Should alarm industry thank Sandy Springs, GA? / Schedule Free meeting at ISC / Round Table Discussions at ISC February 20, 2020
Homepage > Alarm & Security Law > Alarm Articles > Should alarm industry thank Sandy Springs, GA? / Schedule Free meeting at ISC / Round Table Discussions at ISC February 20, 2020
KEN KIRSCHENBAUM, ESQ ALARM - SECURITY INDUSTRY LEGAL EMAIL NEWSLETTER / THE ALARM EXCHANGE You can read all of our articles on our website. Having trouble getting our emails? Change your spam controls and white list ken@kirschenbaumesq.com ************************************ Should alarm industry thank Sandy Springs, GA? / Schedule Free meeting at ISC / Round Table Discussions at ISC February 20, 2020 *********************** Schedule Free Private meeting while at ISC with Ken Kirschenbaum I am scheduling free meetings at ISC now for March 17, 18 and 19, 2020. The meetings are free and scheduled in half hour increments. Any issues can be discussed or just stop by to chat. To reserve a time please contact Stacy Spector,Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304 or SSpector@Kirschenbaumesq.com. ******************** Round Table Discussions while at ISC, at Palazzo Hotel. Free to participate. Space very limited so book now. Call Stacy Spector,Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304 to reserve your seat. [other topics may be announced] *********************** Round Table: March 18, 2020 at 11 AM. Join Morgan Hertel, VP of Technology and Innovation, Rapid Response Monitoring and Ken Kirschenbaum for a round table discussion on current state of monitoring including technology and well as outside influencers like minimum wages and privacy laws. *********************** Round Table: March 18, 2020 at 1 PM. Join Mitch Reitman and Ken Kirschenbaum for a round table discussion on Taxes and Corporate issues for alarm companies relevant when selling or buying accounts. *********************** Round Table: March 18, 2020 at 2 PM. Join Ron Davis and Ken Kirschenbaum for a round table discussion on Selling or buying alarm accounts and RMR issues. *********************** Round Table: March 19, 2020 9:15 AM Join Troy Iverson, VP of Sales, Brian Davis, CFO of AvantGuard Monitoring Centers and Ken Kirschenbaum for a round table discussion on the Current state of the Financial/Capital Market Stability in the Security Industry and necessary agreements needed for security companies. (Titian 2202 Meeting Room just off the show floor) ********************* Round Table: March 19, 2020 at 1 PM. Join Sharon Elder, VP Sales, USA Central Station and Ken Kirschenbaum for a round table discussion on the value of quality video contracts and services ************************** Round Table: March 19, 2020 at 3 PM. Join Bart Didden, Executive Claims Administrator, Security America and Ken Kirschenbaum for a round table discussion on Errors and Omissions Insurance Claims and Risk Management ********************** Should alarm industry thank Sandy Springs, GA? ********************** Sandy Springs, GA has a False Alarm Reduction Program that goes into full effect on March 1, 2020. Essentially the law requires alarm verification for intrusion alarms in one of three ways: 1. Confirmation by the alarm user at the alarm site or via self-monitored audio/visual equipment; 2. Confirmation by a private guard responder at the alarm site; or 3. Audible and/or visual evidence provided by a monitored alarm system, provided that such audible or visual evidence shall be made available to the emergency communications center no more than twenty-four (24) hours after the request for and-dispatch of the City's public safety department(s). An unverified alarm is a false alarm; an alarm that turns out to be a false alarm that was verified will be treated as a false verification. Fines run from $250 to $1000. The “alarm company” will be fined. It’s not clear to me whether it will be the Monitoring Center calling in the alarm or the local dealer who installed and contracts for monitoring with the customer who will be fined. Of course alarm companies don’t like laws that fine the alarm company, and they shouldn’t. Be really, what’s all the fuss? Use the Standard Form Agreements and cover yourself for false alarm fines, no matter who they are initially assessed against. The Standard Form Agreement makes it clear that the subscriber must indemnify the alarm company for false alarm fines. It may not be great for customer relations, but you didn’t create the fines, the customer’s elected officials did. But I have another take on this issue. The Standard Form Agreements for security [residential or commercial] already provide RMR items for verification and for runner service. If you have the Standard Form Agreement you are more than ready for the Sandy Springs ordinance. Why? Because you can show the customer that you offer Verification and you offer runner service, provided the customer pays for the service. So thank you Sandy Springs for creating the need and the market. Thanks to Alan Davis, Vice President of Operations & Finance, Pulsar Alarm Systems for bringing this to my attention. ***************** Here is the letter Sandy Springs is sending alarm users: ****************** “Dear Alarm User, Attached is a notification from the Sandy Springs False Alarm Reduction Program. The attached notification is in reference to account number AC210. If you have any questions, please contact the Sandy Springs False Alarm Reduction Program, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at (855) 725-7101 or by responding to this email. Thank you, Sandy Springs False Alarm Reduction Program” ******* Here is the full ordinance ***** Alarm Monitoring Company Alarm Dispatch Guidelines for City of Sandy Springs, GA GENERAL PROCEDURES: ⦁ If the alarm signal received is a Panic, Duress, Hold-up, Medical, CO, Elevator, or Residential Fire Alarm: ⦁ Call ChatComm directly at 404-843-6680 and request dispatch ⦁ No verification is required ⦁ False Alarm fees will apply when no evidence of criminal activity or other emergency is present ⦁ If the alarm signal is an intrusion/burglar alarm and an alarm site representative cannot be reached: ⦁ Verify the validity to the activation (is there evidence of criminal activity or other emergency?) ⦁ Verification is made by audio, video, or private guard response ⦁ Video verification may be made by either: ⦁ Video monitoring at a professional monitoring center, or ⦁ Self-Monitored by the alarm user ⦁ If there is no verification and no evidence that a person (suspect or victim) is at the alarm site, the alarm is not eligible for dispatch. Do not call and request dispatch on an unverified alarm. ⦁ Once verified, call the Sandy Springs Call Center at 770-730-5600 ⦁ Provide the required information to the call taker (verification method, address, permit numbers, etc.) ⦁ If the requirements are met the call will be transferred to ChatComm for dispatch ⦁ If the alarm signal is an intrusion/burglar alarm and contact is made with an alarm site representative: ⦁ Attempt to verify the validity of the activation ⦁ If the representative is not at the alarm site, verification of criminal activity or other emergency must be made prior to requesting public safety dispatch. Do not call and request dispatch on an unverified alarm. ⦁ If the representative is at the alarm site and requests public safety dispatch, call the Sandy Springs Call Center at 770-730-5600 and: ⦁ Provide the required information to the call taker ⦁ The call will be transferred to ChatComm for dispatch ⦁ False Alarm fees may apply when no evidence of criminal activity or other emergency is present ⦁ If the representative is at the alarm site and states it is a false alarm but cannot provide a proper cancellation code, dispatch may be requested. Call the Sandy Springs Call Center at 770-730-5600 and: ⦁ Provide the required information to the call taker ⦁ The call will be transferred to ChatComm for dispatch ⦁ False Alarm fees may apply when no evidence of criminal activity or other emergency is found DO NOT CALL AND REQUEST DISPATCH ON UNVERIFIED INTRUSION/BURGLAR ALARMS IF THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF A PERSON EITHER IN NEED OR UNAUTHORIZED AT THE ALARM SITE GENERAL AUDIO/VIDEO/GUARD RESPONSE VERIFICATION GUIDELINES ⦁ Audio verification ⦁ Complete silence at the alarm site will not be considered verification of possible criminal activity ⦁ Reasonable, articulable sounds heard at the alarm site will be considered verification of possible criminal activity and will qualify the alarm signal for dispatch ⦁ Qualifying sounds include but are not limited to: ⦁ Footsteps ⦁ Whispering ⦁ Rummaging sounds (thumping, bumping, dropping, etc.) ⦁ Voices with no proper response to monitoring company challenges ⦁ Video verification ⦁ Reasonable, articulable evidence that an unauthorized person is seen at the alarm site ⦁ The monitoring service should explain to the call-taker what was seen including a description of the person, direction of travel, etc. ⦁ Guard response verification ⦁ Reasonable, articulable suspicion that criminal activity was attempted or has occurred ⦁ Examples include but are not limited to: ⦁ Broken windows ⦁ Breached doors ⦁ Pry marks on windows or doors ⦁ Damaged window or door screens ⦁ Personal property stashed outside the alarm site AUDIO/VIDEO CLIP SHARING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES: When an alarm activation is verified by audio or video, dispatch will be made based on the testimony of the alarm company. However a short media clip must be provided to ChatComm within 24 hours of requesting dispatch to the alarm. ⦁ Professionally monitored audio/video: ⦁ Media clips should be sent as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours after requesting dispatch ⦁ Clips must have reasonable evidence of suspected criminal activity as described by the monitoring company at the time dispatch is requested ⦁ The alarm company should advise ChatComm when to expect the clip ⦁ Media clips may be sent to alarms@chatcomm.org ⦁ Please include in the subject line the date of the activation and property address ⦁ Please include in the body of the email, contact information of the sender ⦁ Alarm company name, phone # and contact name ⦁ Property owner name, phone # - and time of alarm activation ips may have a maximum file size of 25MB ⦁ Clips should be in standard, easily played formats such as .mpg, .wav, etc. ⦁ Clips that require a proprietary video player will not be acceptable ⦁ Self-monitored video (when user asks alarm company to request public safety dispatch on their behalf) ⦁ Alarm company should ask what the user heard/saw and explain that to ChatComm ⦁ Alarm company should advise the user of need to provide a media clip ⦁ Alarm company should assist the user in emailing the clip to ChatComm when possible ⦁ User may send clip directly to ChatComm, or ⦁ User may send the clip to the alarm company who will forward it to ChatComm ⦁ If no media clip will be available, alarm company should explain that to ChatComm as soon as possible and explain why Failure to provide the required media clip may result in additional fines as outlined in the ordinance. *********************** To order up to date Standard Form Alarm / Security / Fire and related Agreements, click here:www.alarmcontracts.com ************************* CONCIERGE LAWYER SERVICE PROGRAM FOR THE ALARM INDUSTRY You can check out the program and sign up here: https://www.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/concierge or contact our Program Coordinator Stacy Spector, Esq at 516 747 6700 x 304. *********************** NOTICE: You can always read our Articles on our website at ww.kirschenbaumesq.com/page/alarm-articles *********************** THE ALARM EXCHANGE
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