What is the heartbeat and why does my device show it?

What is the heartbeat and why does my device show it?

The heartbeat is the system's continuous self-check. Your Alert Station sends a signal to the backend every 10 minutes confirming it is online and transmitting diagnostic data — including whether it is running on Ethernet or backup battery. Cards and Repeaters send heartbeats every 5 seconds for more frequent status verification. Rafts send a heartbeat every 15 seconds.

The last heartbeat timestamp on the Devices page shows exactly when the device last checked in. If a device misses its heartbeat, the dashboard flags it as offline and, if monitoring notifications are configured, alerts administrators. You do not need to do anything about heartbeats; they are automatic.

    • Related Articles

    • What happens if a device goes missing?

      Check the Devices page to see when the device last sent a heartbeat, and check the Map page for its last reported location. A missing or lost device is handled differently from a hardware failure — contact support@punchrescue.com to discuss next ...
    • If a device breaks, do we have to pay for a replacement?

      No. Your Rescue subscription covers hardware replacements as needed. Punch Rescue will first attempt to resolve issues remotely via a reset or Over-the-Air (OTA) firmware update. If physical replacement is needed, Punch Rescue ships a replacement at ...
    • What compliance documentation does the system generate automatically?

      The Rescue dashboard logs the following automatically: Button press tests — every button press by every staff member, timestamped and logged per device Test Mode drill events — every Test Mode activation, including which administrator triggered it, ...
    • How Button Actions & Alert Levels Work

      Rescue Cards have one button with three distinct press patterns. What each pattern does — which alert is triggered, who gets notified, and whether 911 is contacted — is configured per organization in the dashboard. The three press patterns Short ...
    • Can I customize the names of my devices in the dashboard?

      Yes. Every device can be renamed from the Devices page. Click the gear icon on any device row to open its settings panel and edit the name at the top. Save your changes. Renamed devices display their new name everywhere in the dashboard — on the ...