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Hope to see you at the Connecticut Alarm & Systems Integrators Association.  February 25, 2010 at 6:15 PM.  This is the CASIA Annual Membership Expo, with member recognition, new member recruitment and vendor trade show.  Held at Laurel View Country Club, 310 West Shepard Avenue, Hamden, CT 06514.  For more information call CASIA Executive Director Pat Shea Remes at 203 762 2444.  Casiact.org   Still time to let me know what questions you would like covered at the meeting.  Email me today.

 

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Question:

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Hello Ken:

 Love the emails keep them coming.

 Question: (2 part question).

 Company installs intrusion system with capable monitored smoke/heat detectors.  Is this considered a "Fire System"?

 If so does the company need 1 contract for monitoring burg and another contract (Fire Monitoring contract) for monitoring the smoke/heat detectors?

 I would assume there would be 2 separate charges for this or do most bundle the Fire in with the Burg.  Meaning most do not charge extra for the fire.

Thank you in advance for your insight.

Tracy Adcock

HSS Custom AV & Automation

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Answer:

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 I am going to need some help here from the fire alarm experts, but here is what I think.  In residences the typical alarm is an intrusion alarm.  Smoke detectors are added and sometimes more elaborate alarms such as temperature, water, CO, pool, medical alert. panic.  You need to be careful labeling an alarm system because there may be customary standards, not to mention actual building codes, that cover the specifications for such installation and govern the installation.  Fire certainly fits that category.  A "fire alarm" has definite meaning and requirements.  Requirements for fire are found in local or state building codes, local ordinances, building departments and NFPA, often adopted by local law. 

 Some jurisdictions will require specific fire installation in new construction, such as smoke or heat detectors.   CO devices are also specified. 

 My understanding is that in residences you can have a combination burg / fire panel.  That is not the case in most jurisdictions for commercial alarms.  As long as you have one system, one panel, one contract should suffice.  But you need to be careful if you are not installing any alarm system in accordance with manufacturer specifications, local or state law requirements, customary installation practices or accepted and recognized industry rating agencies, such as UL or ETL.

 For commercial fire you always need permit, inspection and approval from the AHJ and you should be using a proper Fire Alarm Sales Contract.  There are several Standard Alarm Contracts for commercial fire application, The All In One, Inspection, Monitoring, Sale. 

 For residential alarm it's important to note on the contract that the system is not a fire alarm system, unless it is.  Unless you are installing all of the equipment, and installing it in a way that complies with all fire alarm requirements, you don't want to label the system a fire alarm system.  It is correctly label a burglar alarm system with added smoke detection devices.  The reason is obvious.  If there is a fire and the alarm doesn't signal fast enough, you could be criticized for installing a non conforming fire alarm system.

    Separate alarm systems require separate contracts.  Make sure your contract covers all of the services you are performing so you are protected.

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Comment on Pots

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PERS Comments:

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 Ken,

      The assumption that the alarm dealers read the cable contracts (or any other 3rd party contracts) is nuts....!

      That contract is between the cable company and their client.  It is the responsibility of our client to tell us that  the cable company doesn't allow the connection.

    Either way VOIP and the VOIP installers ARE going to kill someone one of these days; if it hasn't happened already.  The VOIP installations are far from being ok the 1st time.  I am thinking of installing a 900# to handle the calls I have to take from these idiots.  That being said.....have you herd the one about the battery back-up at the home/business taking care of the power outage problems?

PS - PERS DOES NOT BELONG ON VOIP!!

  Mike

  CSS

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Hi Ken,

    I have a few comments on the whole PERS issue.

    One major thing that has been keeping me away from installing any PERS is the way the system communicates. These companies installing these things are not doing it right. I've seen systems hooked up to the phone jack and the original phone plugged in to the pers unit. This is an absolute joke! Where is the line seizure? (NOT!) if the phone was knocked off the hook in another room guess what?? no dial tone. These things also won't alert you (like a real alarm control will) if there is a line fault (tlm) Talk about a liability issue. Do you think that after grandma fell over, had a heart attack, pushed her button and no one responded, that her grandkids who just paid $1000.00 for a PERS system (so grandma could be "safe") that their not going to have a "field day" with you and their lawyers?

Thats why we install an alarm control panel, put the keypad on the door of the thing, program some wireless (supervised) panic buttons, mount the cell unit, and now you have a "Real PERS" system.

    Anyone who installs a PERS system on a VOIP line is insane! Your just asking for a lawsuit. What if the power goes out (and there is no ups?) what if the provider takes the system down at night for software upgrades or maintenance? What if your computer "locks up" the VOIP modem? What if the modem goes bad?  As you can see, there are many things that can happen here and thats why I just won't do a PERS system.

    One last input on VOIP. Did you know that if your using VOIP (per DSC, thats the alarm panels we use) your supposed to use 4x2 report formats not contact ID! The problem is that VOIP changes the signal by compressing it and thats what the alarm panel does when it sends out contact ID. As you can see this is where your signal might get "scrambled" which has happened to me before I knew this. I was getting report codes that I didn't even program in to my panel! When I changed it to 4x2 I have never had any more issues.

When 2 signals are "redefined" then mixed together thats where you will have a problem.

    Thanks for all you excellent input in this industry!

Greg

Walworth County Security Alarms, LLC

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Ken,

     I receive your emails and find them interesting. I have a comment on the POTS VS VOIP emails from a  Voice Data and Video Solution providers perspective.

    VOIP is a technology that is evolving to be the mainstream  solution that will replace POTS lines over time. All telecom/ cable carriers suck, is our mantra we try to find the ones that don’t suck that as bad. Usually the larger Tier 1 providers.   The  alarm industry will adapt to it  because POTS lines will be too expensive to install. In a world of digital technology and high speed internet my belief is that you will see  more manufactures and central station providers jump on that band wagon and start to provide enhanced services beyond panel monitoring. I see some central station providers  and manufactures have integrated video which is a form of VOIP.  The  future is digital. I remember when a T1 data circuit was a big deal today I equate that to a 2400 baud modem. In the future the standard will be 100 meg pipes to your door  for the cost of POTS lines. That’s not decades away but years. The industry should learn as much as possible to accept this new technology.  The VOIP issues  usually come from poor planning and not complete understanding by both the consumer and installers.   VOIP is a data play and anyone with some data networking skills can be a VOIP provider fairly easy.  POTS lines  can  basically be ordered anywhere in the United States and the  service would be fairly consistent throughout the Country.  Not true with VOIP.  VOIP service has so many flavors of the same service for example, because its data your can have a VOIP line to emulate a POTs line at G711 Codec ,G729A Codec or more and  each one can  create different problems with equipment that it’s looking for. Remember  that VOIP is a circuit emulation protocol. We have seen in the telecom world, equipment that worked fine with traditional connectivity and then not work with VOIP.  So where does that leave your industry,  I would encourage people to be careful and test the circuits with their equipment. I would  also recommend they request from there industry manufactures,   solutions with inter- op  testing to central station providers.  And last look at the big picture VOIP is not going away try to understand as much as you can and gain the technical skills to be able to solve problems and not complain about the technology. 

Ralph Meyers

President

Nu-TEL Communications, a Voice, Data, Video Provider

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Ken:

    I take issue with Morgan Hertel's comments regarding VOIP.

    VOIP will, at times, fail when it comes to alarm panels communicating with the central station.  IP communicators will also fail unless drastic improvements (e.g. mandated battery backup) are made by internet providers.

    Morgan says "lead, follow, or get out of the way," but doesn't provide a solution to replace analog POTS system and criticizes POTS supporters for "being in the way."  I would support abandoning the analog POTS system if AT&T (and Morgan) would agree to pay for all of the costs of upgrading the communications services to every household and business in rural America.  Many areas do not have internet access or cell phone coverage.

    Come on Morgan.  Be a leader.  Write the check.

Chris Allen

Bemidji, MN

******************  Chris - why are you shooting the messenger?  I just heard that 68% of homes in US have Internet .  Unless I misunderstood that news report it seems like Morgan raises real and timely concerns.

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And Mike Kelly has this to report regarding Cyber liability:

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Cybersecurity Act Passed :

 

     On Feb. 4, 2010 the House passed 422 to 5 the Cybersecurity Act., The Act will collaborative efforts both domestically and internationally on Cyber “Technical Standards”.  These best practices will be used in creating a strategic vision for a federal cybersecurity R&D & Standards, the bill now moves to the Senate for consideration . Question:    Is it time for the alarm Industry, the Insurance Industry and legal Industry to work on Cybersecurity “Technical Standards” for IP networks, IP Monitoring, IP CCTV.,  Etc. for all Installation & services ???

    Please contact Mike Kelly at Michael J. Kelly Insurance Agency at mjk@mjkinsurance.com or 800-329-5355 for more information.