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Ken:

I install fire/burglar alarm and CCTV, but I'm also a volunteer firefighter.

The story I bring up is about 6 months ago a resident in our fire district got a call from her central station saying there was a detector activated, she told the company it's a false alarm disregard. Ten minutes later they called her back saying it went off again and again she said disregard. Ten minutes later she called 911 since the fire started in the basement below her dishwasher and she didn't know it. A dozen fire units responded but it was a major fire. Now we have to respond to any automatic alarm even though over 90% are just false. If the resident wouldn't have told the central station multiple times it was unfounded she would still have her house. Although it's dangerous for responding units, my department responds even when the occupant says it's only a false alarm. I never got the name of the central station.

Just another incident, we were called to a residence for a CO detector, the home owner said it was a false alarm with the fire officer standing at the front door his multimeter went off indicating 300 parts CO2, we then vented the house and were TOLD at the next department meeting don't listen to the home owner if an alarm comes in check it out.

Barry Caesar, President

Bay Lock & Alarm

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Response

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My understanding is that just about all AHJ, fire departments, alarm industry regulatory laboratories, and central station operating procedure, requires that every fire alarm signal be dispatched to the fire department. I also understand that every fire department, once dispatched, will refuse to turn around and will go to the site for inspection. It's likely that the estimate above, 90% false alarms, is optimistic. Probably a higher percentage. This creates an opportunity for injury to fire fighters who have to respond to a non emergency situation unnecessarily. It's also an inconvenience for the subscriber when it's a false alarm. Nevertheless, the one time a real fire is the cause of the alarm seems to justify the policy on reporting and responding.

Some jurisdictions may be implementing "runner response" for alarm verification. I don't know how that is working out. The Standard Fire Alarm All in One does have an option for runner service as an RMR item.

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New York Alarm License - Secondary Office Requirement

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Alarm companies that want to do alarm business in New York - sales, installation or service [monitoring does not require a license] must be licensed. If your principal business is outside of New York you must maintain an office within New York, called a Secondary Office. Your alarm license must be displayed at this office, the office must be staffed with a responsible person, and you must maintain your New York employee records and your subscriber records at this Secondary Office. The applicable law and rules are below.

My office serves as a Secondary Office for many out of NY state alarm companies. To find out about this service please call Eileen Wagda at 516 747 6700 ext 312.

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Article 6-D, General Business Law

§69-q. Licenses; display; renewal; duplicates

7. A license to conduct the business of installing, servicing or main-taining security or fire alarm systems shall be conspicuously posted upon the premises where the licensee is engaged in the business of installing, servicing or maintaining security or fire alarm systems.

TITLE 19 NYCRR SECURITY AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS PART 195

LICENSING REGULATIONS FOR THE BUSINESS OF INSTALLING, SERVICING OR MAINTAINING SECURITY

OR FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS

§195.5 License must be displayed

(a) The license to engage in the business of installing, servicing or maintaining a security or fire alarm system shall be conspicuously dis-played at the principal location. A photocopy of the business license is-sued to the principal location must be conspicuously displayed at each secondary location of the business.

(b) Licensee shall maintain, at the principal office, a current list of all such secondary locations.

(c) Licensee shall file with the Department of State, by registered or certified mail, the location of such secondary locations, within five busi-ness days of their opening.

(d) Licensee shall post the name of the person in charge at each busi-ness location.

 

§195.10 Business and employee records

(a) Each business licensed under this Part shall keep and maintain for a period of three years records of all transactions performed by the business.

(b) A licensee under this Part must keep and maintain records of em-ployees of the firm until each employee has not been in the licensee’s employ for a period of at least three full years. Such records shall include employee statement, employee application, employee business and em-ployment I.D. number, length of employment and payroll records.

(c) All records must be retained for longer periods in the event there is any litigation pending concerning such records and/or employee. Litiga-tion shall include investigation or administrative action by the Department of State, initiated by complaint from the general public or by the depart-ment.

(d) A business which is licensed to install, maintain or service security or fire alarm systems must maintain employee and business records at a central location within New York State. This is applicable to all company and personnel records pertaining exclusively to the conduct of business in this state.

(e) Each licensee shall prepare and retain a statement of services and charges which has been agreed upon between the licensee and the con-sumer, a copy of which must be presented to the consumer. The consumer must be presented with a copy of any document signed by the licensee and consumer. Any agreement signed by a representative of the licensee and the consumer for services to be performed must be retained by the licensee in the business records of the firm.

(f) In conjunction with any transaction, each licensee shall identify any and all employees who work on the installation, service, or maintenance of a security or fire alarm system.