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CO detectors
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Hi Ken;

     Will it ever end?  I just received an email from System Sensor stating that they have new "enhanced" CO detector codes that will go into effect in January, 2013 in South Carolina and Ohio.  It's only a matter of time before other states adopt the changes as well.  Don't get me wrong, CO detection is important, as it is odorless, colorless and tasteless.  People start feeling ill and don't know why.  I took a class on it and towards the end of the day I asked the instructor how many people die every year in the USA from CO poisoning.  His answer was approximately 500 per year.  I whipped out my calculator, and figured in a country of about 315 million people, it worked out to something like 0.0002%.  Being a retired police officer and having volunteered on the local ambulance squad, I have seen 4 CO related deaths in my career.  But 3 of the 4 were suicides.  So now that 500 number is reduced to maybe 125 people per year.  I went on to ask the instructor if they didn't figure that maybe some people are just too damned stupid to live.  These are the same bright lights that put gasoline into a kerosine heater and once lit they can't figure out why it looks like an afterburner on a fighter jet and then they can't shut it down.  Or their furnace breaks and they load charcoal into a hibachi grill and light it on their kitchen counter. 
     I believe in CO detection.  And I believe in having more than one in a house.  I tell my customers if a CO detector goes into alarm and they choose to ignore it, they should react quickly if a second detector sounds.  But it's ridiculous putting detectors where CO cannot be generated.  If you have a 3 story house and you sleep on the third floor, then have one in the basement and one on the 3rd floor.  These fire inspectors are mandating detectors all over the house and it's insanity.  We are going to be regulated out of business if this continues.  Change and refinement of the codes is sometimes necessary.  But change just for the sake of change or for the sake of making you buy new code manuals is insanity.  If you care to read the System Sensor article, it can be found at:   http://www.systemsensor.com/systemsensor/eBlasts/2012/SSEB6701_ALL_
eNewsJUL/SSEB6701_ALL_eNewsJUL_browser.html  
John from NJ
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Restrictive covenants
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Ken
 I've enjoyed reading your newsletters regarding various alarm industry topics. As a fairly new business owner (2 years), I am benefiting tremendously from the comments and input.
 Regarding the topic of "Restrictive Covenants", I've have heard that in my state (Florida-Right to Work) that if a "do not compete" is requested by an employer it should include a "compensation component" for the employee for the terms of the restriction. By including a compensation structure it make the agreement "fair", "balanced" and "enforceable". Any truth or comment to this would be helpful.
Thanks,
Jesús A. Fonte, CGC EF, President
Providence Fire and Security Systems, Inc.
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Ken-
 caveat as to the California situation- non-competes as to former owners are valid when they are part of an acquisition agreement of the owners company, as long as it is confined geographically to the counties that the company did business in; also, if the statute actually refers to "trade secrets" everyone should be aware, that is a much higher bar to overcome than just ordinary confidential information; it refers to some unique manufacturing or business process/ equipment and an item that is kept under very tight control so that not even everyone in the company is aware of it i.e. the Coca-Cola formula ; not sure that many alarm companies have confidential information that rises to the level of a "trade secret".
Regards
Dennis Stern,Esq
516 747 6700 x 323
DStern@kirschenbaumesq.com
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Response
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 The bottom line is, keep the restrictive covenant as reasonable as possible.   Have all your employees sign an Employment Contract.  This contract has a lot you've thought about and many things I am sure you haven't considered but will be glad you had under contract with your employees.  TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REPLY TO THIS EMAIL OR EMAIL Ken@Kirschenbaumesq.com.  All, well most, comments and questions get circulated. 

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