KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE
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Comment on Rapid Response AVS-01 listing   
April 17, 2024
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Comment on Rapid Response AVS-01 listing from article on April 15, 2024
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Ken,
          Rapid Response just became the first central station listed under the new AVS-01 standard. This is the scoring system by which a monitoring center will be able to help responding agencies prioritize events that likely involve threats to life and/or property. 
          The standard, developed over the last few years includes the following definition:
1.2.4. Alarm Monitoring Center
A facility that receives signals from protected premises alarm systems and at which personnel are in attendance at all times to act upon to these signals. (Also known as: Central Station, Monitoring Center,Supervising Station)

          I guess all of the central stations using work-from-home operators, including those who were represented on the sub-committee won’t be getting UL listed to this standard since 1.2.4 clearly states the personnel must be in attendance at all times. 
          I wonder if this was an omission or a commission, or if no one paid careful attention to details when the standard was being developed.  After all, many of them were also involved with the recent revision to UL 827 to permit remote workers. 
          Since Rapid doesn’t use remote operators, and went through the exercise and expense of attaining the UL listing for AVS-01, I would be surprised if they would sit still if other stations that use remote operators try to get listed for a standard that clearly prohibits them from doing so.
          I guess we’ll see how this plays out.   
Best,
Peter Goldring, President
Peter@GoldringProtection.com
516 640 1410
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Response
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          It certainly does appear that the new standard will not be given to central stations who permit work from home, unless UL interprets the provision differently than you. 
          The work from home controversy seems to have quieted down a bit.  Central stations who permit work from home, for part or most of their operators, are pretty well known to alarm dealers.  Central stations what don’t own up to the remote operator practice likely have difficulty explaining why their parking lot is empty of cars when there should be 20 operators on duty.  Who knows, maybe the operators all live within walking distance. 
          We are still waiting for the mistake, missed signal, by the remote operator resulting in a lawsuit.  I am not aware of any such case.  It will happen, though we may not learn that the operator was working remote because a detail like that would come out only if it was the pivotal issue in the case to establish negligence, or more, by the central station.  We will cross that bridge when we get there.  As of now the general consensus of conjecture, speculation and well-informed experts in the industry seem to agree that in-facility operators is better [less risky] than remote working operators. 
          Rapid Response distinguishes itself as the leading central station with the highest standards.  The AVS-01 Listing is one more feather in its cap.  Obvious question is will insurance companies and monitoring customers require this new standard for monitoring?  That would sure limit the field at the moment.
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Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
200 Garden City Plaza
Garden City, NY 11530
516 747 6700 x 301
ken@kirschenbaumesq.com
www.KirschenbaumEsq.com