TMA Members Contribute to ASAP 3.0 Next Generation Fund

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TMA announced on Wed., June 26th it had signed a a multi-year managed services agreement with Mission Critical Partners (MCP) to power the future growth of its Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) Service.

The partnership with MCP will expedite the rollout of the next-generation of the ASAP Service and drive the development of a new, cloud-based solution. The next-generation solution will allow for the real-time sharing of rich data, including camera video streams, live location, health information, photos, and interior blueprints, dramatically improving situational awareness for emergency responders.

The primary goal for the Service is to achieve 80% coverage of the populating by 2028.

This partnership and technological advancements have been made possible by the generous support and commitment of TMA members that contributed to our ASAP 3.0 Next Generation funding program. TMA extends its gratitude to the following donors:

  • ADT, LLC
  • Affiliated Monitoring
  • Alarm Detection Systems, Inc.
  • Alert360
  • AvantGuard Monitoring Centers
  • COPS Monitoring
  • CPI Security Systems
  • Doyle Security Systems, Inc.
  • Dynamark Monitoring, Inc.
  • Holmes Electric Security Systems
  • National Monitoring Center
  • Per Mar Security Services
  • Quick Response
  • Rapid Response
  • Securitas
  • Security Central
  • United Central Control
  • Vector Security, Inc.
  • Vivint Smart Home
  • Washington Alarm, Inc.

Learn more about the new partnership and goals for enhancements to the Service by reading the full public announcement HERE.

Tennessee Announces Overlay for 423 Area Code

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The new 729 area code will overlay the existing 423 area code in eastern Tennessee. The Tennessee Public Utility Commission issued a news release about this overlay recently. We want to make your organizations aware of the upcoming key dates for the overlay implementation:

  • August 5, 2024: Permissive 7- or 10-digit dialing begins for customers with the 423 area code
  • February 5, 2025: Mandatory 10-digit dialing begins for customers with the 423 area code
  • March 5, 2025: The new 729 area code becomes effective, and mandatory 10-digit dialing is required in the new 729 area code too

Read the notice HERE

APCO webinar to address OMB SOC revision, July 17

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On June 12th, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced the beginning of a multi-year process to revise the Standard Occupational Classification. Through this process, OMB will consider whether to change the classification of public safety telecommunicators from the administrative/clerical category to the category for Protective Service Occupations.

APCO’s Government Relations Committee will present a webinar July 17th to explain APCO’s strategy for providing input to OMB, how this effort relates to the 9-1-1 SAVES Act and what you can do to help ensure that OMB finally corrects this outdated classification.

Register now to attend at https://www.apcointl.org/courses/reclassification-update-omb-requests-input-for-soc-revision-webinar/

Reclassification Update: OMB Requests Input for SOC Revision – Webinar
Wednesday, July 17 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Free for everyone

Industry veteran William Tenney named ASIS International CEO

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ASIS International today announced the appointment of William “Bill” Tenney as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 July 2024. Tenney brings close to 35 years of security leadership experience from both public and private sectors to his new role heading the acclaimed global security association.

As ASIS International’s CEO, Tenney will spearhead the organization’s strategic vision, working closely with members, partners, and stakeholders to advance the mission of fostering excellence in the security profession worldwide. With a commitment to collaboration, and continuous improvement, he is poised to lead ASIS International into a new era of growth and impact.

“We are thrilled to welcome William Tenney as the next CEO to guide ASIS in our mission to support security practitioners across all disciplines,” said Cy A. Oatridge, CPP, 2024 President, ASIS International. “His diverse background spanning national security and global corporate security makes him exceptionally qualified to lead our organization and advance our strategic priorities.”

Oatridge added, “The successful completion of our chief executive search was made possible by our partner, Spencer Stuart, one of the world’s leading global executive search and leadership consulting firms, along with our CEO Search Committee led by 2023 ASIS President, Tim McCreight, CPP.”

Tenney joins ASIS after serving as Chief Security Officer and Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Security for MetLife, Head of Global Operations Risk for Bloomberg, and Director of Global Security at Target Corporation. Previously, he served in the national security community as a civilian and for eight years as a U.S. Naval Officer.

“After an extensive global search, we are confident Bill is the ideal leader to guide ASIS International into its next chapter of growth and success,” said Tim McCreight, CPP, Chair, ASIS International CEO Search Committee. “With his proven track record of strategic leadership and deep expertise within the security profession, Bill has the vision and capabilities to provide the highest level of business continuity while propelling our organization to new heights. His appointment reinforces our commitment to operational excellence and positions us to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the ever-evolving security landscape.”

Tenney succeeds Peter O’Neil, FASAE, CAE, who has served with distinction during his tenure 2016-2024. Tenney will become the eighth executive to lead this organization in its nearly seven-decade existence.

“I am truly honored and excited to assume the role of CEO for this prestigious global security association with more than 34,000 members representing more than 150 nations worldwide,” said Bill Tenney, newly appointed CEO of ASIS International. “ASIS International plays a pivotal role in advancing the security profession and addressing the complex challenges facing our increasingly interconnected world. I look forward to collaborating closely with our diverse membership, volunteer leaders, and staff to drive innovation, share best practices, and elevate the critical importance of effective security strategies across all sectors and regions. Together, we will continue building a safer and more resilient future on a global scale. I am committed to strengthening our association’s position as the preeminent authority and go-to resource for security management professionals everywhere.”

A graduate of St. Olaf College and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Tenney has completed executive education from Harvard, Northwestern, and MIT. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Veterans Defense Project and advisor to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

TMA Members Recipients of ESX 2024 Innovation Awards

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The Electronic Security Expo (ESX) announced the winners of the 2024 Innovation Awards, recognizing excellence and innovation within the electronic security and life safety industry. Each year the awards program highlights next-generation products and services that present significant growth opportunities for integrator companies.

An independent panel of judges selected the winners based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including ingenuity, applicability, response to market needs and more. The 2024 ESX Innovation Awards judging panel, led by Preston Atkins, systems engineer at Certified Alarm Co. of AL Inc., also included Richard Tampier, vice president of Everon Solutions, Jamie Byrd, vice president of business development at Security Central, and Gregory R. Breyer, director of fire business development at Zeus Fire & Security.

Congratulations to the TMA member companies who were recognized as 2024 ESX Innovation Award Winners:

FIRE/LIFE-SAFETY

Detection Appliances – Smoke / Heat / Gas Detection Services

  • FireProtect 2 RB (Heat/Smoke/CO) UL Jeweller by Ajax Systems

Cellular / Radio Communications

  • Super Dual StarLink Fire Max2 Supervised Dual SIM/ Dual Path Communicator by NAPCO Security Technologies

INTRUSION SYSTEMS

Outdoor Detection

  • MotionCam Outdoor (PhOD) Jeweller by Ajax Systems

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE

Video Analytics

  • Alarm.com AI Deterrence (AID) by Alarm.com

Megapixel / HD Cameras

  • First Alert VX3 HD Outdoor Camera by Resideo

IP Cameras

  • TurretCam (8 Mp/2.8mm) by Ajax Systems

The ESX Innovation Awards ceremony was held during the ESX 2024 Expo in Louisville, Ky.

ADT’s Borgmann Honored with ESA’s Sara E. Jackson Award for Outstanding Leadership & Advocacy

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The Electronic Security Association (ESA) announced Holly Borgmann, Vice President, Government Affairs at ADT, as the esteemed recipient of the Sara E. Jackson Award for 2024. This award is presented to individuals who exemplify extraordinary leadership and dedication in advancing the electronic security and life safety industry.

“It is truly an honor to receive the Sara E. Jackson Award,” said Borgmann upon receiving the news of her award. “Sara’s story of resilience and leadership is incredibly inspiring, and I am humbled to be recognized in her name. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of our industry and look forward to continuing to work towards a safer future for all.”

“We are fortunate to have volunteer leaders like Holly Borgmann who are willing to lend their time and expertise to the ESA community.” says Merlin Guilbeau, CEO of the Electronic Security Association “Under her proactive leadership, ESA was able to advance initiatives that protect the industry and positively impact public safety.”

The award will be presented at the 2024 ESX in Louisville, KY prior to the Opening Keynote on Tuesday, June 4th at 11:30am ET. 

ESA Calls for Support of School Security Legislation [HR 7357]

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During this 118th Congress, ESA has been monitoring over a dozen bills on the issue of school security. Unfortunately, after they are introduced, they are assigned to a committee and rarely heard about again.

ESA is calling for security industry businesses to call upon Congress to take action on this important legislation. Ask your representatives to support HR 7357, the Securing Our Schools Act of 2024. Instead of being assigned to the House Education and the Workforce Committee, this bill was assigned to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

This legislation would authorize funding already allocated to schools, to be used for the purchase and installation of security and life safety systems. Congress does not need to increase spending at all, just let schools spend the funds on systems that we know would make the environment safer for students.

Our industry has the talents and equipment to make these vulnerable locations safer.

Learn more and contact your representative at https://www.votervoice.net/ESA/Campaigns/115872/Respond

 

Preview TMA’s NEW AVS-01 Operator Online Training

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The first of three new TMA-AVS-01 online training modules for monitoring center operators is now available for preview. Module 1 provides operators with a foundational understanding the ANSI/TMA-AVS-01 Alarm Validation Scoring Standard by explaining the “What and Why.” It is the first in a series of online training modules that will help monitoring center operators to understand the impact and tremendous benefits of the new standard for the professional monitoring industry and public safety community.

By adopting the AVS-01 Standard, monitoring centers can significantly enhance their alarm response processes, improve public safety outcomes, and contribute to industry-wide standardization and efficiency. By using real-time and historical data, AVS-01 provides us with a standardized way to calculate an alarm score that results in a repeatable metric to estimate the validity or potential threat level of an intrusion alarm activation.

The three modules are:

  1. TMA-AVS-01 Introduction for Monitoring Center Operators
  2. TMA-AVS-01 Introduction to Understanding Category Definitions
  3. TMA-AVS-01 Overview of the Call Handling Scoring Process

Preview the first module:

Learn more about TMA-AVS-01 HERE

Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing for Minnesota NPA 507 Announced

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This is a second notice.

Attention: Alarm, Security, and Elevator Service/Equipment Providers

To ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers, the Minesota Public Utilities Commission approved the addition of the new 924 area code to the geographic region served by the 507 area code. This process is known as an area code overlay.

What will be the new dialing procedure?

The new dialing procedure will require that all calls in the 507 area code that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using area code + telephone number. The same dialing procedure will apply to telephone numbers that are assigned in the new 924 area code.

How does this affect providers of alarm and security services and equipment?

As a result of the overlay, a new local dialing procedure requires callers to dial area code + telephone number.

Alarm, security, and elevator services and equipment currently located in the 507 area code and programmed to dial only seven digits must be updated or reprogrammed to dial ten digits (area code + telephone number) for all calls in the 507 and 924 area codes.

Reprogramming of alarm equipment must be completed by July 30, 2024.

To verify that equipment can complete calls to the new 924 area code, a special test number, 924-924-1924, will be in service beginning May 30, 2024, and will remain active through September 30, 2024.

When will the change begin?

Beginning July 30, 2024, the new dialing procedure must be used, as described above. On and after this date, if callers do not use the new dialing procedure, calls will not complete. A recording will instruct the caller to hang up and dial again including the area code.

Beginning August 30, 2024, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers with the new 924 area code. Anyone with a telephone number in the 924 area code must dial the area code + telephone number or the call will not complete.

DOWNLOAD INFO SHEET

TMA/AICC Meet with Congressional Committee on Privacy Act

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AICC attorney John Prendergast, Managing Partner, Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens & Prendergast, LLP, and lobbyist Bill Signer, Carmen Group, Inc., met this morning with House Energy and Commerce Democratic staff to discuss the American Privacy Rights Act. Several issues were raised  – two which are specific to the alarm industry and three which are generic to the bill and will impact any company subject to the Act.

Read update.

Next steps:

  • A memo containing recommendations for modifications and the needed legislative language will be drafted.
  • Outreach to the majority staff has been made.
  • Outreach to the Senate Commerce staff will also be made.