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Licensing
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Dear Ken,
In regards to “another false alarm ordinance and permit law Texas” from your ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER, September 11, 2012 issue, it seems that this issue is almost a plague!
In the Long Island area of NY within the last few months we learned of no less than three changes in the false alarm ordinances or permit laws.
The Metropolitan Burglar and Fire Alarm Association of NY, Inc. (MBFAA, of NY) has set up an industry information group e-mail information service to keep industry members doing business on Long Island informed of, and sharing information about, false alarm ordinances and permits laws.
Professional licensed alarm companies can sign up at http://members.mbfaa.com/mailman/listinfo/longislandalarmpermitsfineinfo_members.mbfaa.com
Once logged in, list members can search the archives for past issues.
List members are encouraged to contribute and add to the information about false alarm ordinances and permit laws on Long Island. Information is sent out as a daily digest.
Sincerely,
Alan Glasser, Executive Director, MBFAA of NY
METROPOLITAN BURGLAR & FIRE ALARM ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK, INC.
(718) 894-6712 www.mbfaa.com
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Ken, FYI...
The Texas Ordinance discussed in you newsletter on 9/11 is a virtual copy the one developed jointly by the Texas Police Chiefs and the alarm industry. SIAC has facilitated about 14 of these joint Alarm Management Committees throughout the United States.
The process is straightforward... retired Chief Glen Mowrey, SIAC Law Enforcement Liaison targets a particular state, meets with the board of the state chiefs association, reviews the benefits of an Alarm Management Committee with them and if they decide to proceed agrees to participate/facilitate in the set-up. Initially the state chiefs association selects three willing, active police chiefs, with one serving as the chair. They usually meets once or twice to set goals, vision statements, etc. Then they invite three representatives from the alarm industry in that state, typically representing the state alarm association to become committee members.
SIAC provides the national model ordinance as a suggested framework of known best practices for the committee to work from. The committee then goes through the document and adjusts it to fit their needs and to meet applicable state law. Most of the time nearly all of our recommendations remain in the agreed upon model. The model is then made available to chiefs throughout the state and they have the option to further refine or adjust for local politics (like fines, of number of free responses, unless mandated by state law, like in Texas).
It's a beautiful system that is working very well. In fact so well, that we find chiefs strongly supporting this approved model to the point they will make calls to or communicate to a jurisdiction and a chief that somehow missed using the model and developed their own ordinance, probably taking them down a path known to have issues. The local chief nearly always listens to his peers.
Several strategic goals are obviously met with this process:
1) We get a good national model ordinance into the hands of the states.
2) We get the model adjusted to meet state/local requirements by the stakeholders
3) We get the alarm industry in a state working directly with their state chiefs organizations
4) We eliminate most controversies that arise when a local agency develops their own ordinance and local dealers oppose it.
5) We put in place a system that deals with issues today as well as in the future, all at the state level!
Our challenge is keeping these committees operating and starting new ones. It takes a fair amount of time, energy and resources to do both. Chiefs change jobs, association members sell companies and so we find we have to continue to attend, motivate and push to keep everyone working together. SIAC happily accepts that challenge, we only ask for the financial support from the industry to fund the manpower/travel required. So please consider a donation to SIAC - visit our website www.siacinc.org
Best regards,
Stan Martin , Executive Director, SIAC
Frisco, TX 75035
972-377-9401
www.siacinc.org
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Ken
That Texas alarm ordinance is very fair compared to the ones that I have to deal with here in California.
Craig Peterman
TrueLink Alarm
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more technical comment on NFPA 72 and whether deviating from standards is negligence
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re Commenting on Mr. Schwank from Statcom
While his explanation is correct his quote from NFPA 72 2007 states
proper performance of SLC and Nacs, are dependent on EOL's proper
location, You need to remind installers that SLC's DO NOT require EOLS!
They are not current dependent circuits like Class B ( as he quotes)
they are voltage and DATA dependent circuits. A single open will cause a
trouble on a properly installed Class B OR SLC circuit
Comment on anon:
There of are some instances when a technician/installer MAY see EOLS
installed at the panel. Some manufacturers
of hybrid hardwired/wireless systems require the unused hardwired zone
to be closed/supervised by the EOL at the panel when only wireless
devices are being used, so there may be EOLs present on the panel end!
Mike Sokoly
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Ken
I can appreciate the EOL in the panel comment from ANON. What he is saying (or she) is that they are working for a company that puts profit before process. END OF LINE RESISTORS do have a very functional purpose in today's alarm panel even more so than in the past.
With programmable response circuits the panel can tell a short from an open and enunciate as such to the central station.
Placing EOL Resistors at the END OF THE LINE is a manufacturers requirement. When you look at a UL (Or now a NRTL) listing on a panel remember that the MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS are a part of that listing and by taking a SHORT CUT and putting them in the panel you run the risk of a third party investigator hired by an insurer after a loss asking the hard question about " ALARM GUY, why did you choose to wire the resistor IN THE PANEL as opposed to at the end of the line where the manufacturer illustrates?"
Here is a real world illustration about why it is imperative to follow instructions. Hold up alarm, NC Circuit. The EOL resistor was installed IN THE PANEL. Carpenter comes along and nails a 2x4 against the 2x4 that your wire is stapled to. (I am not saying the carpenter was not negligent.) Nail through the closed circuit cable and SHORTS the circuit. The panel is still happy because it see the EOL IN THE PANEL. Customers hold up alarm is now compromised. This device will not operate as you said it would when you sold it to the customer. There is no explaining the reason why you violated manufacturers instructions and RECOGNIZED STANDARDS to save time.
Had the EOL device been installed at the end of the line, as soon as the carpenter compromised the circuit a trouble signal would have been sent. If time is of the essence and so valuable that one would lower their ethical integrity to save minutes than the other answer is to purchase contacts and devices with the EOL device factory installed.
If you don't have time to do it right the first time, when will you find the time to do it over? There is no DO OVER after a loss. Only regrets......
Joel Kent
FBN Security Co LLC
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Re: Anon's response re: EOL resistor placement. I have also experienced the very same issues when working for other firms, including being reprimanded for putting a resistor inside a motion detector in a home. I think the answer comes down to liability and standard practice in the alarm industry. If manufacturers didn't specify the EOL's in or at the device, there could be huge liability issues. Particularly when UL681 identifies functional requirements for protective circuits.
Even those firms that want the EOLs "properly" placed often put them a foot or more away from the actual sensor or contact. To me, that affords little or no protection against defeat. It does offer protection for mouse bites and structural settling that may pinch a cable, and it's better than nothing. I also think many firms have two different standards. One for residential and the other for commercial. My view is that if you are going to use them, buy contacts with them built in or place them under the terminal cover. If you are going to make use of them, do it so the resistors (or capacitors) can properly supervise the entire circuit. A defeat will most probably be attempted at the device itself as it's the point most accessible.
Most firms simply program the EOL device out so time isn't wasted putting them in anywhere, even the panel. I have mixed feelings on this. I see a huge difference in the economics of residential installs vs commercial. One is price driven while the other is less so. Commercial installations also present greater liability to the alarm firm. With many firms using wireless technology now, the end of line placement is less of an issue than it used to be. Personally I don't like wireless for commercial applications and in many cases even residential. But I do recognize the economic incentives. My issues with wireless are many, but a different topic than this discussion.
I do have a remaining question. In the event of a loss and lawsuit, will evidence supporting normal and "standard practice" in the industry overcome a gross negligence or simple negligence accusation by an attorney after a loss?
Mitch Cohen
Bric Security
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Response
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Testimony that you have followed standard practice will be received as persuasive evidence and that evidence will be considered along with all the other evidence presented, including testimony claiming that you were grossly negligent for any number of reasons. In other words, deviating from standards is not negligence per se.
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looking for career advice
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Question re expected salary
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Ken
I currently got my licensed as an alarm tech. I also am going to be the Sales manager of our business . What type of Salary should I expect ? Thanks , we are based in Louisiana .
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Response
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Anyone care to comment? Remember he said "expect" not "hope for"
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