***********

Also: commercial wireless fire alarm / and

 comment on cancellation notice

***********

Question:

*********

Dear Mr. Kirschenbaum,

    Here at Northwest Security Inc., we are wondering if it is a service or courtesy for the police to respond to an alarm from a monitoring station?  And if the Police Department has a program set up to collect fees from the alarm customers for registration, do these policies apply as well?

    Also, do the Police Department responses to the alarm depend upon the city, county, or state in which the customer lives?

    What if the customer calls 911?  Are the police obligated to respond?

    I would appreciate your reply to these questions.

Thank you,

Jason Gonzalez

Northwest Security Inc.

*************

Answer:

*********

    One of the most important functions of government is to provide protection to its citizens.  That means police and fire services.  How those services are provided is up to the municipality, and those decisions are protected by governmental immunity.  So whether, or in what priority, police will response to any type of alarm signal is up to the municipality.

    It is no longer uncommon for municipalities to come up with some way to raise revenue from the alarm industry.  Alarm companies are being required to register and pay a fee to be licensed or to monitor accounts, and end users are required to obtain permits. Alarm companies and end users are charged fees for filing plans that have to be inspected and approved before the systems can be installed.  Challenges to these fees, permits, or charges have failed because the municipalities claim the charges are incidental to its police powers.

    I believe it would be foolish for any municipality or police or fire department to think it could provide its governmental services without the alarm industry.  The widespread use of alarms enables these services.  Is there any municipality that does not have alarm systems?  Municipalities recognize the essential service provided by alarm companies, especially in when it comes to fire alarm systems in commercial buildings, where oversight is moststringent.

    So, no, police are not obligated to respond to any particular 911 call or alarm signal, and failure to respond will usually be covered by governmental immunity, but those same public servants ultimately must answer to the citizens, and if basic public services are not being provided the public servants should be removed and replaced by those who have a better appreciation for what and how police and fire departments should be serving and  protecting the public and how the alarm industry contributes to those services.

**********

commercial wireless fire alarm

******

Question

******

    Ken,

    We currently use your contracts for all our installations/monitoring. 

    We have just become a dealer for Commercial Wireless Systems International (CSWI).

    They manufacture a commercial wireless fire alarm that is:

NFPA72 and National Fire Alarm Code Compliant and listed to UL864 9th addition.

    Do your current contracts over this technology. If you have any questions of the manufacturer please contact Mr.. Scott Barrett at 866-937-2537.

Please call with any questions

Thomas Kempkes

***********

Answer:

********

    The Fire All in One contract (and the Fire Sales Contract) requires submitting plans and getting AHJ approval for the system and installation of that system.  Whatever technology you decide to use must receive approval from the AHJ.  The All in One Fire contract can be used for any commercial fire equipment installation.

***********

Comment on 3 day cancellation notice

*********

Responding to the question/article about 3 day right to cancel. The reason the so-called “summer programs”  have been so successful in gaining so many customers in a short amount of time is largely due to their rate of same-day installations. Often over 75% of the installations occur the same day they are sold. Just because the alarm is sold and installed the same day, it doesn’t mean the customer waives any 3 day right to cancel. The customer is always allowed to have three days to cancel whether the system is installed or not, but they are much less likely to exercise their cancellation right if the system is installed and functioning in their home.  For whatever reason, many mom and pop alarm companies still think the customer needs lead time in the install. But let me ask this question, if you wanted to purchase a new car, and signed the paperwork, would you want to drive the car off the lot right then or wait three days? Think about it. People who want the product want it NOW. Give them what they want and let them cancel if they are within 3 days. The amount of attrition is much less than you would think.

Ryan J Newcomer

American Fork, UT