—think door or window contacts, motion sensors, or other devices that cause an alert right at the premises. Remote initiators, on the other hand, originate from a location outside the immediate panel area or through a monitoring service, triggering the system from a distance and often sending the signal to a central station.

Other terms describe different aspects of the system but not where the initiation happens. Digital versus analog refers to how the signal is represented, manual versus automatic describes how the trigger occurs, and wireless versus wired describes the transmission method rather than the initiation source. Because the core distinction for initiating devices is whether the trigger is on-site (local) or from a remote location (remote), local and remote is the best fit.