As 2020 draws to an end, it is time to reflect on how our community has contributed to the advancement of TMA’s mission. Our annual achievements (listed below) may not be what we planned for or anticipated, but the list is substantial and we, as a community, should all be very proud.

With your support and participation this year, TMA has advanced the following initiatives:

• With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, TMA initiated many efforts to assist and protect our members:
  • When members contacted TMA about the potential impact of stay-at-home orders and social distancing on their UL-listings if their operators worked from home, TMA quickly and actively engaged with UL on the creation of virtual work-from-home guidelines. TMA and UL continue to collaborate on the development of a permanent emergency work-from-home standard.
  • As strict travel restrictions began to impact members’ capacity to provide service, TMA took immediate action to have Electronic Security and Life Safety Industry personnel declared as Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce. An appeal submitted to the White House and to the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) by TMA and its Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC) was successful and the industry was explicitly included in CISA’s “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response.” TMA continued to work with other industry associations to advocate incorporating the CISA Guidelines in States’ Stay-at-Home Orders.
  • TMA set up an expansive repository of COVID-related resources on our website in February 2020 to provide timely information and actionable tools to support TMA members in sustaining their businesses during these unprecedented times.
  • We initiated weekly Virtual Town Hall Meetings on March 24, 2020. Critical topics included virtual workplace guidance, government loans, insurance, and legal issues, among others. Coming ahead is a series of six Town Halls on CO and fire codes.
• Almost 31,000 alarm professionals have now registered for the TMA Online Operator Courses. TMA launched six brand-new modules for the Online Operator Course Level 2, focusing on leadership, conflict resolution, advanced call handling, standards, enhanced technology, and cybersecurity. After presenting a webinar on Demystifying AI: How it Works and the Benefits for Video Monitoring in February, the TMA series of regular webinars was put on hold due to COVID. In production is a recruitment assessment tool to assist managers with screening operator candidates.
• The ASAP-to-PSAP service continued to surge with 72 active municipalities, 22 ready for implementation and 27 alarm companies connected with five more in testing. These alarm companies recognize the value of the service’s heightened efficiency and accuracy.
• TMA reviewed and updated of TMA CS-V-01-2020 Alarm Confirmation, Verification and Notification Procedures standard which was then approved by
• TMA embarked on the development of a new ANSI standard, CS-AVS-01, Alarm Validation Standard, that will provide time-sensitive information to assist in determining the response level of a Call-for-Service and information that will support with real-time incident management through situational awareness.
• Five new companies have joined TMA’s distinguished Five Diamond Program so far this year, and is on track to surpass 2019’s total designated companies, showing overall growth in the program.
• TMA became the owner and administrator of the Installation Quality (IQ) Program at the end of December 2019. The newly-formed IQ Committee reviewed and updated the IQ Guidelines and other IQ materials and the program has just been relaunched.
• Since both organizations have complementary missions, TMA is exploring a closer collaboration with the Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response (PPVAR).
• With the support of TMA Committees, our staff converted the format of TMA’s Annual Meeting into a virtual event. TMA has also created OPS-TECH, a new event merging its Operations Management Seminar and Tech Summit. OPS-TECH will also be virtual and will include a first-time video surveillance day.
• The Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC) continues to represent member interests on many issues on Capitol Hill and to the FCC, including Net Neutrality, TCPA, 3G Sunset, robocall legislation, and the FirstNet initiative.
• TMA continues to exercise its FirstNet certification role for the security industry, providing access to the FirstNet network to qualified alarm and monitoring companies.
• Working with TRG Associates, TMA published its Wage & Compensation survey, now available for purchase.
• TMA recognized Affiliated Monitoring for its technological innovation with our Marvel Award and Securitas Electronic Security with the Monitoring Center of the Year Excellence Award. Staff from AvantGuard Monitoring Centers and Alarm Detection Systems also received individual Excellence
• TMA Dispatch, our quarterly print publication, took on a whole new magazine-like look and feel. We expanded editorial content to provide a broader scope of topical and timely news for TMA members.
• TMA launched a new website in the summer of 2020, offering visitors an appealing new look and feel with streamlined navigation.
• TMA Signals e-newsletter provided weekly TMA and industry news updates, along with professional development articles.
• Our NextGen group continued to grow in numbers and increase its engagement, with a new column highlighting members in the TMA Dispatch, along with a dedicated webpage. One successful meet-up was held at an industry event earlier this year.
• Our relationships with Public Safety organizations have continued to thrive in 2020 through our joint engagement in the development of TMA-AVS-01 and an informational panel presentation delivered to TMA members as part of TMA’s Virtual Town Hall series. Organization leaders provided insights into how our industry can best support their members.
• TMA members re-elected four Board members whose terms were expiring — Justin Bailey, Brandon Niles, Joey Rao-Russell and Kevin Stone. Each will serve a second two-year term.

TMA would like to acknowledge and thank the many volunteers that allow us to succeed in elevating the professional monitoring industry. We look forward to another productive year with your continued support and engagement.

TMA is pleased to announce that Scott Stanton, Sr. Director, Americas Network Transformation, Cisco, will deliver a keynote address at its upcoming OPSTECH 2020. Mr. Stanton’s remarks will speak to the future of networking and WiFi 6 and the impact on how this technology enables IoT devices and fills in the gaps of LTE and 5G buildouts. The keynote address will be delivered virtually via Zoom on Wed., Nov. 18^th at 11:10 AM [EST]. 

OPS-TECH is the new combination of two of TMA’s most popular annual education and networking events – the Fall Operations Management Seminar and the Tech Summit. TMA is pleased to introduce a reimagined meeting structure and delivery format this year with the intention that the virtual platform will open up new opportunities for additional attendees to actively take part in these valuable programs. By focusing on three main areas of interest, TMA will offer education that will appeal to operations, video surveillance and installation professionals, and IT managers who want to take their companies to the next level. This solutions-based event will offer attendees the opportunity to come with a problem and leave with a solution.

The program will be presented in three sections over the course of several days:

• Focus on Operations: November 9-11
• Special BONUS– Focus on Video: November 12 (included in the Operations package or stand-alone)
• Focus on Technology: November 17-18

Industry sponsors of the event include Full Meeting Sponsors: BOLD Group and MAS. Event Meeting Sponsors include OneTel, SentryAI, and TRG Associates, Inc., SDM Magazine and Security Business Magazine/SIW.com are the official media sponsors.

View complete program details and registration options.

Over the past few weeks, TMA has virtually hosted its 2020 Annual Meeting and the first portions of its OPS-TECH 2020. Cyber attacks and ransomware has been a thread through both programs.

When it comes to cyber-attacks, it’s no longer “if”; it’s when

Our Annual Meeting cyber panel of experts definitely got the hearts and minds of attendees racing with the news that it isn’t “if” your company is attacked; it’s when. The incidents of ransomware has more than doubled in the period between the end of 2019 and Q3 2020. According to the panel’s moderator, Sacha Kylau, Director Business Development, OnTel, “It is getting worse and worse. Plan for the day you will be hit.” Plans should include a business continuity plan and a disaster plan. The panel stated that company and customer data must be protected, but emphasized that it is impossible to 100% secure data. The panel advised attendees to implement a multi-layered approach. Staff training in accordance with the plans is imperative. Be proactive. It is too late when something happens.

US FBI offers tools and assistance to businesses

On Tues., Nov. 17th, FBI Special Agent Brian, the third portion of our OPS-TECH 2020 kicks-off with a keynote address by Brian Cyprian, a Special Agent for the FBI and Supervisor of the Charlotte Cyber Task Force. Special Agent Cyprian will deliver a cyber threat update, explaining the latest trends in current and evolving cyber-attacks with guidance and best practices for managing these threats.

He’ll share strategies for preparation, prevention, and responding to cyber-attacks in partnership with the FBI. Learn how your IT teams can benefit from access to the tools and assistance that is available from your local FBI office.

Learn more about the technology portion of our OPS-TECH 2020 meeting, opening tomorrow, and register to take part in the topical, timely subject matters impacting your business today and in the future. Go online to http://tma.us/events/operations-technology-seminar/

A member and valued friend of TMA, industry consultant Bob Harris, Attrition Busters, has been hospitalized with COVID-19 for the last month and has been on a ventilator in recent weeks. While his condition has slightly improved, he remains in very critical condition.

Bob and his family need our support at this time in the form of positive thoughts, prayers, and financial donations.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to collect donations for the family. Please take a moment to visit the page and make a donation of any size. https://gf.me/u/zan2y2

Thank you for your support.