diff --git a/BlockServer/config/block.py b/BlockServer/config/block.py
index 0e5de957..4c8a7f61 100644
--- a/BlockServer/config/block.py
+++ b/BlockServer/config/block.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 # along with this program; if not, you can obtain a copy from
 # https://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/epl-v10.php or
 # http://opensource.org/licenses/eclipse-1.0.php
-from typing import Dict, TypedDict, Union
+
+from typing import TypedDict
 
 from server_common.helpers import PVPREFIX_MACRO
 
@@ -33,6 +34,11 @@ class Block:
         log_periodic (bool): Whether the block is sampled periodically in the archiver
         log_rate (float): Time between archive samples (in seconds)
         log_deadband (float): Deadband for the block to be archived
+        alarm_enabled (bool): Whether the alarm should be enabled
+        alarm_latched (bool): Whether the alarm should be latched
+        alarm_delay (float): The delay for triggering alarm
+        alarm_guidance (string): The guidance for the alarm
+
     """
 
     def __init__(
@@ -51,6 +57,10 @@ def __init__(
         log_deadband: float = 0,
         set_block: bool = False,
         set_block_val: str | None = None,
+        alarm_enabled: bool = False,
+        alarm_latched: bool = False,
+        alarm_delay: float | None = None,
+        alarm_guidance: str | None = None,
     ) -> None:
         """Constructor.
 
@@ -69,6 +79,10 @@ def __init__(
             log_deadband: Deadband for the block to be archived
             set_block: whether the block should be set upon config change
             set_block_val: what the block should be set to upon config change
+            alarm_enabled: Whether the alarm should be enabled
+            alarm_latched: Whether the alarm should be latched
+            alarm_delay: The delay for triggering alarm
+            alarm_guidance: The guidance for the alarm
         """
         self.name = name
         self.pv = pv
@@ -84,6 +98,10 @@ def __init__(
         self.log_deadband = log_deadband
         self.set_block = set_block
         self.set_block_val = set_block_val
+        self.alarm_enabled = alarm_enabled
+        self.alarm_latched = alarm_latched
+        self.alarm_delay = alarm_delay
+        self.alarm_guidance = alarm_guidance
 
     def _get_pv(self) -> str:
         pv_name = self.pv
@@ -111,7 +129,7 @@ def __str__(self) -> str:
             f"RCHigh: {self.rc_highlimit}{set_block_str}"
         )
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Union[str, float, bool, None]]:
+    def to_dict(self) -> dict[str, str | float | bool | None]:
         """Puts the block's details into a dictionary.
 
         Returns:
@@ -132,6 +150,10 @@ def to_dict(self) -> Dict[str, Union[str, float, bool, None]]:
             "suspend_on_invalid": self.rc_suspend_on_invalid,
             "set_block": self.set_block,
             "set_block_val": self.set_block_val,
+            "alarm_enabled": self.alarm_enabled,
+            "alarm_latched": self.alarm_latched,
+            "alarm_delay": self.alarm_delay,
+            "alarm_guidance": self.alarm_guidance,
         }
 
 
@@ -147,3 +169,7 @@ class BlockKwargs(TypedDict, total=False):
     log_deadband: float
     set_block: bool
     set_block_val: str | None
+    alarm_enabled: bool | None
+    alarm_latched: bool | None
+    alarm_delay: float | None
+    alarm_guidance: str | None
diff --git a/BlockServer/config/xml_converter.py b/BlockServer/config/xml_converter.py
index 70f861d7..3884fce3 100644
--- a/BlockServer/config/xml_converter.py
+++ b/BlockServer/config/xml_converter.py
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 # along with this program; if not, you can obtain a copy from
 # https://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/epl-v10.php or
 # http://opensource.org/licenses/eclipse-1.0.php
-from typing import Dict, List, OrderedDict
+
+from collections import OrderedDict
 from xml.dom import minidom
 from xml.etree import ElementTree
 
@@ -27,6 +28,10 @@
 from BlockServer.core.constants import (
     GRP_NONE,
     SIMLEVELS,
+    TAG_ALARM_DELAY,
+    TAG_ALARM_ENABLED,
+    TAG_ALARM_GUIDANCE,
+    TAG_ALARM_LATCHED,
     TAG_AUTOSTART,
     TAG_BLOCK,
     TAG_BLOCKS,
@@ -102,7 +107,7 @@ class ConfigurationXmlConverter:
     """
 
     @staticmethod
-    def blocks_to_xml(blocks: OrderedDict, macros: Dict) -> str:
+    def blocks_to_xml(blocks: OrderedDict, macros: dict) -> str:
         """Generates an XML representation for a supplied dictionary of blocks.
 
         Args:
@@ -116,7 +121,7 @@ def blocks_to_xml(blocks: OrderedDict, macros: Dict) -> str:
         root.attrib["xmlns"] = SCHEMA_PATH + BLOCK_SCHEMA
         root.attrib["xmlns:blk"] = SCHEMA_PATH + BLOCK_SCHEMA
         root.attrib["xmlns:xi"] = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
-        for name, block in blocks.items():
+        for block in blocks.values():
             # Don't save if in component
             if block.component is None or block.component is False:
                 ConfigurationXmlConverter._block_to_xml(root, block, macros)
@@ -144,7 +149,7 @@ def groups_to_xml(groups: OrderedDict, include_none: bool = False) -> str:
                 ConfigurationXmlConverter._group_to_xml(root, group)
 
         # If we are adding the None group it should go at the end
-        if include_none and KEY_NONE in groups.keys():
+        if include_none and KEY_NONE in groups:
             ConfigurationXmlConverter._group_to_xml(root, groups[KEY_NONE])
         return minidom.parseString(ElementTree.tostring(root)).toprettyxml()
 
@@ -162,7 +167,7 @@ def iocs_to_xml(iocs: OrderedDict) -> str:
         root.attrib["xmlns"] = SCHEMA_PATH + IOC_SCHEMA
         root.attrib["xmlns:ioc"] = SCHEMA_PATH + IOC_SCHEMA
         root.attrib["xmlns:xi"] = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
-        for name in iocs.keys():
+        for name in iocs:
             # Don't save if in component
             if iocs[name].component is None:
                 ConfigurationXmlConverter._ioc_to_xml(root, iocs[name])
@@ -182,7 +187,7 @@ def components_to_xml(comps: OrderedDict) -> str:
         root.attrib["xmlns"] = SCHEMA_PATH + COMPONENT_SCHEMA
         root.attrib["xmlns:comp"] = SCHEMA_PATH + COMPONENT_SCHEMA
         root.attrib["xmlns:xi"] = "http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"
-        for name, case_sensitve_name in comps.items():
+        for case_sensitve_name in comps.values():
             ConfigurationXmlConverter._component_to_xml(root, case_sensitve_name)
         return minidom.parseString(ElementTree.tostring(root)).toprettyxml()
 
@@ -223,7 +228,7 @@ def meta_to_xml(data: MetaData) -> str:
         return minidom.parseString(ElementTree.tostring(root)).toprettyxml()
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _block_to_xml(root_xml: ElementTree.Element, block: Block, macros: Dict) -> None:
+    def _block_to_xml(root_xml: ElementTree.Element, block: Block, macros: dict) -> None:
         """Generates the XML for a block"""
         name = block.name
         read_pv = block.pv
@@ -276,6 +281,17 @@ def _block_to_xml(root_xml: ElementTree.Element, block: Block, macros: Dict) ->
         set_block_val = ElementTree.SubElement(block_xml, TAG_SET_BLOCK_VAL)
         set_block_val.text = str(block.set_block_val)
 
+        # Alarm Config
+        alarm_enabled = ElementTree.SubElement(block_xml, TAG_ALARM_ENABLED)
+        alarm_enabled.text = str(block.alarm_enabled)
+        alarm_latched = ElementTree.SubElement(block_xml, TAG_ALARM_LATCHED)
+        alarm_latched.text = str(block.alarm_latched)
+        if block.alarm_delay is not None:
+            alarm_delay = ElementTree.SubElement(block_xml, TAG_ALARM_DELAY)
+            alarm_delay.text = str(block.alarm_delay)
+        alarm_guidance = ElementTree.SubElement(block_xml, TAG_ALARM_GUIDANCE)
+        alarm_guidance.text = block.alarm_guidance
+
     @staticmethod
     def _group_to_xml(root_xml: ElementTree.Element, group: Group) -> None:
         """Generates the XML for a group"""
@@ -414,6 +430,28 @@ def blocks_from_xml(
                 if set_block_val is not None:
                     blocks[name.lower()].set_block_val = set_block_val.text
 
+                # Alarm Config
+                alarm_enabled = ConfigurationXmlConverter._find_single_node(
+                    b, NS_TAG_BLOCK, TAG_ALARM_ENABLED
+                )
+                if alarm_enabled is not None:
+                    blocks[name.lower()].alarm_enabled = alarm_enabled.text == "True"
+                alarm_latched = ConfigurationXmlConverter._find_single_node(
+                    b, NS_TAG_BLOCK, TAG_ALARM_LATCHED
+                )
+                if alarm_latched is not None:
+                    blocks[name.lower()].alarmlatched = alarm_latched.text == "True"
+                alarm_delay = ConfigurationXmlConverter._find_single_node(
+                    b, NS_TAG_BLOCK, TAG_ALARM_DELAY
+                )
+                if alarm_delay is not None and alarm_delay.text is not None:
+                    blocks[name.lower()].alarm_delay = float(alarm_delay.text)
+                alarm_guidance = ConfigurationXmlConverter._find_single_node(
+                    b, NS_TAG_BLOCK, TAG_ALARM_GUIDANCE
+                )
+                if alarm_guidance is not None:
+                    blocks[name.lower()].alarm_guidance = alarm_guidance.text
+
     @staticmethod
     def groups_from_xml(
         root_xml: ElementTree.Element, groups: OrderedDict, blocks: OrderedDict
@@ -436,7 +474,7 @@ def groups_from_xml(
             gname_low = gname.lower()
 
             # Add the group to the dict unless it already exists (i.e. the group is defined twice)
-            if gname_low not in groups.keys():
+            if gname_low not in groups:
                 groups[gname_low] = Group(gname, gcomp)
 
             blks = ConfigurationXmlConverter._find_all_nodes(g, NS_TAG_GROUP, TAG_BLOCK)
@@ -448,7 +486,7 @@ def groups_from_xml(
                 # Unlikely, but may be a config was edited by hand...
                 if name not in groups[gname_low].blocks:
                     groups[gname_low].blocks.append(name)
-                if name.lower() in blocks.keys():
+                if name.lower() in blocks:
                     blocks[name.lower()].group = gname
 
                 # Remove the block from the NONE group
@@ -506,8 +544,8 @@ def ioc_from_xml(root_xml: ElementTree.Element, iocs: OrderedDict) -> None:
                         iocs[n.upper()].pvsets[ps.attrib[TAG_NAME]] = {
                             TAG_ENABLED: parse_boolean(str(ps.attrib[TAG_ENABLED]))
                         }
-                except Exception as err:
-                    raise Exception("Tag not found in ioc.xml (" + str(err) + ")")
+                except (NodeNotPresentError, KeyError, ValueError, SyntaxError) as err:
+                    raise ValueError("Tag not found in ioc.xml (" + str(err) + ")")
 
     @staticmethod
     def components_from_xml(root_xml: ElementTree.Element, components: OrderedDict) -> None:
@@ -578,10 +616,11 @@ def meta_from_xml(root_xml: ElementTree.Element, data: MetaData) -> None:
     @staticmethod
     def _find_all_nodes(
         root: ElementTree.Element, tag: str, name: str
-    ) -> List[ElementTree.Element]:
+    ) -> list[ElementTree.Element]:
         """Finds all the nodes regardless of whether it has a namespace or not.
 
-        For example the name space for IOCs is xmlns:ioc="http://epics.isis.rl.ac.uk/schema/iocs/1.0"
+        For example the name space for IOCs is
+        xmlns:ioc="http://epics.isis.rl.ac.uk/schema/iocs/1.0"
 
         Args:
             root: The XML tree object
@@ -641,7 +680,7 @@ def _find_single_node_with_none_check(
         return node
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _display(child: ElementTree.Element, index: int) -> Dict[str, str | int | None]:
+    def _display(child: ElementTree.Element, index: int) -> dict[str, str | int | None]:
         return {
             "index": index,
             "name": ConfigurationXmlConverter._find_single_node_with_none_check(
@@ -659,7 +698,7 @@ def _display(child: ElementTree.Element, index: int) -> Dict[str, str | int | No
         }
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _button(child: ElementTree.Element, index: int) -> Dict[str, str | int | None]:
+    def _button(child: ElementTree.Element, index: int) -> dict[str, str | int | None]:
         return {
             "index": index,
             "name": ConfigurationXmlConverter._find_single_node_with_none_check(
@@ -694,7 +733,7 @@ def _button(child: ElementTree.Element, index: int) -> Dict[str, str | int | Non
     @staticmethod
     def banner_config_from_xml(
         root: ElementTree.Element,
-    ) -> Dict[str, List[Dict[str, str | int | None]]]:
+    ) -> dict[str, list[dict[str, str | int | None]]]:
         """
         Parses the banner config XML to produce a banner config dictionary
 
@@ -714,16 +753,14 @@ def banner_config_from_xml(
         banner_buttons = []
 
         items = ConfigurationXmlConverter._find_single_node_with_none_check(root, "banner", "items")
-        index = 0
 
-        for item in items:
+        for index, item in enumerate(items):
             child = item.find("./")
             if child is not None:
                 if "display" in child.tag:
                     banner_displays.append(ConfigurationXmlConverter._display(child, index))
                 else:
                     banner_buttons.append(ConfigurationXmlConverter._button(child, index))
-            index += 1
 
         return {
             "items": banner_displays,
diff --git a/BlockServer/core/constants.py b/BlockServer/core/constants.py
index b5528dd9..0da8a1c7 100644
--- a/BlockServer/core/constants.py
+++ b/BlockServer/core/constants.py
@@ -82,3 +82,9 @@
 FILENAME_GLOBALS = "globals.txt"
 
 SCHEMA_FOR = [FILENAME_BLOCKS, FILENAME_GROUPS, FILENAME_IOCS, FILENAME_COMPONENTS, FILENAME_META]
+
+# Alarm element nodes
+TAG_ALARM_ENABLED = "alarm_enabled"
+TAG_ALARM_LATCHED = "alarm_latched"
+TAG_ALARM_DELAY = "alarm_delay"
+TAG_ALARM_GUIDANCE = "alarm_guidance"
diff --git a/BlockServer/test_modules/test_configuration_xml.py b/BlockServer/test_modules/test_configuration_xml.py
index 8f8bda98..54ec8421 100644
--- a/BlockServer/test_modules/test_configuration_xml.py
+++ b/BlockServer/test_modules/test_configuration_xml.py
@@ -19,13 +19,14 @@
 from collections import OrderedDict
 from xml.etree import ElementTree
 
+from server_common.helpers import MACROS
+
 from BlockServer.config.block import Block
 from BlockServer.config.configuration import Configuration
 from BlockServer.config.group import Group
 from BlockServer.config.ioc import IOC
 from BlockServer.config.metadata import MetaData
 from BlockServer.config.xml_converter import ConfigurationXmlConverter
-from server_common.helpers import MACROS
 
 BLOCKS_XML = """
 <?xml version="1.0" ?>
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@
         <log_deadband>0</log_deadband>
         <set_block>False</set_block>
 		<set_block_val>None</set_block_val>
+        <alarm_enabled>False</alarm_enabled>
+        <alarm_latched>False</alarm_latched>
+        <alarm_guidance/>
     </block>
     <block>
         <name>TESTBLOCK2</name>
@@ -59,6 +63,9 @@
         <log_deadband>0</log_deadband>
         <set_block>False</set_block>
 		<set_block_val>None</set_block_val>
+        <alarm_enabled>False</alarm_enabled>
+        <alarm_latched>False</alarm_latched>
+        <alarm_guidance/>
     </block>
     <block>
         <name>TESTBLOCK3</name>
@@ -74,6 +81,9 @@
         <log_deadband>0</log_deadband>
         <set_block>False</set_block>
 		<set_block_val>None</set_block_val>
+        <alarm_enabled>False</alarm_enabled>
+        <alarm_latched>False</alarm_latched>
+        <alarm_guidance/>
     </block>
     <block>
         <name>TESTBLOCK4</name>
@@ -89,6 +99,9 @@
         <log_deadband>0</log_deadband>
         <set_block>False</set_block>
 		<set_block_val>None</set_block_val>
+        <alarm_enabled>False</alarm_enabled>
+        <alarm_latched>False</alarm_latched>
+        <alarm_guidance/>
     </block>
 </blocks>"""