Arthur - one correction, most alarm panels I see are locked with a self-tapping machine screw
Pretty much all I see on burglar , fire panels seen to have locks and keys .
I had the same trip switch issue like Dave once on a commercial burglar panel .
If you have to work on the lines of a fire panel , call the company who monitors it and ask that they put it in "trouble " for a hour. Beats having the fire dept show up
