A barrier alarm device for reducing the number of false alarms that may occur in a home or business security system. In one embodiment, a barrier alarm device, such as a door or window sensor, determines whether a barrier, such as a door or a window, has been opened, and determines whether a human being is inside a premises in proximity to the door or window. If a human being is inside the monitored premises when the door or window is opened, it indicates that the human being is authorized to be inside the monitored premises, and the barrier alarm device transmits a timed alarm signal to a central security panel, causing a security response to be generated by the central security panel if a predetermined time period elapses without a user canceling the security response.