The Early Years

CSEPA’s first meeting took place in Chicago in 1951. The original bylaws dictated that the nearest competitor had to be one of the sponsors of prospective members and required a unanimous vote for acceptance. This resulted in one company per city, since most of the members did not want to have their direct competitors join. Only independent UL-Listed central stations were allowed in the association, to the exclusion of large companies such as ADT and AFA. By virtue of the fact that there were very few independent UL Central Station companies, CSEPA was a very exclusive club.

George Smith essentially ran the Association from his Dallas office and used PO Box 299 as the address. His secretary, Mrs. Beatrice Welsch, performed the duties of managing the association. Until the 1970s, the Association was ran from the office of the President.

CSEPA’s Members Spurred Innovation

The years immediately following World War II were exciting times for those in the security alarm business. While the construction boom and an increase in the crime rate benefited a sector of the industry, central station companies were struggling against Grinnell, who by 1957 was grossing 91.3% of central station revenues.

The charter members of CSEPA readily shared ideas with each other, leading to improve the performance of their Central Offices. Soon, CSEPA began to attract the attention of key figures in the security field. The willingness of members to experiment, test new concepts, and most of all, keep each other informed, made the young organization a very successful undertaking.

Tom Lewin remembers:

“The old central station burglar alarm systems were called “direct-wire” or “direct line” systems, and these were the ones which received the top UL ratings. Fire alarm and watchman control (supervision) system used what were called “McCulloh” Circuits which permitted the use of many control panels/boxes wired “in series” over telephone circuits. These circuits could be “linked” at the various telephone company central offices throughout a metropolitan area which meant that the monthly costs could be shared and split between many customers (subscribers). As the size of metropolitan areas grew, most central stations also used these McCulloh circuits for burglar alarms, enabling central station service to be provided to distant buildings – often ten or fifteen miles from the central station.

Typically, telephone line charges were based on mileage, so by using one line from the central station to a distant telephone exchange, the cost of that one long line could be shared between ten or more customers close to the distant telephone exchange. This made central station burglar alarm service affordable for most businesses.

Of course there were no digital communicators or even voice tape dialers which could use regular telephone lines to send alarm information to central stations the way home alarm systems now operate, and radio transmission was totally out of sight and generally not even available at any price.”

Central Stations had in those earlier days only two sources of suppliers: Potter Electric Signal and Jim McDowell’s Central Station. Both were manufacturing and selling sprinkler supervisory equipment, but their catalogues were very scanty!

The various manufacturers of fire alarm boxes sold directly to the construction industry, and supplied field personnel to supervise the installations. It was only when the original warranties expired—usually after a year—that the independent alarm companies could participate in this lucrative field.

Changes in the technology used were occurring at rapid pace and the founding members of CSEPA were there when they happened.

Among these early breakthroughs was an alarm screen, developed by Frank Guibert, that dramatically reduced the cost of labor and materials through the use of new tools and techniques. Mr. Guibert also participated in field testing the first micro-wave movement detector, developed for the alarm industry by Paul Corbell.

Ted Snowdon of the Underwriters Laboratories introduced many independent inventors of security devices to CSEPA. Our members responded by testing their inventions, among them, radar eyes, capacity alarms, fence alarms and electric eyes.

Sam Bagno’s first invention in the security field was a supersensitive eye, which used a very small neon-type bulb as a light source. It had six stages of amplification, could operate at fantastic distances, but unfortunately, was also very troublesome. It was the members of our association who kept independent inventors like Mr. Bagno in business. Many felt that because they did not maintain research facilities, they should help independent inventors.

Mr. Snowdon’s confidence in our members’ ability to properly test and evaluate electronic devices was entirely justified. The first capacity alarm for safes available to the industry was developed by the Mosler Safe Co. and tested by a member of CSEPA for U.L. approval. Mr. Bagno’s electric eye, capacity alarms, ultrasonic alarm and terra alarm were all tested by members of CSEPA.

These tests were costly.  They involved leasing long lines to reach areas with fluctuations in the power supply, enduring powerful radio signals, fog andcorrosive fumes. Bob Shirley, Frank Guibert and others spent many hours, even days testing and retesting equipment. They discovered, for example, that a barking dog would set of the terra alarm, and that the first solid state ultrasonic alarms, when used in an office building, were affected by the heat given off by office machines in adjoining offices.

Among the early members of CSEPA were Pat Devine and the late James W. Flotron Jr. of Potter Electric Signal Co. The impact they made on the industry will remain for a long time. They oriented the Potter Co. in the direction of the independent alarm operator, producing equipment, such as the right angle impulse register—this device used less than half the tape needed by the skip dash register. In addition, Pat Devine used his talents to produce such instrumentation as the Dynalarm vault protection system. This equipment alone enabled the independent alarm operators to secure a large volume of banking business. For many years, the Potter Co. supplied the industry with a complete line of instrumentation needed to set up a modern central station. And because Potter also operated a central station, it was able and ready to assist with all phases of central station operations.

According to CSEPA Founder Frank Guibert,

“Many of our members may be said to be in business because Potter Co. believed in the industry. Financing by letting bills become overdue, technical advising and materials development were the ingredients necessary to nurture the growing association. Potter Co. was lavish in that regard.”

If it hadn’t been for the advent of CSEPA, it is doubtful that the development of the market for central station equipment would have progressed much faster than it did during the first half of this century, when only eight independent, certified central offices were opened.

A New Era Begins

When Ademco started to direct its efforts at the end of the decade toward the creation of central office equipment, a new era in the alarm industry began. Among these early inventions was the magnetic contact with a relatively slow transfer time between the front contact and the back contact. (The transfer time of the micro-switches is a few hundredths of a second, and monitoring equipment did not always respond to such fast action.)

Holmes and ADT recognized the value of such equipment and started to purchase basic devices from outside suppliers. The industry as a whole began to have more respect for all its members, large or small, operator or supplier.

The maturing of CSEPA into a highly respected and recognized association led to one conclusion: The best interests of the industry, operators, subscribers, law enforcing agencies and insurance companies could best be served by a single organization of central office operators. Bylaws of the Association were amended—a move seconded by the large multiple office operators, such as Holmes, AFA and ADT.

In 1958, CSEPA and ADT petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reserve channels for central station use. CSEPA formed its Alarm Industry Frequency Advisory Committee (AIFAC), now known as the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC) to push for exclusive frequencies for the industry. Jeremiah “Jerry” Courtney, a Washington attorney, was hired to assist the Association in this endeavor. George Smith, Bob Shirley, and Sara Jackson were some of the movers and shakers of this early committee. ADT, while initially barred from the CSEPA, joined in the frequency effort with AIFAC and agreed to pay half of the legal costs.

Encouraged by George Smith, then-Senator Alan Bible made a series of phone calls during one of their meetings and gained the Association some key contacts with FCC staff to attain the frequencies. Hal Gray, who knew one of Senator Bible’s Administrative Assistants, helped also to gain the Senator’s support.

The Pioneers

Adapted from Frank E. Guibert’s  “Reflections from an Old Timer”
Portions of Mr. Guibert’s memoir first appeared in the CS Newsletter, January-February 1978 and July-August 1980. Additional information contributed by Lessing Gold, Benjamin H. Dickens, Jr., and Eugene Maliszewskyj.

“I wonder how many of our members think of CSEPA as something that created itself? How wrong they are. I signed the original incorporation papers on behalf of the Newark District Telegraph Co. about 30 years ago and since then the names Smith and Shirley seem to be present whenever things had to be done. Add such names as Pat Devine, Gray (Harold), Neumann (Pete), McDowell (James), Stackler (Sidney and Ed), Jackson (Sara), Leich (Harold), Flotron (Jim), Snowdon (Ted) and Pillsbury (Don) and you have a good idea as to who made the present day CSEPA possible,” wrote Frank E. Guibert, one of CSEPA/CSAA’s founding fathers.

“How does one manage to remember the events that have taken place over three decades? It’s simple. The events are part of the lasting impressions made by the devoted people of our industry. Allow me to introduce some of these personalities.”

Harold (Hal) W. Gray Jr., a true fire alarm expert, a top committee man who continually chaired the most important committees of both CSEPA and NBFAA. He was a general in the US Air Force and a veteran of both World War II and Korea. His close relationship with the Military, members of Congress and the Fire Services were invaluable to CSEPA and the industry.

Bob Shirley, who with Harold Leich gave us the Dudley Tour system, and operated a radio controlled station 90 miles away. He was the technician, the tester, instrumental in providing the industry with a tour (Watchman) system, competitive with unobtainable equipment. The man who encouraged inventors like Sam Bagno, the man who suggested, improved, tested and bought every electronic circuit or device, and gave the industry an honest analysis of its merits. The man so close to the Advisory Committee of the Underwriters Laboratories. Not for one term, one year, or a few years, but always, as a director brought to the board a lifetime of knowledge.

Jim (James) McDowell, who introduced the ionization smoke detector to this country for fire protection and the vibration detector for burglar alarm purposes, and who for many years served as treasurer of CSEPA.

Jim Flotron and Pat Devine. Jim, the go-ahead executive; Pat, the designer with infinite patience and devotion to the security aspects of our industry. Pat Devine is responsible for some of the earliest electronic devices that we have.

George Smith Jr. and Jeremiah Courtney, the fathers of the radio frequencies allotted to the alarm industry. George Smith was the master at relations with government agencies, and with other organizations, such as the NFPA. Surely the member with the longest service as a valuable officer. Many years ago George and Frank Guibert approached the ADT and asked them to collaborate in an appeal to the Federal Communications Commission for our own frequencies. The time and money spent by the few companies in the association was considerable. Without the help of ADT, George would have had to present arguments based on demands by a fraction of the industry. This tireless pioneer (note his long service on the Signaling Committee of National Fire Protection Association, plus many Washington-oriented endeavors) always sought the best for the Association.

Jeremiah Courtney, general counsel to the Central Station Alarm Association for more than 20 years. He was instrumental in getting the Federal Communications Commission to allocate frequencies for exclusive use by the central station alarm industry for alarm signalling and two-way communications. Over the years he has participated in many FCC rule making actions on behalf of CSAA, helping to structure the regulations in a way that is most beneficial to the central station alarm industry.

John Poile, a man so critical to CSEPA and the industry that he was asked to remain as President for two terms; whose very detailed notes of the industry’s dealings with AT&T in the 1970s, helped central stations get a large settlement in their lawsuit against AT&T in the 1980s.

Pete Neumann, affable, settler of differences, not the technician in electronics, but the master technician in relations between members. The soft touch of Pete Neumann can never be forgotten.

Sara Jackson, bold, efficient, and to say the least very charming. Her astute business sense was an asset that is invaluable to any organization. Her classic remark many years ago that an ADT official from the Denver office, on a business visit, had reached her living room, but never her kitchen, was typical of Sara’s ability to assess any situation.

Don Pillsbury, truly an encyclopedia of casualty insurance in all its phases. Meet George Saunders of Underwriters Laboratory with modern ideas about the relationship between industry and testing bureau.