KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE You can read all of our articles on our website. Having trouble getting our emails? Change your spam controls and whitelist ken@kirschenbaumesq.com ****************************** more comment on M2M communication failure discussion May 4, 2026 ************************** more comment on M2M communication failure discussion April 14 and 15, 2026 ************************** Ken Following up on the conversation about fire alarm signaling and recent failures of intermediate service providers. The fire alarm industry has devoted many years, many dollars and numerous standards and codes to ensure that fire alarm systems are as reliable and functionally operational as possible! Further, fire alarm monitoring companies have to conform to standards and codes that ensure reliable alarm signal reception and processing with essential requirements such as fire alarm signals must be received in the Fire Signal Receiving Center or the U.S. Central Station within 60 seconds and the alarm relayed to the fire service in 30 seconds (Canadian Requirements - U.S. may differ!). With the advent of internet and cellular signaling capabilities some responsible fire alarm transmission and receiving equipment manufacturers have done the right thing - they have manufactured fire alarm receiving equipment that gives the Fire Signal Receiving Center (U.S. Central Station) the ability to monitor for AND track the supervision of the entire communication path between the customer and their station. There is no intermediary in the communication path. Supervisory and periodic test signals are complete end to end. This is the way it should be! Unfortunately there are some equipment manufacturers who, perhaps to earn recurring revenue, have inserted themselves into the fire alarm signal communication path to provide the required 3 minute supervision and/or test signal reception and ONLY report the loss of supervision or fail to test to the Fire Signal Receiving Center or Central Station. This means that if the intermediary provider fails the station is unaware of the failure. This is when the station is both dumb and happy! This has happened on too many occasions! Typically these third party intermediary companies are receiving and processing signals outside of a UL - ULC listed facility. And both UL and ULC are quite happy with this arrangement. (ULC does have a requirement that if there is any signal processing done by an intermediary (called a “Clearing House in the Canadian Standard) then the facility and equipment must conform to certain ULC standards. UL does not have a similar requirement that I am aware of! Some people have identified and recommended that the intermediary companies be required to conform to UL - ULC codes and standards. In my opinion this is not going to happen because these companies employ third-party data centers or otherwise refuse to seek UL-ULC Listing. And please allow me to be blunt - UL - ULC Listings will not do anything towards making any software or hardware any more reliable than it is already. And the NFPA has introduced the concept of Auxiliary Service Providers in NFPA 0 - 2025. I have compiled a document regarding ASPs. E-mail me: dave@damar.net and I will gladly send you a link. Everyone in the Fire Alarm Monitoring business should read it. Fire Signal Receiving Centers and Central Stations have the choice of what manufacturer’s equipment they employ. While listed receiving equipment may cost a little more money, the very distinct advantage of being in control of fire alarm communications and test signal supervision is well worth it. We need monitoring people on UL and ULC Standards and code committees to start now to bring about changes so that Fire Signal Receiving Centers and Central Stations have the exclusive responsibility of signal path supervision. All fire alarm transmissions should employ dual paths of communications (internet & Cellular). Dialers should no longer be acceptable. Existing installed equipment should be grandfathered for no more than five years. It is time for the fire monitoring industry to become as serious about communications as the fire alarm industry is about reliability. Respectfully Dave Currie Damar Security Systems dave@damar.net http://damarsecuritysystems.com 1-519-704-1479 or 1-866-337-1234 ********************* Response ********************* Dave, thanks as always for sharing your expertise. This continues to be a timely topic and deserved the attention of fire alarm experts, especially those willing to share their expertise with the industry. Tomorrow we will hear from a major manufacturer on the issue. I can tell you that the Kirschenbaum Fire contracts, fire alarm and fire protection, have been updated incorporating and referencing NPFA relevant sections. Those of you who are installing code compliant fire alarms need to bone up on these provisions which address installation, service and monitoring, as well as which systems are to be included with the fire alarm. ************************ STANDARD FORMS Alarm / Security / Fire and related Agreements. click here: www.alarmcontracts.com *************************** CONCIERGE LAWYER SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE ALARM INDUSTRY - You can check out the program and sign up here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/concierge or contact our Program Coordinator Stacy Spector, Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304. *********************** ALARM ARTICLES: You can always read our Articles on our website at ww.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-articles updated daily ******************** THE ALARM EXCHANGE - the alarm industries leading classified and business exchange - updated daily ************************* Wondering how much your alarm company is worth? Click here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/what-is-my-alarm-company-worth ****************************** Getting on our Email List / Email Articles archived: Many of you are forwarding these emails to friends or asking that others be added to the list. Sign up for our daily newsletter here: Sign Up. You can read articles and order alarm contracts on our web site www.alarmcontracts.com ************************** Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC Attorneys at Law 200 Garden City Plaza Garden City, NY 11530 516 747 6700 x 301 ken@kirschenbaumesq.com www.KirschenbaumEsq.com
