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COMMERCIAL FIRE AND BURG INSTALLATIONS - CAN YOU USE ONE CONTRACT? / NEW UPDATES
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Ken
    On the commercial side of our business we typically install combination burg/fire panels.  They are considered to be one system with one account number reporting into the central station.  Which agreement should we be using in this case?
Thanks,
Garry  
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RESPONSE
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    Approved single panel for burg and fire is fairly recent; another good example of evolving technology that requires changes to the Standard Form Agreements, and updates for dealers and installers.
    I get this question almost once a week now and I too am changing the way I respond.  I've counseled that when installing fire and burg the "higher level" system is the fire system, so use the Fire All in One.  The burg system would be described in a separate rider.  I have to change that advice.
    The Fire All in One is different that the Commercial All in One [for security and other non fire systems] in several respects.  One major difference is that the Fire All in One doesn't have a separate Rider for the equipment schedule or services when the system is installed pursuant to Code [which is the the case in almost all situations] because the equipment is described in the Plans and Specifications filed with the AHJ.
    With the security system the equipment is a matter of negotiation between the alarm professional and the subscriber, so the equipment and services has to be described in a separate Rider, which is often the proposal initially presented by the dealer.  
    Though both the Security agreement and the Fire agreement have check boxes for the RMR services to be performed, such as monitoring, repair service, inspection, verification, remote access and access control, runner, and guard service, the check boxes are different on the two forms because the RMR services are not identical.  Also, the standard of performance is different for the fire and security systems.  Fire is regulated by AHJ, often adopting NFPA standards.  Security systems are not typically governed by statute or AHJ, except for monitoring and dispatch to first responders, so those services need to be described.  They are described in the Commercial All in One and they are different than what's described in the Fire All in One.  That's the problem with using the Fire All in One for security systems.
    We can combine the Fire and Security contracts, but that's going to make them longer than they already are, more confusing and more difficult to use.  For those of you who want the single form we plan on creating a Rider for the Fire All in One which will incorporate provisions from the Commercial All in One.  It will essentially create a single contract but you'll be able to separate it by not using the Rider.  If you use the Rider then you'll probably [not sure since it's not designed yet] end up with something close to using the two agreements, Fire All in One and Commercial All in One.  The new forms will be ready in December 2015.  Those of you who have purchased our forms July 1 2015 or after should check with our Contract Administrator Eileen Wagda (516) 747 6700 x 312 to see if you need updates [free for first 6 months; half price within first year, so that's Jan 1 2015]. The new Fire All in One with Rider is not a free update since it's a new form.  It will probably be priced same as the two separate forms, which I would prefer you continue to use.
    On the residential side, the Residential All in One covers fire, security, cameras and access control, so nothing new as far as combing fire and security.  The 2016 forms will have some updates but nothing that will require a 2015 form to be updated.
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