Tag Archive for: ASAP

Sarasota, FL Is Live with ASAP

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ASAP-Concept1DOn November 28, Sarasota County, FL went live with ASAP — the 31st PSAP to implement ASAP, and the 3rd in the state of Florida.

By connecting directly with our CAD, ASAP-to-PSAP will relieve Sarasota’s emergency call takers of approximately 3400 alarm calls monthly, leaving them available to answer 9-1-1 calls quicker,” said Sally J. Lawrence, 9-1-1 Coordinator, Public Safety Communications  for Sarasota County. “Additionally, the direct messaging between the dispatcher and alarm company makes for clear, direct and documented communication without the need for a phone call, leaving the dispatcher available to listen to the radio.”

2017 has been a momentous year for ASAP. To read about the alarm companies and PSAPs that have connected this year, click here. For more information, visit tma.us/asap/.

 

 

Hamilton County/Chattanooga is 1st PSAP in Tennessee to Implement ASAP

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ASAP-Concept1DOn November 1, Hamilton County / Chattanooga, TN became the 30th 9-1-1 PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) in the United States and the 1st in Tennessee to implement the ASAP-to-PSAP service (ASAP®). Tennessee is the 11th state plus the District of Columbia now open for ASAP traffic.

ASAP, launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, is designed to increase the accuracy and efficiency of calls for service from alarm companies to PSAPs. The ASAP service utilizes ANSI standard protocols developed cooperatively by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and The Monitoring Association (TMA).

“Implementation of the ASAP-to-PSAP [service] will help eliminate the potential for clerical errors, cut call volume to the 9-1-1 Center, and most importantly, reduces 9-1-1 call-processing times by as much as 2-3 minutes. This will help save lives, protect property, provide faster response times to in-progress events, and potentially help apprehend more criminals,” Hamilton County officials said.

Nashville-based ADS Security was the first alarm monitoring company to go live with Hamilton County. “The district is very appreciative of ADS Security’s support and work in helping us bring this new technology to our citizens,” said John Stuermer, executive director for Hamilton County Emergency Communications District.  “ADS demonstrated great leadership and commitment to providing the highest level of alarm service response to their customers.

Additional alarm companies quickly followed ADS. Vector Security and Rapid Response went live with Hamilton on November 2, and Vivint, Protection One, Monitronics, Guardian Protection, and Affiliated are scheduled to go live in the upcoming days, followed by ADT.

Read Hamilton County’s announcement

More information on ASAP

 

Loudoun County, VA Implements ASAP

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Technology Increases Accuracy and Reduces Response Times to Alarms   

Loudoun County became the twenty-ninth PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) in the United States and the second in the Washington, DC area to go live with the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP), a technology that allows alarm companies to transmit alarms to both the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office and Loudoun County Fire and Rescue communications centers without making a phone call.

This week data from residential and business alarms can now be transmitted electronically, allowing dispatchers to process an alarm in a fraction of the time it would normally take to process an alarm via telephone from an alarm monitoring company. “This new system will eliminate call volume from alarm companies and transmit alarm information to our emergency communications center in three seconds,  ultimately reducing the response times of first responders,” said Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman.

ASAP will not only improve the accuracy and the speed of emergency response times, but eliminate potential human error and miscommunication between 911 dispatchers and alarm monitoring company operators.  “In any emergency, response time and accuracy is critical,” said Chief Keith Brower with Loudoun County Fire and Rescue. “By directly transmitting the information all pertinent information goes directly to Loudoun’s first responders within seconds,” added Chief Brower.

Loudoun County went live with the ASAP program at 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, October 10, with Vector Security. By the end of the day, Affiliated Monitoring, Rapid Response, and Protection One were live, with Guardian, Vivint, Monitronics and ADT expected to quickly follow.

ASAP was created in partnership with The Monitoring Association (and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO). Fore more information, visit ASAP. 

Union County, NC is Live with ASAP

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ASAP-Concept1DASAP continues its 2017 surge. Union County, NC went live on Thursday, September 21 at 10:30 a.m. with Vector Security, Rapid Response, Affiliated, and Vivint.  The county will be going live with additional monitoring centers this week.

Union County is the 28th agency in the United States and 8th PSAP in North Carolina to join the ASAP program.

 

More information will be posted soon.

More ASAP News

Wisconsin’s Dane County Looking for a “Dial Mover” with ASAP

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Paul Logan Dane County PSAPOn July 6, Dane County, Wisconsin became the 26th agency in the U.S. –and the first in the Badger State–to go live with the ASAP program. Dane County 9-1-1 Center Operations Manager Paul Logan took some time to review the ASAP implementation, which included being the first PSAP to use TriTech’s Inform CAD with an ASAP interface solution and also working with the state Justice Department which manages the state switch.

Asked why Dane County implemented ASAP, Paul said, “We’d been interested in ASAP for a long time, thinking it could have a significant positive impact on our operations. Every PSAP is looking for ways to improve answer times, and decrease the likelihood of errors, and ASAP seems to fit into both of those areas. We decided at budget time a few years ago to ask for the money to buy an interface and get the project rolling.

“Overall, the process has been painless,” he continued. “We worked with our CAD vendor (Tri-Tech) on the interface. It was a learning experience for everyone since we were the first customer to make the request. We’re excited to help make it right for those Tri-Tech customers who will follow. Having [ASAP Subject Matter Expert] Bill Hobgood involved was key to making it happen. Bill obviously has the answers to the tough questions.

“We also worked closely with our state Department of Justice who manages the message switch. Internally, our technical staff worked with all our ASAP partners to make sure it would work, and we’re happy that we finally are live.”

While Logan says that it’s a bit early to say how ASAP is impacting operations, he adds that with ADT, Tyco and other companies coming online soon, he expects to see an impact. “I’m really looking forward to being able to says it’s been a huge dial mover for us,” he concluded.

WASAP-Concept1De’ll check back with Paul Logan in a few months to report on Dane County developments.

ASAP’s Summer Surge: NC, FL, WI and VA

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24! Wilson County, NC: Wilson County became the 24th PSAP in the US and the 7th PSAP in North Carolina to implement the ASAP program on June 5. The state of North Carolina continues to lead other states with the number of ASAP implementations.

25! Manatee County, FL: Manatee County became the 25th agency in the US and second PSAP in Florida to adopt the ASAP program on June 26. Manatee County received excellent media coverage in concert with the ASAP impASAP-Concept1Dlementation.

26! Dane County, WI: Wisconsin became the eighth state to open the state message switch to accommodate ASAP traffic with the Dane County 9-1-1 PSAP being the first in Wisconsin and 26th agency in the United States to launch the program. The go-live on July 6 also introduced TriTech’s Inform CAD with an ASAP interface solution.

27! Newport News, VA: Newport News became the 27th agency in the United States and 5th PSAP in Virginia to adopt the ASAP program. Newport News went live with seven alarm companies (Vector,  Rapid Response, Protection 1, Vivint, Moni, Guardian, and Affiliated) on August 1, joined the next week by ADT.

The Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP), which 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-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and 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.

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

 

ASAP Recognition Grows at APCO 2017

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At this week’s APCO 2017 conference in Denver, The Monitoring Association (TMA) presented two opportunities for PSAPs to learn about ASAP’s winning formula for error reduction, cost containment and faster res2017 ASAP Pop Up Bannerponses to dispatch.

Dozens of PSAP representatives stopped at the TMA booth in the exhibit hall to discuss with TMA staff how the technology works and how it can be implemented.

About 75 conference registrants attended the special session “ASAP to the PSAP: A Win-Win for Public Safety and the Alarm Industry” on August 13. Subject matter expert Bill Hobgood, TMA Executive Director Jay Hauhn, and representatives from PSAPs in New York, Arizona and Washington, DC discussed how the program reduces 9-1-1 processing and response times to alarm events while eliminating telephone calls and miscommunication errors between monitoring centers and PSAPs.

ASAP progress and outreach efforts are seeing results. “What was different from our past appearances at APCO was that this year, there was a significant increase in PSAP personnel who had already heard about ASAP and had already taken steps to educate local decision-makers about its value,” said Hauhn. “We even had a number of PSAPs from states where ASAP is not yet implemented mention to us that they hoped to be the first in their state to do so!”

Jay and NENA Rob McMullen APCO 2017

TMA Executive Director Jay Hauhn, left, with NENA President Rob McMullen at the TMA ASAP booth at the 2017 APCO Conference in Denver, August 13-16.

 

Newport News, VA Goes Live with ASAP

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Alarm users in coastal Virginia city to benefit from faster, more accurate emergency response

ASAP-Concept1DOn August 4, Newport News, Virginia became the latest municipality to go live with Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP), a technology that automates communication between alarm monitoring central stations and 911 centers, resulting in improved accuracy and speed of emergency response.

Transmitting data electronically speeds up alarm notification delivery and reduces the number of phone calls and processing times at emergency response centers. It also eliminates human error and miscommunication between operators; all pertinent data goes directly to first responders within seconds.

In areas where it is used, ASAP delivers alarm notification information from central stations directly to public safety answering points (PSAPs) via computer rather than by phone, eliminating the need for communication between monitoring center operators and 911 operators.

ASAP was created in partnership with The Monitoring Association (formerly the Central Station Alarm Association) and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO). Vector Security was the first alarm company to use ASAP in the City of Richmond, VA in 2012. Vector Security assisted with implementation in Newport News by helping to perform extensive testing prior to the system going live.

“Alarm users in Newport News, including several hundred Vector Security customers, will benefit from faster and more accurate emergency response with the implementation of ASAP,” said Anita Ostrowski, Vice President of Central Station Services, Vector Security. “We hope the positive impact that ASAP will bring to Newport News will encourage other major 911 centers in the nation to adopt this technology as well.”

“As a security provider, we seek ways to promote ASAP’s value to municipalities and public agencies, and help other alarm companies implement it for the greater good of the industry and the safety of our communities,” she added.

In addition to Vector, the following alarm companies are now live with ASAP in Newport News: Rapid Response, Protection1, Vivint, Moni, Guardian, and Affiliated.  ADT will be going live next week.

Newport News is the fourth largest city in size in Virginia, with its boundaries encompassing 69 square miles. Within Virginia, Newport News joins the City of Richmond, James City County, York County, and Henrico County, which are already online with the use of ASAP technology.

Other municipalities that have implemented ASAP include Rochester/Monroe County, NY; Houston, TX; Washington, DC.; Tempe, AZ; Boca Raton, FL; Delaware County, OH; Bucks County, PA; and many others.

For more information on the benefits and features of ASAP, visit www.tma.us/asap or www.vectorsecurity.com/asap.

 

TMA Will Spotlight ASAP at APCO Conference in Denver

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ASAP-Concept1DThe Monitoring Association (TMA), the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and Nlets are bringing the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) to municipalities around the country. PSAPs and alarm companies throughout the U.S. are seeing the value of ASAP’s winning formula for error reduction, cost containment and faster responses to dispatch.

At the upcoming APCO conference in Denver, PSAP representatives will have two opportunities to learn about ASAP:

  • TMA staff will be at Booth 527 in the exhibit hall sharing how the technology works and how the service is implemented.
  • A special session ” The Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP to the PSAP): A Win-Win for Public Safety and the Alarm Industry” (Sunday, August 13 at 1:30 PM in Convention Center 503/504) features subject matter expert Bill Hobgood, TMA Executive Director Jay Hauhn, and representatives from PSAPs in New York, Arizona and Washington, DC. Participants will see how the program reduces 9-1-1 processing and response times to alarm events while eliminating telephone calls, miscommunication errors, between alarm monitoring companies and 9-1-1 PSAPs.

PSAP representatives, don’t miss your chance to get informed about ASAP at the APCO conference in August! For advance information, visit www.tma.us/asap.

 

ASAP Goes Live in Manatee County, FL

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MASAP-Concept1Danatee County 9-1-1 recently became the 25th agency in the United States and second in Florida to adopt ASAP, the service that will save emergency responders precious moments when home alarms sound.

The Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) allows outside alarm monitoring companies such as Brinks and Vector to send information directly to call takers in the 9-1-1 Call Center, shaving up to three minutes from call processing time. Homes alarms for fires, medical emergencies, burglaries and more will now result in an emergency dispatch more quickly with fewer chances for errors, according to Manatee County Public Safety Director Robert Smith.

“Every second matters in an emergency, so it’s incredibly helpful when a new piece of technology can save on time,” Smith said. “I’m proud of our Emergency Communications team for keeping us moving forward to continually enhance our level of service.”

Half of all Manatee County property owners with emergency monitoring systems — an estimated 75,000 homes and businesses — will benefit from the new technology according to Manatee County Emergency Communications Chief Jake Saur. That number will grow to 75 percent of Manatee County homes and businesses with an alarm system when ADT Alarm Monitoring joins the new protocol.

Watch video of Manatee County’s Jake Saur discussing the benefits of ASAP.

“This new technology eliminates the need for alarm companies to physically dial into the Emergency Communications Center to relay alarm information,” Saur says. “They’ll now electronically send alarm info to the ECC, reducing call processing times and communication errors. We’ll also improve efficiency in dispatching first responders to the alarm.”

Not all Manatee County alarm monitoring companies are part of the new program but as the technology grows, Saur expects more monitoring stations to participate.

ASAP is a computer-aided dispatch system for processing information from alarm monitoring stations that require an emergency dispatch. It was designed by The Monitoring Association (TMA) and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO Int’l). For more information, visit www.tma.us/asap.

Media coverage: 

Fox 13: New system helps alarm companies communicate with 911
http://www.fox13news.com/news/local-news/265897784-story

Bradenton Herald: Changes at Manatee County 911 will save minutes in emergencies, officials say
http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article159756704.html

News 10: Technology speeds up alarm calls to 911 by 2-3 minutes in Manatee Co.
http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/technology-speeds-up-alarm-calls-to-911-by-2-3-minutes/454436232

ABC 7: Faster response times to some Manatee County home alarms
http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/faster-reponse-times-to-some-manatee-county-home-alarms/article_80a29de4-61ba-11e7-a6a5-8b9f7a9fabf0.html