Volunteers Are the Heart and Soul of TMA

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April is National Volunteer Month! As the month draws to a close, this week, in particular, is set aside to celebrate and recognize the innumerable contributions of volunteers across our nation.

For TMA, our member volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization –  without whom, we would not be able to advance our mission to promote and advance professional monitoring to consumers and first responders through education, advocacy, and the creation of standards. 

Today, we extend our deepest gratitude to all of those who have and continue to contribute their time, talents, and expertise to and through TMA. No matter how small, you make a difference!

If you aren’t currently engaged in TMA’s committees, we invite and encourage you to consider joining. Jump in, give back, and reap the rewards! Learn more at https://tma.us/about/our-committees/join-a-committee/

Jefferson County, NY Goes Live with TMA’s ASAP-to-PSAP, April 16th

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Jefferson County Office of Fire and Emergency Management is the 143rd public safety communications center in the United States and the 12th agency in the state of New York to implement the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP).

Jefferson County Office of Fire and Emergency Management went live on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024, with Rapid Response Monitoring, Vector Security, Securitas, Guardian Protection, Protection One/Everon, Tyco (Johnson Controls), United Central Control, Vivint, Brinks Home Security, National Monitoring Center, Affiliated Monitoring, Amherst Alarm, Doyle and ADT.

Learn more about TMA’s ASAP-to-PSAP at https://tma.us/programs/asap/

TMA 2024 Award Winners Announced! ADT and Stealth Monitoring take top honors.

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The Monitoring Association (TMA), in conjunction with its publication sponsors, presented the 2024 TMA/SDM Excellence Awards and the 2024 TMA/SSI Marvel Technology Award this afternoon at a virtual awards ceremony.

Please join in congratulating this year’s winners:

EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Monitoring Center of the Year – Enterprise
ADT Security Services

Monitoring Center of the Year – SMB
Stealth Monitoring

Monitoring Center Manager of the Year
Erik Chalifour, TELUS Smart Security & Automation

 Monitoring Center Operator of the Year
Brenda Eichfeld, COPS Monitoring

 Monitoring Center Support Person of the Year:
John Turner, ADT Security Services

MARVEL TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Elite Interactive Solutions

Winners will be featured in the August issues of SDM and SSI magazines.

TMA 2024 Awards Finalists Announced

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The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce the finalists for its 2024 Excellence Awards and Marvel Technology Award.

TMA’s Monitoring Center Excellence Awards recognize any FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed monitoring center (TMA members) and outstanding personnel who perform in the highest professional manner, thereby making a significant contribution to the betterment of the alarm industry and the alarm profession while demonstrating exceptional service to their customers and community.

The purpose of the awards program is to:

  • Establish and promote the inherent value of professional monitoring services in general.
  • Honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the service.
  • Promote the distinct level of professionalism attained by NRTL-approved monitoring centers.

TMA’s Monitoring Center Excellence Awards are co-sponsored by SDM Magazine, which will publish a feature story on this year’s award winners in its August issue. This year, the TMA/SDM Excellence Awards competition received a total of 32 entries across five categories. Listed in alphabetical order by company within each category, the finalists are:

Monitoring Center of the Year – Enterprise

  • ADT
  • Affiliated Monitoring
  • Rapid Response Monitoring

Monitoring Center of the Year – SMB

  • Kimberlite
  • Per Mar Security
  • Stealth Monitoring

Monitoring Center Manager of the Year

  • Jessica Lambert, AvantGuard
  • Claudia Torres, Rapid Response Monitoring
  • Erik Chalifour, TELUS Security

 Monitoring Center Operator of the Year

  • Esperanza Sena, ADT
  • Angelica Miranda, Affiliated Monitoring
  • Brenda Eichfeld, COPS Monitoring

 Monitoring Center Support Person of the Year:

  • John Turner, ADT
  • Jennifer Acevedo, Affiliated Monitoring
  • John Balthrop, Stealth Monitoring

TMA’s Marvel Technology Award honors innovations in monitoring center technology. It is co-sponsored by TMA and Security Sales & Integration (SSI) and coordinated by the TMA Technology Committee. The purpose of the Marvel Award is to provide recognition for monitoring centers creating and/or using cutting-edge technology to raise awareness of these new technologies and is presented to one overall winner for the “best adoption of new technology to advance your business.”

The finalists for the 2024 TMA/SSI Monitoring Technology “Marvel” Award are:

  • Elite Interactive Solutions, Inc.
  • Rapid Response Monitoring
  • Stealth Monitoring

Award entries are judged by a volunteer judging panel appointed by TMA. The winners will be announced at a virtual award ceremony presented on April 18, 2024, at 3:00 pm ET. Register to attend at https://themonitoringassociation.growthzoneapp.com/ap/Events/Register/n4HmaGMtXHNCZ

View the Spring Issue of TMA Dispatch

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The spring issue of the TMA Dispatch is now available! Login to the InfoHub to read.

One area where monitoring companies and dealers who are “new to the game” are concerned about is the camera conditions that AI can work well with and those they don’t work well with. In this issue’s cover story, TMA member and AI guru, Sonny Tai, Actuate, hopes to help clear this up. Learn more about the primary factors impacting camera accuracy.

In our Guest column, TMA friend and past keynote presenter Joel Block, Bullseye Capital, shares some of his and a colleague’s essential steps to master the art of attracting top performers. What are your company’s STATs when it comes to identifying and attracting top performers to your team?

Elizabeth Parks, President, Parks Associates, dives into the latest residential market facts and figures in her monthly column. Just for starters, her research reports that 43% of US internet households now own a security solution and 32% subscribe to a security service. The news is quite exciting.

TMA’s GSOC Committee Co-Chair Richard Flores, IV, tackles redundancy in GSOC operations and systems in this new sanding column. In doing so, he asks the reader to consider the difference between redundancy and resiliency. Are they interchangeable?

Read these and more in the first issue of 2024!

Thank Your Local Public Safety Telecommunicators in April

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National Public Telecommunicators Week is coming up! make plans now to recognize the dedication and hard work of your local public safety partners.

There are many ways to show how grateful you are for the life-saving services these professionals provide 24/7/365.

APCO International has shared some ideas here: https://www.npstw.org/

The King County WA Becames the 142nd ECC to Go Live with TMA’s ASAP

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The King County WA Sheriff’s Office Communications Center became the 142nd Emergency Communications Center (ECC) in the United States and the 8th ECC in the state of Washington to implement the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP).

King County went live on March 20th & 21st, 2024 with the following companies: Rapid Response Monitoring, Vector Security, Guardian Protection, Security Central, Tyco (Johnson Controls), United Central Control, DynaMark Monitoring, ADT, Vivint, Protection One/Everon, Brinks Home Security, National Monitoring Center, and Affiliated Monitoring. Securitas went live with King County on March 25th.

TMA Members Make SIA’s Women in Security Forum Power 100

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TMA is proud to recognize its members who made the Security Industry Association’s (SIA) Women in Security Forum (WISF) Power 100 in 2024.  The program honors 100 exceptional women in security who are raising the bar, changing expectations and breaking barriers. They lead, they inspire change and they innovate, and this is their time to be recognized!

Join us in congratulating these amazing women for their outstanding accomplishments:  

JULIE BEACH
Vice President, SONITROL, Securitas Technology

KELLY DELEO
Director, Solutions and Services – Americas, Axis Communications

AMANDA EDWARDS
Senior Account Executive, Paladin Technologies

TIFFANY GALARZA
Senior Director, Telecom & End User Tech, ADT

HRISTINA KOLEVA
Vice President of Customer Success, Stealth Monitoring

RACHELLE LOYEAR
Vice President, Integrated Security Solutions, Allied Universal

CARLA MANZANILLA
Program Manager, Allied Universal Technology Services

CAROLYN MCGRATH
Global Senior Director, Security and Fire Services, Johnson Controls

CHRISTINA PARK
Global Account Manager, Axis Communications

NANCY PETERSON
Executive Vice President/North America General Counsel, Allied Universal

JOEY RAO-RUSSELL
President and CEO, Sonitrol

SHARI WILSON
Director of Monitoring, ADT

Important Tax Relief Legislation Needs Your Support NOW!

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Did you know that the U.S. House passed tax relief that would improve the Research and Development tax credit, so the full deduction of the investment cost can take place in the year that it occurred? According to ESA, it also would, temporarily, provide bonus depreciation for 100% of purchases made for equipment and short-lived capital assets.

Some TMA members would also benefit from an increase in the portion of interest on borrowed capital eligible to be deducted from businesses’ income taxes. It raises the cap to 30% of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) rather than 30% of EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes).

However, the U.S. Senate has not moved on the bill (even with the overwhelmingly bi-partisan support in the House).

Send a message to your Senators now to request passage of this legislation now!

Send a letter to your Senator through ESA at https://www.votervoice.net/ESA/campaigns/112783/respond

Get a sneak peek at TMA’s new Level 3 Video Operator Training Program at the Mid-Year Meeting

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Don’t miss a special, comprehensive session that is designed to unveil TMA’s new Level 3 Video Operator Training Program. Speakers Wes Usie, Guardian Alarm Systems, and Bryan Broadhead, Radius Security, have tailored a presentation for professionals seeking to excel in the evolving landscape of video monitoring.

Through an engaging curriculum that spans from the basics of video monitoring systems to the intricate nuances of operational best practices, participants will be immersed in a learning experience that covers industry overview, camera systems, contemporary issues, and much more. This training not only addresses the technical skills required for effective video monitoring but also delves into the critical aspects of decision-making, communication, confidentiality, cybersecurity, and the impact of artificial intelligence on video monitoring centers. Whether you’re new to the field or looking to update your skills, this session will equip you with the knowledge and competencies needed to navigate the complexities of modern video surveillance with confidence and expertise.

Session Objective: Provide participants with a detailed overview of TMA’s latest online training program which offers practical knowledge of video monitoring, focusing on the development of skills essential for operational excellence, situational awareness, and the ethical handling of sensitive information. You will learn how Level 3 will leverage the nuances of video monitoring, teach best practices in camera operation, and the significance of cybersecurity and AI in the context of video surveillance.

Top Three Take-Aways:

  1.  Foundational to Advanced Knowledge of Video Monitoring: See how Level 3 will help operators gain a holistic understanding of video monitoring systems, including types of monitoring, camera systems, the monitoring process, and best practices for surveillance operations, ensuring a solid foundation for excellence in video surveillance roles.
  2.  Critical Operational Skills: See how the Level 3 course will focus on key operational competencies, such as situational awareness, observational skills, threat assessment, effective communication, and decision-making, vital for enhancing operational efficiency and reducing errors in the monitoring process.
  3.   Ethical, Legal, and Technological Considerations: Understand the importance of confidentiality, privacy considerations, cybersecurity threats, and the role of AI in enhancing video monitoring operations, equipping participants with the knowledge to navigate the legal and ethical responsibilities of a video monitoring operator.

Register to attend the 2024 TMA Mid-Year meeting at https://my.tma.us/ap/Events/Register/ZrnOREop. Early-bird rates end March 31st.