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Comments on false alarms from June 20 2013 article
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Ken
Mitch Cohen seems to have over looked the primary message, simply put 92% to 96% of ALL installed systems do not unreasonably contribute to the problem of "unfounded activations resulting is a request for response of a municipal agency". The vast majority of our industries installed systems work just fine when there is both an alarm company and an end user that work together for the systems proper maintenance and use.
Bart A. Didden
U.S.A. Central Station Alarm Corp.
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Ken,
I have been reading with interest the dialogue regarding false alarm percentages. So long as alarm dealers buy into measuring false alarms as a percent of total alarms, the industry can never win. Assume there are 100 alarm of which 2 are actuals. The false alarm rate is 98%. If the industry reduced the number to 10 total, the false alarm rate is still 80% and the police department would still consider it too high even though the industry reduced the number of false alarm by over 80%. Measuring the number of false activations against the number of systems is a much more rational approach.
Alan Pepper
Los Angeles
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Response
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Interesting way to look at the statistics, which everyone knows can be manipulated in many ways. No doubt there are a significant number of alarms received by police, fire and emergency response personnel which are unnecessary; alarms not caused by actual events. These alarms, typically triggered by faulty equipment or user error, are commonly called false alarms. ECV and other alarm verification methods are probably making a dent in the number of false alarms, but as more alarms are installed the number of false alarms received is likely to continue to increase. Revenue starved municipalities see the opportunity for permits and fines. Never mind that police and fire services would be impossible without the involvement of the electonic alarm industry. Consider the cost in additional personnel if alarms were outlawed as a nuisance.
I have an old alarm system. It false alarms frequently. Most of the time I'm home and quickly call the village police so no response is necessary. I also get faulty equipment repaired. My point? Educating subscribers will go a long way.
So I don't know if measuring number of calls or number of alarms or what else is going to make much difference to the municipality that has to respond to all of these alarms that they deem unnecessary.
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Regarding fire panel replacement from June 20, 2013
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Ken
In some jurisdictions, if you are replacing with the same manufacturer and model number this is generally a SERVICE CALL replacement. If the panel manufacturer or model changes due to obsolescence, this will usually require a permit to install and an inspection by the AHJ after the fact.
Some forward thinking jurisdictions require the tech to get a permit within 5 days of the replacement. This allows an emergency replacement in a critical location such as a group home etc.''
Other states require the permit BEFORE INSTALLATION. The issue of compatibility as Gary pointed out is CRITICAL. Generally addressable modules are not listed for cross install with other manufacturers panels.
If the upgrade is to take advantage of panel features, and the new panel is of a different manufacturer, then yo can look at an entire new system, except for the wires, UNLESS they cannot carry the current necessary to comply with notification appliances and possible MASS NOTIFICATION needs.
Joel kent
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