Enhance Your CSAA Annual Meeting Experience with the Mobile App

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Get the App! Our mobile guide will enhance your experience at the 2015 CSAA Annual Meeting. If you can’t attend the meeting, you can still follow the action!

To get the guide, download ‘Guidebook’ from the Apple App Store or the Android Marketplace, or visit http://guidebook.com/getit from your phone’s browser.

Then, from the Guidebook application, tap “Download Guides” then “Redeem Code”.  Enter the code 5fu79y23 and the guide will download to your device!

Compatible with iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches and Android devices. (Windows Phone 7 and Blackberry users can access the same information via http://guidebook.com/browse/.)

Shannon Woodman Joins CSAA Board of Directors Executive Committee

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CSAA board member Shannon Woodman, COO of Washington Alarm in Seattle, Washington, is the newest member of the CSAA Board of Directors’ Executive Committee. She joins the committee at the invitation of the president, in the role of Special Advisor. Shannon Woodman headshot

“I am very excited to have Shannon join the Executive Committee,” said CSAA President Pam Petrow, President and CEO, Vector Security. “She has shown great leadership with her work as Chair of the Membership Committee and Co-Chair of the Owner Operator/Regional Voice of the Customer sessions. Her abilities to collaborate, be innovative, and communicate effectively are talents that will further strengthen the EC.”

As the 3rd generation in an alarm company family, Shannon Woodman grew up in the security industry. She came to work full time for Washington Alarm in 2000 as a sales representative and quickly worked her way up to Sales Manager. In 2011 Woodman officially took over day-to-day operations of the company from her father, becoming Chief Operating Officer.

“I am excited to be a part of the new leadership team at CSAA,” said Woodman. “We have a great group of people working hard to make effective changes that will position CSAA to provide even greater benefits to our membership.”

Woodman is a member of Security Systems News “20 under 40,” Integrator Class of 2010. In 2014 she received the Presidential Special Recognition Award for her work with the membership committee with CSAA. She has served as:

  • Board Member Seattle Executive Association 2005-2007 and 2008-2010
  • President of Seattle Executives Association 2009
  • Board Member and Community Service Chair of Seattle International District Rotary Club 2003-2007
  • Board Member of Seattle International District Rotary Club 2013-Current
  • President of Seattle International District Rotary Club 2014-2015
  • Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) Membership Chair 2010-Present
  • CSAA Board Member 2013-Present

Woodman states, “I believe in working on our business and not just in our business. I do this by attending seminars, listening to speakers, asking other people how they do things in their business, as well as meeting as many people as I can.”

Want to receive news from CSAA? Subscribe to our blog or sign up for Signals, our biweekly e-newsletter.

–Elizabeth Lasko, October 2, 2015

Senator Roy Blunt Addresses AICC Quarterly Meeting

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Attendees of the Alarm Industry Communications Committee’s quarterly meeting on September 17 in Washington, DC, had the opportunity to sit down with Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) for a wide-ranging discussion of some of the most pressing issues facing both the alarm industry and the country.

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(From left) AICC Chair Louis T. Fiore; CSAA/AICC member Terry Shelton, DMP, Springfield, MO; Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO); CSAA/AICC member Al Yarbrough, DMP, Springfield, MO

Senator Blunt stressed the importance of security, both at the individual and the national level. His positions on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence put the Senator in a unique position to be aware of both the threats to security that the American public faces and the technologies and systems that are being developed to limit those threats. He described his work on the Select Committee on Intelligence in one word – “scary” – and emphasized that the alarm industry’s role in the security and emergency response network continues to be essential in the face of the many evolving threats the country faces.

Senator Blunt also discussed his “many and long” personal connections to the alarm industry, noting that his predecessor as the Representative from Missouri’s Seventh District, Mel Hancock, had been a significant player in the alarm business. “Telecommunications issues are issues that I’ve been interested in and concerned about for a long time,” he told the group.

Also front and center during the conversation were federal overreach and excessive regulation. Senator Blunt expressed his view that, “[federal] regulators are out of control,” and have recently imposed onerous burdens on industries across the country, including the alarm industry. The Senator shared his belief that regulations such as the FCC’s February decision on Net Neutrality would never happen if they were subject to Congressional approval: “Nobody would want to go home and explain these things [to their constituents].”

Senator Blunt expressed hope for the future, and the next administration, however: “We’re in a place in our economy where lots of good things logically should happen…the only way to lose here is if we deal ourselves out.”

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–Thanks to Lauren Baumgartner, the Carmen Group, for this report. Photos by Elizabeth Lasko, CSAA.

Find out more about AICC.

CSAA Remembers Jerry O’Brien

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CSAA is saddened by the news that former AICC Chair Jerry O’Brien died August 30 from a heart attack while in Tampa, Florida.

“I assumed the role of chair of AICC from Jerry some 21 years ago,” said current AICC chair, and past CSAA president Lou Fiore. “He was a communications expert and worked in the alarm side as well as the communications side of technology. Jerry was a friend to many of us and will be missed.”

Jerry had a unique knowledge of telephone company tariffs and interconnection policies which affected the alarm industry and used his knowledge not only to benefit the company for which he worked in California, but the industry at large when he was later Chairman of AICC. Jerry was recognized for his extensive knowledge of private line tariffs, largely self-educated on the subject, and indeed, was acknowledged to have mastered that subject matter better than one of the major carriers whose tariff Jerry had challenged.  Subsequently, Jerry used his subject matter expertise to assist a start-up wireless company which later became a major wireless carrier in its own right and today constitutes  a core network component of T-Mobile.

He was also an Air Force combat veteran, having flown F-4 Phantom jets in the Vietnam conflict.

“Jerry was a good friend of mine,” said past CSAA president Bob Bitton. “Not only did he contribute greatly to the alarm industry with his extensive telecommunications expertise, but he lent that skill to my company when we were constructing our new building, and then recommended us to a new startup cellular telephone company that eventually went nationwide and took us with them.”

“Jerry saw the transition to digital as a communications medium many years before its eventual takeover,” said Fiore.

Jerry had many friends in the alarm industry and the wireless industry and is remembered, no doubt, by all of them.

— Elizabeth Lasko, CSAA, September 15, 2015.  Many thanks to Ben Dickens for contributing to this article.

Hotel Block is Sold Out at CSAA Annual Meeting

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Sonoma LabelDemand for the unique education and networking opportunities at the CSAA 2015 Annual Meeting is so high that more than a month in advance, our hotel block at the Fairmont Mission Inn & Spa is completely sold out.

If you haven’t already registered for the meeting, please make sure to confirm alternative accommodations before registering. If you have questions, contact meetings@csaaintl.org.

First Look at Fort Worth for ESX 2016

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ESX_Logo_RegisteredThe ESX planning team met in Fort Worth, TX August 23-25 to start finalizing the details of the 2016 show, which will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center June 8-10. Be sure to save the dates so you can attend the security industry’s premiere education, networking, and tradeshow event! ESX is co-presented by CSAA and the Electronic Security Association.

The downtown Fort Worth area is bustling with restaurants, shops, historic buildings and a spectacular water garden. CSAA staff snapped these photos on the walk between the headquarters hotel and the convention center. (Click on any photo for a full view.)

Mark your calendar for June 8-10, 2016 — and see you in Fort Worth!

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— Photos by Julie Webber except water garden
by Elizabeth Lasko

ADT is Live with ASAP®

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Automated Secure Alarm Protocol Now Available to PSAPs around the Country

VIENNA, VA (August 27, 2015) — ADT Security Services, ranked as the largest central station in the nation,  went live with ASAP® in the city of Richmond, VA on August 25. The news was met with cheers from security industry leaders who noted that it will cause a surge in the availability of the ASAP program to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) around the country.

ASAP-Concept1D“Having ADT go live is a milestone for the ASAP program,” said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow, CEO of Vector Security. “With the size of their account base, ADT’s utilization of ASAP brings instant benefits to most PSAPs.  This is critical because it allows the PSAP to better position the deployment of ASAP among their many initiatives.”

ASAP was launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, designed to increase the efficiency and reliability of emergency electronic signals from central station alarm companies to PSAPs. ASAP utilizes ANSI standard protocols developed cooperatively by the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA).

With ASAP, critical life safety signals and accurate information is processed in seconds, not minutes, through the Nlets system of state-to-state PSAP communication, insuring that complete and accurate information is transmitted to the PSAP every time. The ASAP program has the potential to save PSAPs and emergency services millions of dollars.

“ADT’s implementation of ASAP is a win-win for ADT, the ASAP project, and the City of Richmond,” said Bill Hobgood, Project Manager, Public Safety Team Department of Information Technology City of Richmond, Virginia. “ADT will experience first-hand the benefits of using the ASAP program that so many other alarm central stations have experienced. This is the ASAP project’s biggest achievement yet. The city of Richmond’s Emergency Communications staff are thrilled about ADT joining the program and anxious for more alarm companies to follow.”

“ADT has supported ASAP thoroughly since its inception, and now that they are connecting, PSAPs throughout the country will take notice,” said Jay Hauhn, CSAA Executive Director. “With Protection One on line and other nationals at the doorstep, 2016 will be a great year for ASAP.”

In the August 2015 issue of APCO’s Public Safety Magazine (PSC), David Cutler, director of the Houston Emergency Center (HEC), reported savings of nearly $400,000 annually from reduced call volume following ASAP implementation. “These dollars were re-purposed within the department to expand training, supervisory and administrative positions,” Cutler said. He estimated that Houston will eventually achieve a 30% reduction in call volume as more alarm companies come on board with ASAP, for a savings of $1 million.

Also in PSC, Hobgood stated that “… all PSAPs currently using ASAP should experience a significant reduction in 10-digit call volume once ADT goes live with each agency. Those PSAPs will experience the luxury of having ADT’s alarm notifications delivered efficiently and accurately via the ASAP program. ADT monitors more than 6 million alarm systems, so the announcement is likely to [prompt] other alarm companies to step up and participate in the ASAP program as well.“

For more information on ASAP or to access ASAP resources (videos, webinars, training and outreach materials), contact CSAA at asap@csaaintl.org or 703-242-4670, or visit csaaintl.org/asap.

About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

Issue of Dropped Alarm Signals Crucial to Future Telecomms Legislation and Regulation

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Louis Fiore, chair of the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC), is asking for your participation in its survey on the Issue of Dropped Signals.

AICC has launched an industry-wide survey on the issue of dropped signals involving Digital Alarm Communications Transmitters (DACT). The survey aims to collect information on how the telecom network’s move towards Internet Protocol (IP) affects these signals.

Fiore reiterates, “With the FCC promoting the IP Transition and with a rewrite of the Telecommunications Act looming in the not too distant future, this information is critical for us to convince the FCC and Congress of our continued reliance on this technology.”

Fiore adds, “While we all realize that DACT technology is basically past its prime, in a recent survey 64% of installed systems use this technology as a sole method or in combination with another method. It will be many years before it is totally replaced. With a mix a fire alarm and PERS systems out there, missed signals could have serious consequences.” 

The survey is open to all central stations in the industry. Results of this research initiative will be reported on at each AICC meeting and to the industry at large. For more information, visit CSAA DACT Survey.

Mark McCall to Co-Chair CSAA Contract Monitoring Council

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CSAA is pleased to announce that Mark McCall, IT Director at Lake Norman Security Patrol, Security Central/AlarmSouth, is the new co-chair of the CSAA Contract Monitoring Council. He joins current co-chair Morgan Hertel, Vice President of Operations at Rapid Response Monitoring.

Mark McCall. Photo courtesy of Mark McCall

Mark McCall. Photo courtesy of Mark McCall

This important council examines and helps to address the evolving needs of CSAA contract monitoring members by providing coordinated representation with industry-related associations, manufacturers, regulatory agencies and other organizations, in order to consistently improve and enhance the services provided to the customers of contract monitoring centers.

“The Contract Monitoring Council committee offers an important platform for contract centers to come together and work on issues unique to our segment of the security industry,” said McCall, “and I look forward to assisting Morgan as Co-Chair and working with all of the Contract Monitoring Council committee members.”

Recent and current initiatives of the council include the CSAA 2013 Wage and Salary Survey, the Contract Monitoring Account Demographics Survey, and a white paper defining “DIY and MIY” in the alarm industry.

–Elizabeth Lasko, CSAA, August 13, 2015

Important Annual Meeting Update: October 10 Committee Meetings

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There has been a schedule change at the upcoming CSAA Annual Meeting.  CSAA leaders would like to hold several important committee meetings on Saturday, October 10, in addition to our next Voice of the Customer (VoC) meeting.

The meetings will take place on Saturday, October 10, from 9:00 a.m.-12 noon, the first morning of our meeting.

  • 9:00-10:00 a.m.:  Combined VoC sector meeting for all interested participants. This will be a “deep dive” into how to enact the top recommendations from the ESX meetings and comments over the summer.
  • 10:15-11:00 Committee meetings:
    1. Membership/Five Diamond/ASAP
    2. PSLC
  • 11:15-12:00 Committee meetings
    1. Associates
    2. Education
  • Noon: Executive Committee Meeting

Note: This schedule change has been posted online at http://csaaintl.org/am15-preliminary-program/. You may still receive a printed brochure with an earlier version of the schedule.

If you plan to attend all or part of the CSAA Annual Meeting but haven’t registered yet, please visit http://csaaintl.org/2015am/ as soon as possible as hotel rooms are going very quickly, with our room block being sold out on some nights.