PRESENTED BY THEPRESENTED BY THE

ALARM ASSOCIATION OF ALARM ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDAFLORIDA

Preventing False AlarmsPreventing False Alarmsor or

How to Prevent False Police & How to Prevent False Police & Fire DispatchesFire Dispatches

False Alarm PreventionFalse Alarm Prevention

nn According to the Security Industry According to the Security Industry Association Coalition Association Coalition Model Alarm Model Alarm OrdinanceOrdinance a false alarm dispatch a false alarm dispatch is:is:an alarm dispatch request to the police an alarm dispatch request to the police department when the responding officer department when the responding officer finds no evidence of a criminal offense or finds no evidence of a criminal offense or attempted criminal offense after having attempted criminal offense after having completed a timely investigation of the completed a timely investigation of the alarm site.alarm site.

RegulationsRegulations

nn City, County, State City, County, State nn Local Ordinances Local Ordinances

State Rules & RegulationsState Rules & Regulations

nn There are no rules established for central There are no rules established for central station operations by the state.station operations by the state.

nn The rules for operation are established by The rules for operation are established by Underwriters LaboratoriesUnderwriters Laboratories

nn Personnel in a Central station are Personnel in a Central station are governed by Florida Statutes (F.S. 489)governed by Florida Statutes (F.S. 489)

nn You are in this class to comply with state You are in this class to comply with state regulations for required trainingregulations for required training

Local rulesLocal rules(Local government (Local government

ordinances)ordinances)nn Best example is Boca Raton, and Best example is Boca Raton, and

Delray Beach, FL:Delray Beach, FL:•• In Boca and Delray, unless the alarm In Boca and Delray, unless the alarm

company is UL listed, and the central company is UL listed, and the central station is approved by the city:station is approved by the city:

you may not install or monitor alarms you may not install or monitor alarms within city limitswithin city limits

Industry StandardsIndustry Standards

nn CPO1CPO1nn Enhanced Call VerificationEnhanced Call Verification

National Rules National Rules (NFPA Codes)(NFPA Codes)

nn Monitoring of Fire Alarms are Monitoring of Fire Alarms are governed by NFPA codes.governed by NFPA codes.

nn The National Fire Alarm Code, NFPA The National Fire Alarm Code, NFPA 72, 1996 edition requires a certain 72, 1996 edition requires a certain response to various types of signalsresponse to various types of signals

Industry Standards, Accepted Industry Standards, Accepted Practices, & Approved ProceduresPractices, & Approved Procedures

NFPA UL FS489 FS633NFPA UL FS489 FS633SIAC Model Alarm OrdinancesSIAC Model Alarm Ordinances

Local Building CodesLocal Building CodesLocal Police and Fire Alarm RegulationsLocal Police and Fire Alarm Regulations

Emergency Forces Emergency Forces Dispatching Requirements & Dispatching Requirements &

TechniquesTechniquesnn Florida law now requires every Florida law now requires every Burglar Burglar

Alarm Alarm signal to be verifiedsignal to be verifiednn You You may notmay not delay a dispatch to a delay a dispatch to a

commercial fire alarm signalcommercial fire alarm signalnn You may verify a residential fire alarm You may verify a residential fire alarm

signalsignalnn You You must must comply with other rules as comply with other rules as

they are establishedthey are established

Rules for dispatchingRules for dispatchingPolice & Fire OfficialsPolice & Fire Officials

aa Police and Fire Police and Fire officials risk their officials risk their lives everyday to lives everyday to provide provide emergency emergency services to the services to the residents of their residents of their communitiescommunities

Operating ProceduresOperating Procedures

nn Your operating procedures must Your operating procedures must compliment the local rules and compliment the local rules and regulationsregulations

nn Customers may not override Customers may not override state law, or local ordinancesstate law, or local ordinances

Industry ProgramsIndustry Programs

nn Local Installation Service CompanyLocal Installation Service Companynn Mass MarketingMass Marketingnn Authorized Dealer Program Authorized Dealer Program nn Purchase and LeasePurchase and Leasenn Third Party MonitoringThird Party Monitoring

Internet SalesInternet Sales

nn DO IT YOURSELFDO IT YOURSELF--ersersnn End User MonitoringEnd User Monitoring

Company policyCompany policy

nn Every company establishes their own Every company establishes their own rules and regulations for handling rules and regulations for handling emergenciesemergencies

nn UL merely provides guidelines for the UL merely provides guidelines for the basic operations of a central stationbasic operations of a central station

nn Central Station Manager should develop Central Station Manager should develop and implement these policiesand implement these policies

Requirements of the Requirements of the customercustomer

nn Response to certain signals is Response to certain signals is mandated by the customermandated by the customer

nn State law sometimes supercedes the State law sometimes supercedes the requirements of the customerrequirements of the customer•• ExampleExample--commercial fire alarmcommercial fire alarm--we are we are

required to notify the authorities even if required to notify the authorities even if the customer says they donthe customer says they don’’t want us to t want us to dispatch dispatch (NFPA 72, 1996 Edition)(NFPA 72, 1996 Edition)

nn The International Association The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) of Chiefs of Police (IACP) estimates that each alarm estimates that each alarm system generate 2 alarms per system generate 2 alarms per year.year.

nn 98% of these dispatches are 98% of these dispatches are determined to be determined to be false alarmsfalse alarms

nn A survey by the CSAA indicated A survey by the CSAA indicated that monitored systems filter that monitored systems filter out 90% of false activation'sout 90% of false activation's

Communications Communications

nn Telephone Lines Telephone Lines nn CellularCellularnn Radio Relay Radio Relay nn Line MonitorLine Monitornn Line ProtectionLine Protection

The Duties of a The Duties of a Central StationCentral Station

nn Provide the safety and security Provide the safety and security their customers expect their customers expect

nn To act responsiblyTo act responsiblynn To help avoid unnecessary alarm To help avoid unnecessary alarm

dispatchesdispatchesnn Help reduce false alarms Help reduce false alarms

TrainingTraining

nn Most Central Stations train their Most Central Stations train their new employees for at least 40 new employees for at least 40 hours before allowing them to hours before allowing them to handle alarm signals. handle alarm signals.

nn Underwriters Laboratories Underwriters Laboratories requires record keeping of all on requires record keeping of all on going traininggoing training

nn Florida now requires training for Florida now requires training for anyone selling, installing or anyone selling, installing or servicing alarm systemsservicing alarm systems

Why alarm companies are Why alarm companies are concerned with false alarmsconcerned with false alarms

nn Additional Cost Additional Cost nn Appearance of degraded reliabilityAppearance of degraded reliabilitynn SafetySafetynn Customer Good WillCustomer Good Willnn AttritionAttrition

Why alarm users should be Why alarm users should be concerned with false alarmsconcerned with false alarms

nn Increased cost due to false alarm Increased cost due to false alarm finesfines

nn Possibility of being placed on: Possibility of being placed on:

““No ResponseNo Response””nn Police may lose faith in the quality of Police may lose faith in the quality of

alarm system placing themselves, alarm system placing themselves, and the users in dangerand the users in danger

Effects of False AlarmsEffects of False Alarms

nn Increased central station activityIncreased central station activitynn Increased follow up costs forIncreased follow up costs for

•• service departmentservice department•• sales departmentsales department•• customer service departmentcustomer service department•• productive time diverted to non income productive time diverted to non income

producing projectsproducing projects

Non ResponseNon Response

nn Some authorities have enacted Some authorities have enacted ordinances that stop responses after ordinances that stop responses after a certain number of false alarmsa certain number of false alarms

nn Several area have eliminated Several area have eliminated response to alarm signals entirelyresponse to alarm signals entirely

Methods of Reducing Methods of Reducing False DispatchesFalse Dispatches

nn Verify burglar alarms before Verify burglar alarms before dispatchingdispatching

nn Proper data entry of information prior Proper data entry of information prior to system to system ““going on linegoing on line””

nn Proper education on the use of Proper education on the use of system to all who will use the system system to all who will use the system at the time of installationat the time of installation

nn Offer additional training if neededOffer additional training if needednn Make repairs at no chargeMake repairs at no charge

Alarms Reduce Crime!!Alarms Reduce Crime!!

nn Residences with alarm systems were Residences with alarm systems were 6 times less likely to be burglarized 6 times less likely to be burglarized than homes without security than homes without security systemssystems11

nn Monitored systems reduce police Monitored systems reduce police dispatchesdispatches22

Interaction with Interaction with Police and Fire OfficialsPolice and Fire Officials

nn Attitudes of the PoliceAttitudes of the Police•• Industry is getting rich on their serviceIndustry is getting rich on their service•• Audible alarms do not decrease crime, Audible alarms do not decrease crime,

silent alarms do.silent alarms do.•• Alarm systems increase police workloadAlarm systems increase police workload•• Alarm industry is not trying to solve the Alarm industry is not trying to solve the

crimecrime•• Failure rate of alarms is 98%Failure rate of alarms is 98%

Example of Alarm Companies Example of Alarm Companies and Police Working Togetherand Police Working Together

nn Palm Beach County, FloridaPalm Beach County, Florida•• An Alarm ordinance has been in effect since An Alarm ordinance has been in effect since

1988.1988.•• In 1993 the ordinance was revisedIn 1993 the ordinance was revised•• In 1999 the ordinance was revised againIn 1999 the ordinance was revised again•• In all instances the Alarm Community played In all instances the Alarm Community played

an important part in the development of the an important part in the development of the ordinance.ordinance.

•• As alarm installations increasedAs alarm installations increased--the number of the number of police & fire dispatches decreasedpolice & fire dispatches decreased…………..>..>

RecognitionRecognition

nn In 1995 In 1995 SIACSIAC recognized the Palm recognized the Palm Beach County SheriffBeach County Sheriff’’s Office for s Office for having the lowest false alarm rate in having the lowest false alarm rate in the country.the country.

nn Since that time alarm companies Since that time alarm companies working in conjunction with PBSO working in conjunction with PBSO have reduced false dispatches by have reduced false dispatches by more than 30%.more than 30%.

Permits Compared to Responses

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999*

Permits

Responses

Cancellations

Dispatch Rate as Percentage

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1996 1997 1998 1999*

Dispatch Rate

Response Rate

Cancellation Rate

So now letSo now let’’s look at the s look at the specifics of the local specifics of the local alarm ordinance and alarm ordinance and

what requirements must what requirements must be followed in your town:be followed in your town:

Reasons for False DispatchesReasons for False Dispatches

nn 8080--95% of all false alarms are 95% of all false alarms are caused by the system user.caused by the system user.

nn 5% due to equipment malfunction5% due to equipment malfunctionnn And the remaining 5% from:And the remaining 5% from:

•• WeatherWeather•• System MaintenanceSystem Maintenance•• And undetermined causesAnd undetermined causes

So now So now ---- how can you help?how can you help?

nn By following some very simple By following some very simple procedures, you can reduce false procedures, you can reduce false alarms responses to your home and alarms responses to your home and business:business:

PowerPower

nn BatteriesBatteriesnn TransformersTransformersnn Power SuppliesPower Suppliesnn AC OutletsAC Outlets

Proper Emergency InformationProper Emergency Information

nn Make Sure your central station has:Make Sure your central station has:•• An up to date password list (and make An up to date password list (and make

sure everyone who will use the alarm sure everyone who will use the alarm knows their password)knows their password)

•• Proper phone numbers to enable a Proper phone numbers to enable a verification call to your home or verification call to your home or businessbusiness

•• List of emergency people to notify List of emergency people to notify should the alarm activateshould the alarm activate

Around your home/businessAround your home/business

nn Keep pets out of areas secured by Keep pets out of areas secured by motion detection devicesmotion detection devices

nn Increase your entry/exit delay times Increase your entry/exit delay times (your alarm company can provide (your alarm company can provide assistance with this feature)assistance with this feature)

nn If new employees are hired, train If new employees are hired, train them on the use of the alarm them on the use of the alarm systemsystem——dondon’’t assume they know t assume they know how it works.how it works.

Your Security or Fire SystemYour Security or Fire System

nn Update antiquated equipmentUpdate antiquated equipmentnn Get additional training if needed from Get additional training if needed from

the security companythe security companynn Keep your system properly Keep your system properly

maintained (this is different from maintained (this is different from updating a system)updating a system)•• Replace batteriesReplace batteries•• Have the system checked at least once Have the system checked at least once

per year by a licensed alarm contractorper year by a licensed alarm contractor

AnnunciatorsAnnunciators

nn Exterior SirensExterior Sirens

nn Interior SirensInterior Sirens

nn BellsBells

nn Strobe LightsStrobe Lights

Installation Installation –– Service Service ----MaintainanceMaintainance

Only permit a licensed alarm Only permit a licensed alarm contractor to perform any alarm contractor to perform any alarm

installations, service or maintenance.installations, service or maintenance.

An unlicensed contractor may save An unlicensed contractor may save you a few dollars now, but it will cost you a few dollars now, but it will cost

you in the long termyou in the long term

If you are unsure about a If you are unsure about a contractor or an individual contractor or an individual

you are using or are you are using or are considering using you can considering using you can contact either any of the contact either any of the

following agencies for more following agencies for more information:information:

Alarm Association of FloridaAlarm Association of Florida800800--899899--20992099

Department of Business and Professional Department of Business and Professional RegulationRegulation--Electrical Contractors Electrical Contractors

Licensing BoardLicensing Board850850--487487--13951395