KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ
ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE
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Correction on ASAP-PSAP issue
October 4, 2019
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Correction on ASAP-PSAP issue from September 17, 2019 article
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Ken:
    ASAP-to-PSAP is an alarm industry initiative (which we wholly support).  It automates to *delivery* of central station alarms to the correct dispatch center. It substitutes a data drop for the traditional phone call from the central station.  By eliminating the time it takes for the central station operator to pass the information on to the 9-1-1 PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) operator, it speeds up response time and reduces errors.  It additionally reduces the need for follow-up phone calls because of the automatic update process built into the system.  What’s not to like for both sides of this equation?
    What it *doesn’t* do is eliminate the need for a central station, or put the PSAP in the role of a central station.  It doesn’t change whatever the local requirements are: for verification of alarms, contacting key holders, fines for alarm owners who exceed whatever their “free” allowance of accidental or false alarms are… it simply changes the delivery mechanism which saves time (important for the alarm customer) and money (important to both the central station and the PSAP).   Central Stations who don’t participate in ASAP-to-PSAP will need to continue calling in their alarms in the traditional method.  Certainly, at least for my state, for those PSAPs working in implementing ASAP-to-PSAP, it is being done because the PSAP has taken the initiative.  Although we have to be involved because it involves the PSAP’s connection to the NLETS system (which needs to have ports opened and authorized to allow NLETS to deliver the alarm messages to the PSAP), there’s no legislative program or regulation requiring this to happen.  It’s happening because it simply makes sense from a PSAP perspective and from a service to the public perspective.
Stephen Verbil, Emergency Telecommunications Manager
Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection
Division of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications
Middletown, CT 06457

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Ken
        I think you incorrectly answered this question, ASAP to PSAP is a network and protocol for listed and approved central monitoring stations to send alarms and additional communications from the central stations to the PSAPs (PD, FD, EMS ect) this is not where municipalities are getting into the alarm monitoring business like in Chicago IL or Newport Beach CA.
            I provided a few links to the program but in a nutshell this is a cooperative project between TMA (the monitoring association) APCO and Public Safety that allows dispatches from connected central stations to be able to send alarms to the responders electronically in just seconds vs calling in the alarm over a phone.  There are dozens of advantages to this which I am not going to get into but if you want more just ask
            To answer Name Witheld’s  question let me opine a bit, this program was introduced about 8 years ago, any UL listed company had the option to be a charter member back then and enjoy the advantages of the program while it was being developed, this charter membership is what paid for all the development and processes Today there are about 70 or so PSAPs on the network and there is a steady flow of new ones being added every month, TMA runs this on a cost basis and is not making any profit on it at all.
            Currently all the PSAPs that have implemented ASAP to PSAP are in addition to taking alarms via ASAP to PSAP  are still taking calls for service  over voice. While its certainly possible for a municipality to require different things such as permits we know of no agencies that are planning to only require calls for service electronically but we also have no control over what they could do in the future.
            I think it’s also important to understand that if you use ASAP to PSAP it contractually requires you to follow best practices, so things like ECV/ECC CSV01 etc are baked into the program to ensure that the central station is doing its best to verify the alarm event and strictly prohibits IOT devices from sending events directly into the PSAP on this platform.
            This is the future of our business and any central station that’s not already doing this should be engaged and working towards implementation, especially if you are a national or regional player.

https://www.apcointl.org/resources/interoperability/asap-to-psap/

https://tma.us/asap/

  All the best

 Morgan Hertel, VP of Technology and Innovation
Rapid Response Monitoring


877-553-4531

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Ken,
            This is one of those moments that you should have consulted an expert before you post. Obviously attorneys don’t know it all.
            The writer asked you about ASAP-PASP. This is a data transfer protocol between CENTRAL STATIONS and municipal dispatch centers. It in no way creates the scenario that you twisted this column or pretzel into.
            ASAP is a protocol owned by The Monitoring Association-TMA (formally CSAA) and has been adopted by about 50 dispatch centers to remove the operator to dispatcher phone call because the dispatch request is transferred between the two entities. You can find more information here  https://tma.us/asap/
          The essence of the issue is simple; if a local or area dispatch center installs the ASAP-PASP method and I operate my own central station please answer the following questions
 
What happens if I don’t add the software to my central station, can I still call in alarm dispatch requests by phone?
Call the dispatch center mandate ASAP-PASP and accept no calls by phone?
What if my central station software system does not integrate with ASAP, do I need to buy a new central station software system?
What if I am not a TMA member, can I still get access to the system?
What if I don’t have UL or a NRTL recognized central station?
 
        The ANON writer is looking for answers about the future effect on their business.
        Finally this has nothing to do with dealers in Westchester County, NY or Illinois.  Apples and oranges.
Bart A. Didden, President
U.S.A. Central Station Alarm Corp.
877-872-1266
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Response
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            Rather than deprive you of your special moment, let me just say, I was wrong and you are right.  I did confuse this ASAP-PASP issue with government mandated monitoring center.  
            So, what’s the answers to the questions you posed?  Here’s the original question; you can answer that too:
            In counties which enact ASAP-PSAP, [Automated Secure Alarm Protocol. – ASAP- The Alarm Company Side / Public Safety Answering Point- PSAP- The 911 Center Side] are central monitoring stations not on the platform ultimately prohibited from dispatching on alarm signals?  What might the ramifications be?
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Ken Kirschenbaum,Esq
Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC
Attorneys at Law
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