Tag Archive for: ASAP

CSAA Talks ASAP at APCO’s Emerging Technology Conference

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Becky Lane portrait 1 retouched

CSAA’s Becky Lane

ASAP activity continues across the country. On March 16 and 17, CSAA Vice President of Membership Becky Lane presented two sessions on the service at the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO) Emerging Technology Conference in Kansas City, MO.

Lane’s first session was a “Tech Talk” program overview for law enforcement and 9-1-1 communicators. Her second, more in-depth session was tailored to PSAP directors and 911 Communications Coordinators, and included details on the service. At this session, several representatives of  those in attendance discussed  the process of becoming connected and  shared their experiences.

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 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). ASAP utilizes ANSI standard protocols developed cooperatively by APCO and CSAA. With ASAP, critical life safety signals and accurate information is processed more quickly, 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.

ASAP-Concept1D“The ASAP service would not be possible without the relationships shared by APCO, CSAA, INLETS, and other respected Associations,” said Lane. “It is because of these relationships and belief in vision and steadfast commitment that the ASAP service is a reality. We are very appreciative of APCO’s invitation to attend these very important meetings.”

For more information about ASAP, contact asap@csaaintl.org or Becky Lane at 703-242-4670 x 18.

ADT Goes Live with ASAP in Boca Raton

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March 1, 2016 — ASAP Subject-Matter-Expert Bill Hobgood reported that today “ADT went live with Boca Raton at 1:30 p.m. and received the first actual alarm within one minute of going live.”

ADT Boca(Right to left) Tonya George, ADT MAStermind Administrator; Tammie Hilend, ADT Vice President of IT; Bill Hobgood, Project Manager, Public Safety Team, Department of Information Technology, City of Richmond, Virginia; and Cindy Cevallos, Boca Raton Project Manager. The picture was taken shortly after ADT’s go-live with Boca Raton.

ADT follows Vector Security, Rapid Response, Monitronics, Affiliated, Protection One, and Guardian as the first alarm companies to connect with ASAP in the state of Florida. For more information about ASAP, visit csaaintl.org/asap.

ASAP-Concept1D

 

Guilford County, NC is Latest PSAP to Go Live with ASAP

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ASAP-Concept1DOn January 26, the Metro Guilford/Greensboro, NC PSAP officially went live with the ASAP program.

“The addition of Guilford Metro 9-1-1 is a major project milestone and a win-win for the citizens and businesses of Guilford County, the City of Greensboro and the alarm industry,” said Bill Hobgood, ASAP Project Subject-Matter-Expert with the City of Richmond, VA, one of the two original ASAP pilot sites. “It is exciting to see PSAPs step up to take advantage of the benefits that the ASAP program offers, while generating greater customer satisfaction. Guilford Metro 9-1-1 is to be applauded.”

The Metro Guilford 911 administration and local media collaborated to inform local citizens of the benefits of the new service. Check out the news videos below:

The first alarm company to be connected to Guilford is Vector Security.  “We will be bringing up other central stations during the month of February with Metro Guilford,” said Hobgood.

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 Public Safety Answering Points (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 more quickly, 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.

Implementation of the ASAP service is expected to surge in 2016. Interested PSAPs and alarm companies should contact asap@csaaintl.org for more information, or visit the ASAP website.

 

New Year’s ASAP® News: Vivint is Latest Company to Connect

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Implementation of the “Automated Secure Alarm Protocol” is Building Nationwide;
Boca Raton is First Connected PSAP in Florida

VIENNA, VA (January 12, 2016) – Vivint, one of the largest smart home technology providers in North America with more than one million customers, is the latest national alarm company to go live with ASAP®.

“We are very pleased to announce that Vivint has completed testing and officially is live with ASAP messaging,” said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow. “They join the ever-growing list of companies actively participating in this technology and further increasing our accuracy and speed at getting emergency information to the first responders.”

“We are excited to be live with our first PSAP—Richmond, VA,” said Amy Becht, Vivint Director of Central Stations. “We plan on steadily adding additional PSAPs in the coming weeks.”

CSAA announced in December that Vector Security and Rapid Response went operational in production with Boca Raton on December 16, followed by Monitronics on December 17. This is the first ASAP implementation in the state of Florida. “We had great momentum throughout 2015 and look forward to the continuation of added PSAPs and connected alarm companies in 2016,” said Petrow.

ASAP-Concept1DASAP 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 Public Safety Answering Points (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 more quickly, 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.

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.

 

Stanley Security Implements ASAP®

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“Automated Secure Alarm Protocol” is Spreading Nationwide

Stanley Security, one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive security providers, went live with ASAP® in the city of Richmond, VA on October 22.

“We understand that this program is an important step forward for both our industry and for law enforcement, and we are proud to be part of this transformational process in public safety,” said Steve Walker, Vice President of Customer Service for Stanley. “The electronic communication of alarm information will reduce dispatch times, improve the accuracy of data exchanged between the monitoring center and the PSAP and, most importantly, will create the opportunity for law enforcement to respond more quickly to alarms.”

ASAP-Concept1D“The addition of Stanley is a big step in the advancement of ASAP,” said CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn. “The growth of the program this year has been tremendous. With the numbers of ASAP-active alarm companies and interested PSAPs, I believe we have reached the point where we will see widespread deployment in 2016.”

“We have appreciated the capable support of Bill Hobgood (Project Manager, Public Safety Team Department of Information Technology City of Richmond, VA) in helping us to navigate through the procedural challenges of implementing the ASAP-to-PSAP program,” continued Walker. “We have also appreciated the support of our partners at IBS in adapting the SBN monitoring automation platform to successfully leverage the ASAP-to-PSAP communications.”

Looking ahead, Walker commented, “We’re moving forward to expand our ASAP implementation at Stanley to include the other PSAPs in the DC area and have set our sights on going live in Houston in early 2016.”

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 Public Safety Answering Points (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 more quickly, 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.

 

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.

 

CSAA “Fall Ops” Attendees Get an ASAP Close-Up at Safeguard

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ASAP-Concept1DOn November 8, CSAA Fall Operations Management Seminar attendees were invited on a tour of Safeguard Security, a CSAA Five Diamond-certified, ASAP-active central station, in Scottsdale, AZ. There they got a first-hand demonstration of the features of ASAP. Fall Ops 4

“We are proud to have been asked to host the Fall Ops Central Station tour,” said Paul Sargenti, President and CEO of SAFE Security. “It gave us the opportunity showcase our facility, technology and programs that we believe should be the industry standard of how we may best serve our customers.”

“Mark Demler, Scott Thompson, Josh Jalowiec, and Melinda VanEpps were at the top of their form showcasing our new Scottsdale Central Station,” continued Sargenti. “Robin Bisbing’s demonstrations of the life-saving and efficiency features of the ASAP interface sent a strong message to all that this is a critically beneficial technology to be employed in all PSAPs and Central Stations. It has been very gratifying to hear the positive buzz from the attendees on these events as well as the follow-on sessions. It is our sincere hope that this event and the technology demonstrations and discussions associated with it will prove to be a point of departure for PSAPs and Central Stations to get on board with ASAP.”

CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn, right, presents a thank you gift to Safeguard's Mark Demler.

CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn, right, presents a thank you gift to Safeguard Vice President Mark Demler.

Find out more about ASAP.

Photos by Julie Webber and Becky Lane.

ASAP® Network Widens with Addition of CMS

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Implementation of the “Automated Secure Alarm Protocol” is Building Nationwide

ASAP-Concept1DCriticom Monitoring Services (CMS), one of the largest wholesale alarm monitoring companies in the United States, went live with ASAP® in the city of Richmond, VA on October 21. “Awareness of ASAP’s very real benefits to PSAPs is spreading,” said Jay Hauhn, executive director of CSAA. “The program gathers momentum with each prestigious national monitoring company that comes on board. Having CMS go live is a big step in the process of implementing this service around the nation.”

“CMS is now live with its ASAP-to-PSAP adoption,” commented Tony Wilson, President, CMS. “Our hope is that the ASAP program will increase the speed and accuracy of our dispatches.” CMS serves more than 3,500 alarm companies and their 800,000 customers. Their broad range of monitoring services includes response to security, fire, Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS), environmental and interactive services such as two-way voice and remote video.

“It took about a year to launch the ASAP program,” continued Wilson. “We did this intentionally so that we could minimize the impact to our dealers. ASAP-to-PSAP is currently implemented for our 21 dealers located in the city of Richmond, VA; this affects approximately 500 subscriber accounts. Our Richmond contact, Bill Hobgood, was an excellent resource and helped to make this project easier. Our operators are excited for this new technology to communicate dispatches electronically and can’t wait for more and more PSAPs to follow suit. Over the next few weeks we will begin working on expanding our ASAP implementation to include our dealers located in Henrico County, VA and Washington, DC.”

Read the complete announcement at CSAA News.

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.

Richmond, VA’s Bill Hobgood is Recipient of Inaugural CSAA Public Sector Award

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Public Safety Project Manager Recognized for Tireless Work on Behalf of the ASAP® Program

Bill Hobgood, Project Manager, Public Safety Team in the Department of Information Technology for the City of Richmond, Virginia, is the recipient of CSAA’s inaugural Public Sector Award. This special honor is given by CSAA in recognition of a public sector individual’s contribution to the alarm industry.

“Over the past several years, Bill has worked tirelessly to promote and implement ASAP®, a program that increases the efficiency and reliability of emergency electronic signals from central station alarm companies to Public Service Answering Points (PSAPs),” said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow. “Bill is the ideal recipient of this inaugural award–he has been an indefatigable advocate for the ASAP program, which benefits both the private and public sector.”

Bill Hobgood

Bill Hobgood

“I am deeply honored to receive CSAA’s Inaugural Public Sector Award,” said Hobgood. “Having personally developed the first ASAP to Computer-Aided Dispatch interface for York County, VA and the City of Richmond, VA that was launched in 2006 as a two-and-a-half year pilot, I realized from day one that the ASAP program would become the win-win that it has for public safety and the alarm industry with the primary beneficiary being the community that we serve. The ASAP program has a proven track record of successes across the United States made possible due to faster responses by public safety responders.”

Hobgood was nominated for the award by Vector Security and by CSAA Past President Louis T. Fiore. “This award is so well-deserved!” said Fiore. “Bill has done a great deal for CSAA, ASAP and the industry as a whole, and I congratulate him on this recognition.”

ASAP was launched in 2011 as an initiative by the alarm industry in a cooperative effort between the Association of Public 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 critical time is not lost, and that complete and accurate information is transmitted to the PSAP every time. The ASAP program also helps reduce false alarms, and may save the PSAPs and emergency services potentially millions of dollars.

“ASAP is a critical initiative that will improve public safety,” said Petrow, “and it is being implemented all around the country thanks to Bill.”

Hobgood will be presented with the award at the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) Public Sector luncheon on Wednesday, June 24, at the Baltimore Convention Center. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 or ewlasko@csaaintl.org.ASAP-Concept1D

Law Enforcement Support for ASAP-to-PSAP

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At ISC West in April, a panel of law enforcement officers took the stage to discuss “Verified Alarms and Priority Response” presented by the Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response (PPVAR). A big part of the conversation was ASAP-to-PSAP. Check out the video to hear Chief Chris Vinson of Highland Park, TX, Chair of the Texas Police Chiefs Alarm Committee, and Commander Scott Edson of Los Angeles weigh in on the ASAP program and its benefits.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKRwEnoOAFU&w=560&h=315]

ASAP Resources