Training Essentials in the Monitoring Industry

This blog aims to provide a professional and neutral overview of training essentials in the monitoring industry, reflecting current best practices and industry standards.

Training Essentials in the Monitoring Industry

Introduction: In an industry as dynamic and critical as the monitoring sector, staying ahead with effective training is not just beneficial; it’s essential. This blog delves into the key training components that ensure excellence and compliance in this field.

Understanding Industry Dynamics: The monitoring industry, which encompasses security, fire, and life safety, is evolving rapidly. With technological advancements, the emergence of new threats, and changing regulatory landscapes, professionals in this sector must be well-equipped with current knowledge and skills.

Core Training Elements:

  1. Technical Proficiency: At the heart of monitoring services lies the need for technical expertise. This includes understanding the latest technologies, systems, and tools. Training programs should focus on practical, hands-on experiences that simulate real-world scenarios, ensuring operators can accurately interpret data.
  2. Regulatory Compliance and Licensing: Given the legal and ethical implications in the monitoring industry, professionals must be well-versed in relevant laws, standards, and compliance requirements. Regular training sessions on these topics help avoid legal pitfalls and ensure service quality.
  3. Essential Skills Development: Technical knowledge alone is not sufficient. The ability to communicate effectively, manage stress, and make critical decisions under pressure are essential skills. Incorporating “soft skills” training helps develop well-rounded professionals who can adeptly provide exceptional customer service and handle emergency situations.
  4. Continual Learning and Development: The monitoring industry is not static; it evolves continually. Hence, ongoing education and professional development are crucial. This involves formal training and encompasses eLearning, webinars, and workshops that keep operators and managers abreast of the latest trends and practices.
  5. Addressing the Generational Knowledge Gap: With a diverse workforce spanning multiple generations, bridging the knowledge gap is essential. Training must be tailored to cater to different learning styles and preferences, ensuring that knowledge transfer is effective across all age groups.

Conclusion: Training in the monitoring industry is a multifaceted endeavor. It requires a balance of technical skills, regulatory knowledge, essential skills, and an ongoing commitment to professional growth. By focusing on these elements, organizations in the monitoring sector can ensure their teams are competent, compliant, and prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Written by: Connie Moorhead, CEO of The CMOOR Group

 Compliance in the Monitoring Industry

This blog aims to provide a professional and neutral overview of compliance essentials in the monitoring industry, reflecting current legislative requirements, best practices, and industry standards.

Compliance in the Monitoring Industry

Introduction: The monitoring industry, encompassing security, fire, and life safety sectors, is an integral part of our daily lives, ensuring safety and compliance in various environments. As the industry evolves, staying abreast of legislative requirements, best practices, and industry standards is paramount for professionals in this field. This blog aims to provide a comprehensive and neutral overview of these essentials, reflecting the current state of the industry.

Legislative Requirements: The Backbone of Compliance

Legislative requirements form the cornerstone of compliance in the monitoring industry. These laws and regulations are designed to ensure that monitoring systems and practices meet minimum safety and effectiveness standards. In the United States, for instance, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) provides codes and standards (like NFPA 72) that guide the installation, maintenance, and monitoring of fire alarm systems. Similarly, security systems are regulated under various state and federal laws, which mandate standards for installation, maintenance, and response protocols.

Industry Standards: Upholding Quality and Reliability

Apart from legislative requirements, industry standards play a crucial role in shaping the practices within the monitoring industry. These standards are often developed by professional bodies and organizations such as the Security Industry Association (SIA). They provide guidelines on best practices, quality assurance, and professional conduct. Adhering to these standards not only ensures compliance with legislative requirements but also enhances the reliability and effectiveness of monitoring services.

Best Practices: Ensuring Excellence in Service

Best practices in the monitoring industry are continually evolving, driven by technological advancements and changing market needs. They include:

  1. Advanced Training and Education: Continuous education is vital in keeping pace with the latest industry developments. This includes understanding new technologies, compliance requirements, and effective response strategies.
  2. Technology Integration: Leveraging the latest technologies, such as AI-driven analytics and cloud-based monitoring, can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of monitoring services.
  3. Quality Assurance and Testing: Regular testing and maintenance of monitoring systems ensure they function optimally and comply with relevant standards and regulations.
  4. Data Security and Privacy: With the increasing use of digital technologies, protecting client data and ensuring privacy is crucial.
  5. Customer Education: Educating clients about the importance of compliance, system maintenance, and upgrades is essential for ensuring long-term safety and effectiveness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, compliance in the monitoring industry is a dynamic and multifaceted aspect, encompassing legislative requirements, industry standards, and best practices. Professionals in this field must continuously educate themselves and adapt to these changing demands to ensure the highest levels of safety and effectiveness in their services. By doing so, they not only adhere to regulatory demands but also contribute significantly to the industry’s integrity and public trust.

Written by: Connie Moorhead, CEO of The CMOOR Group

The Impact of False Alarms

False Alarms & RMR
False alarms can be defined as an alarm trigger that is cancelled or does not require emergency intervention. False alarms have a significant impact on the security industry, as they can strain resources and divert attention away from genuine emergencies may result in penalty charges to the alarm company. The impact on the homeowner results in fines that are passed on to them, and slower response times as emergency services continue to be inundated with calls. This leaves the homeowner feeling unsafe and dissatisfied with their system, which jeopardizes their loyalty, affecting the alarm company’s Recurring Monthly Revenue (RMR).

 The Impact
As a result of increased calls, data from 15 law-enforcement agencies show that many police departments are taking longer to respond to 911 calls as they grapple with officer shortages, reducing the effectiveness of police response and resolution. Data collected from RSPNDR, a national network of on-demand licensed guards, suggests that only 0.25 percent of alarms are caused by crimes that would realistically require police intervention. The mission of the alarm industry is to protect life and property, addressing false alarms and making the goal of establishing a protocol that helps the police respond to the 0.25 percent, and a response to the remaining alarms should be paramount.

The Resolution
Alarm owners still expect a response when the alarm is triggered. The Alarm Industry is working to refine the alarm and monitoring ecosystem to ensure it continues to keep its communities safe. This means instituting verification protocols, like AVS-01, a system where emergency services are only dispatched when necessary. In cases where an alarm may not require police service, this is where a platform like RSPNDR steps in. RSPNDR bridges the gap to give Alarm owners peace of mind by managing and dispatching guard services to ensure all calls are being responded to. Thereby, reducing churn and protecting your RMR.

 

Written by:

Frank Pietrobono – RSPNDR Inc.
SVP of Sales and Business Development

A sales leader with extensive experience in the electronic security industry, working closely with monitoring centers, alarm dealers and integrators. Helping dealers protect and increase their RMR by selling guards as a managed service.

 

Driving Excellence: TMA Industry Standards and Their Impact on Security Organizations

By: Julie Stevens, BOLD Group

In the dynamic landscape of security operations, industry standards play a vital role in establishing best practices and ensuring the highest level of service delivery. The Monitoring Association (TMA), an ANSI Accredited Standards Developing Organization (SDO), sets the benchmark for excellence through the development and maintenance of American National Standards (ANS). In this blog, we will explore the importance of TMA industry standards, with a focus on specific standards such as TMA-ATN-01, APCO/TMA ANS 2.101.3-2021, ANSI/TMA CS-V-01-2022, and ANSI/TMA AVS-01-2023.

These standards address active threat detection, alarm monitoring company integration with emergency communications centers, alarm confirmation and verification procedures, and alarm validation scoring. While TMA initiates standards development, it also actively monitors and works with other Standards Development Organizations. TMA Standards Committee members work closely on standards and guides developed by UL, SIA, NFPA, APCO, and NENA that directly or peripherally impact monitoring centers. Embracing these standards not only elevates security organizations but also enhances public safety.

TMA-ATN-01: Monitoring Center Notification of Active Threat Detection:

In an evolving security landscape, monitoring centers face the challenge of handling non-traditional alerts, such as shot detection and weapons detection. TMA-ATN-01 establishes guidelines for immediate notification of these active threat events to public safety agencies. This standard outlines protocols for monitoring centers to receive and process alerts from both human sources and technology-initiated systems. By adhering to TMA-ATN-01, security organizations can ensure rapid and effective response to active shooter situations, contributing to the safety of facilities with high human presence.

APCO/TMA ANS 2.101.3-2021: Alarm Monitoring Company to Emergency Communications Center (ECC) Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP):

The seamless integration of alarm monitoring companies with emergency communications centers is crucial for efficient emergency response. APCO/TMA ANS 2.101.3-2021, also known as ASAP, establishes standardized protocols for transmitting alarm data from monitoring centers to ECCs through CAD systems. By automating the process, ASAP reduces call processing times, minimizes errors, and provides ECCs with accurate and timely information. Security organizations adopting ASAP enhance emergency response coordination, resulting in improved public safety outcomes.

ANSI/TMA CS-V-01-2022: Alarm Confirmation, Verification, and Notification Procedures Standard:

False alarms can strain law enforcement resources and compromise the effectiveness of alarm systems. ANSI/TMA CS-V-01-2022 sets guidelines for alarm confirmation, verification, and notification procedures to minimize false alarms. This standard emphasizes the importance of employing multiple verification methods, such as audio and video confirmation, before contacting law enforcement. By implementing these procedures, security organizations not only reduce false alarms but also enhance the credibility of their systems, ensuring that law enforcement resources are allocated efficiently.

ANSI/TMA AVS-01-2023: Alarm Validation Scoring (AVS) Standard:

Efficient resource allocation and prioritization are critical for effective law enforcement response. ANSI/TMA AVS-01-2023 introduces a standardized method for creating an alarm scoring or classification metric for unauthorized human activity detected by alarm systems. This scoring system assists law enforcement agencies in determining the level of response required based on the severity and credibility of the alarm. By using the AVS standard, security organizations contribute to better resource allocation, enabling law enforcement to prioritize calls for service and respond promptly to genuine threats.

The adoption and implementation of TMA industry standards, including TMA-ATN-01, APCO/TMA ANS 2.101.3-2021, ANSI/TMA CS-V-01-2022, and ANSI/TMA AVS-01-2023, have a significant impact on security organizations and public safety. These standards provide clear guidelines for active threat detection, integration with emergency communications centers, alarm confirmation and verification procedures, and alarm validation scoring. By embedding these standards into their operations, security organizations elevate their efficiency, credibility, and effectiveness. Moreover, adherence to industry standards enhances public safety outcomes, promotes collaboration, and contributes to the continuous improvement of the security industry as a whole. Embracing TMA industry standards is not only a commitment to excellence but also a testament to the dedication of security organizations in safeguarding lives and assets.

When your company joins TMA, you become part of the association that promotes and defends the interests of the monitoring industry, through its work in government relations, regulatory advocacy, and standards development. We are always looking for subject matter experts to join their peers in helping to define the future by participating on the various committees we have including the different standards committees. If you are interested in learning more about TMA standards work or volunteering to serve on a working group or committee, please visit tma.us for more information.

 

Top Tips: Winning Strategies For Software Patents in an Open Source Environment

Have you ever found yourself thinking that patents are not worth much in the open source world?

As a software developer, the idea that patents don’t hold much weight in open source environments may seem logical to you.

However, it’s important to know that patents are key for open source environments too.

In fact, software patents govern the underlying method, algorithm or system behind the code, while open source licenses operate independently, right?

Well, not exactly.

In this post, I discuss winning strategies for software patents in an open source environment.

Software patents are crucial for open-source environments.

Patents protect underlying systems on which open source code is built and applied.

Without these patents, it would be impossible to protect the valuable intellectual property that the software’s algorithms or methods provide.

That’s why software developers must ensure that any open-source code they use is well-documented and licensed appropriately.

Software patents also play a crucial role in upholding standards of quality and driving innovation within the open source environment.

Open-source software licenses do not render software patents invalid.

Patents govern the underlying methods, algorithms and systems of the software, while open-source licenses apply specifically to the code itself. 

As long as the underlying technology is original and novel and meets patentability criteria, then these patents apply to both open-source and proprietary code.

Therefore, inventors should always consider patent application filings in both environments, ensuring overall protection of their intellectual property.

Open-source code adopters must adhere strictly to the open-source license requirements, especially when codes are integrated into commercial products or services.

Some license agreements prohibit the use of software patents in enforcing measures such as litigations or preventing the development of further free software.

Adherence to open-source license requirements means developers can still use patented technologies alongside open-source software with permissions granted by the original patent holders.

Another factor to consider is the defense of such patents.

An inventor may choose to not enforce or sue infringers of said software patents so long as it does not threaten the underlying software’s license.

This not only protects open source projects from legal disputes, but it also encourages collaboration in innovation efforts.

Summary:

In summary, software patents are essential in both open-source and proprietary code environments.

  • It is crucial for developers to consider patents as they protect underlying methods or systems of software that open-source licenses do not cover.
  • Patent applications ensure that innovators gain protection in both environments and guard against intellectual property theft.
  • Adhering to open-source license requirements allows developers to avoid legal disputes and enforce such patents where necessary.
  • By encouraging innovation and collaboration, software patents play an integral role in the progress of the open source community.

Want to learn more about patenting software?  Get my free eBook “4 Expert Tips to Increase Your Value by Patenting Your Unique Software.”

About the Author
Randi Karpinia, is a CEO, legal expert, attorney, and legal advisor for small businesses, start-ups, and entrepreneurs, Sagacity Legal, PLLC: Small business legal strategy, protection, policies, agreements, and guidance. She can be reached at randi@sagacitylegal.com

Reduce Wasted Time While Increasing Operational Efficiency

The need for speed When it comes to customer satisfaction and operational efficiency in the alarm monitoring business, the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to an incident is paramount. Being able to offer reduced  response time can mean the difference between keeping a customer or losing one. Your customers want the quickest possible response […]