February 3, 2014

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FARA is conducting a survey on how the alarm industry markets and installs holdup, panic, emergency ambush, duress and robbery alarms. If you work for an alarm company please take this survey and forward this email to any alarm company you know of. Click here to take the survey

Association Events

None this week

Door to Door Sales

• Cops warn of scam involving alarm systems
  1.29.14 – TheChronicleHerald.ca – After receiving reports from residents there, the Mounties are advising the public to not let anyone pretending to be an alarm company employee into their homes … More Info

Public Safety Updates

• AL: Fire chief: If power goes out, watch for fire hazards
  1.28.14 – The Brewton Standard – • Make sure that generators are outside the home. Only put them in a garage if it is well ventilated. If a generator is connected to your house, make sure it is installed correctly. More Info
• GA: Feb. 1 Deadline for Atlantans to Register Alarm Systems
  2.1.14 – Patch.com – According to the City, in 2012, the Atlanta Police Department responded to 65,000 alarm system activations, 95 percent of which were false … More Info
• IL: Knox to see few changes with Galesburg’s new false alarm ordinance
  1.30.14 – The Knox Student – Despite a new Galesburg City Ordinance that will increase the price for each false fire alarm, Knox students will remain largely unaffected. Before the new … More Info
• MA: Dracut stops short on fee for false alarms
  1.29.14 – Lowell Sun – Dracut — Considering the state of the town’s economy, now is not the time to raise fees on Dracut businesses, or impose hefty fines for multiple false alarms, selectmen decided. More Info
• MI: Chikaming officials move toward adding 3rd offense fines to alarm …
  1.31.14 – Harborcountry News – The major proposed change to the ordinance, adopted in 2005, would be a $250 fine on homeowners after three false alarms in any one calendar year that … More Info
• NC: Wilson, N.C. leaders delay decision on alarm fees 
  1.31.14 – City considering ordinance that would impose registration fees, fines for repeat false alarms. More Info
• NS: False alarms, insecure premises tying up patrols
  1.31.14 – The Burnside News – However, there has been an increase in the number of insecure premises and false alarms that police had to respond to. As a reminder I would just like to ask … More Info
• NY: Excessive false alarms to bring fines in NY town
  1.27.14 – SecurityInfoWatch – …1, homeowners and business owners will be fined for excessive instances of their alarms going off, causing police to respond when no actual emergency exists. More Info
• OH: Akron police, security alarm companies at odds over response …
  2.1.14 – Akron Beacon Journal – Akron Police Capt. Paul Calvaruso holds up a list of alarm response calls as he talks about the time it takes for officers to follow up on false … More Info
• OH: Police in Ohio city want alarms double-checked
  2.2.14 – WCMH Columbus – A northeast Ohio city where 98 percent of security alarms turn out to be false is beginning a new policy requiring confirmation of a possible crime. More Info
• OH: Short staffed Akron Police no longer responding to burglar alarms
  2.2.14 – 13abc Action News – Akron, Ohio (AP) – A northeast Ohio city where 98 percent of security alarms turn out to be false is beginning a new policy requiring confirmation of a possible … More Info
• SC: Horry officials still struggling with false alarm calls
  1.30.14 – Myhorrynews – A year after Horry County officials began cracking down on false alarm calls, authorities say they’re having problems processing the violation notices, some of … More Info
• TX: City should move to reduce number of false burglar alarms
  1.28.14 – Austin American-Statesman – Ninety percent of burglar alarms that Austin police respond to each year are false, police statistics show. The thousands of false alarms place a burden on police … More Info
• TX: Odessa Officials Reminding Residents to Register, Renew Their Alarm
  1.24.14 – News West 9 Midland – If you live in Odessa and registered your alarm system last year, expect a renewal notice soon. It is a requirement that you renew your registration for your business or home alarm. More Info

Industry News

• ADT and McAfee Study Shows Strong Tie Between Physical and Digital Security Risks
  1.27.14 – Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance – As tomorrow marks the sixth annual Data Privacy Day, ADT and McAfee released the results of a survey that takes a look at the important parallels between personal and online security. More Info
• Sizing up Google’s smart home play
  Security Systems News – Yarmouth, Maine—Security companies should take note of Google’s recent expansion into the connected home with its $3.2 billion buy of smart thermostat and smoke alarm maker Nest Labs, industry experts tell Security Systems News. Could a security play by Google be the logical next step? More Info
• System Sensor Recalls Reflected Beam Smoke Detectors Due To Failure to Alert Consumers in a Fire (Recall Alert)
  1.28.14 – U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission – When used with certain power supplies, the smoke detectors, used mostly in commercial buildings, can fail to send a signal to the fire alarm control panel that sounds the alarm. More Info
• High-tech upgrades may let aging boomers live independently in their own homes longer
  1.20.14 – The Washington Post – Video conferencing, wearble sensors and other systems will let older people stay their own homes longer. More Info
• WKYT Investigates: Smoke alarms put to the test
  1.31.14 – WKYT – There are so many types to choose from, and selecting an alarm may not be so clear. There are types that are photoelectric or ionized or even a combination of … More Info
• Report: Video surveillance market to see double-digit growth globally in 2014
  Revenues to reach nearly $16B this year, more than $20B by 2017 … More Info
• Why You Need Separate Service Contracts for Automation, Security
  Service contracts for home control systems are not suitable for security, according to legal expert Ken Kirschenbaum. More Info
• 10-digit switch had some monitoring firms scrambling
  2.2.14 – Paducah Sun – Brad Boulton with Alert Alarm Systems Inc. resets an alarm system at Kerry Brandonâ s home to automatically dial 10-digit telephone numbers in cases of … More Info

Legislative News

 

State Trends

• Miss. insurance commissioner wants background checks for security system sales reps
  1.23.14 – Security Info Watch – Mike Chaney pushing legislation to make background checks mandatory… More Info

National News

• U.S. economy grew at 3.2 percent annual rate in fourth quarter
  1.30.14 – Washington Post – The U.S. economy grew at a healthy 3.2 percent rate in the final months of 2013, according to new government data released Thursday morning, providing crucial momentum for the recovery that analysts hope will carry through this year. More Info
• State of the Union: What it Means for Small Biz
  1.29.14 – NSBA – On Tuesday, Jan. 28, President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union Address which held good and bad implications for America’s small businesses, but was light on details and specifics. More Info

Business Tips

• Few Executives Are Strong in All Leadership Roles
  1.23.14 – Baseline – There are three key leadership roles–transformational, transactional and network leadership–but CEB found that only 7.3 percent of leaders are likely to display strength in all three roles. More Info
• 5 Risks to Your Business Not in Plain Sight …
  1.15.14 -foxbusiness.com – Disasters come in many shapes and sizes, which means it’s not enough to prepare for natural disasters, but small business owners today also … More Info
• 7 Ways Leaders Maintain Their Composure in Difficult Times
  1.20.14 – Forbes – When you begin to take things personally, it’s difficult to maintain your composure and make those around you believe that you have things … More Info
• The missing piece in building competitive programs or organizations
  1.21.14 – The Demand Perspective – Have you ever thought of how you come up with a new plan, strategy or idea? What are your reference points — the building blocks of options and design elements you pick from? It occurred to me that most of us think in terms of a two-dimensional design: concepts, program or business model schemes; market positioning, structures or guiding principles. How often do we factor in new, intangible sources for establishing competitive advantage, like speed? More Info
• Three Keys to Effective Time Management
  1.23.14 – CIO Insight – To be the master of your time, you need planning and prioritization skills, communication and expectation-setting skills, and the support of strong direct reports. More Info
• How to Ask Great Questions
  1.23.14 – CIO Insight – Here are 10 tips about asking better questions, such as being an active listener, asking open-ended questions and why it’s best to limit your assumptions. More Info

Fire News

• CA: Updated: False alarm on Keswick fire; burnt toast not attic fire
  2.2.14 – The Record Searchlight – Firefighters who went to a reported attic fire tonight say the smoke came from burned toast in an oven. More Info
• MI: Security alarm works: Octagon Barn homestead is saved after small fire
  1.28.14 – Huron Daily Tribune – Gagetown — There were some tense moments when a security alarm sounded there was something wrong recently at a Thumb historical site. More Info
• NC: Church carbon monoxide leak hospitalizes 6
  2.2.14 – WCNC Charlotte – Charlotte, N.C. — Sunday services are cancelled at a west Charlotte church after 15 people fell ill and six were taken to the hospital after a carbon monoxide leak. Charlotte Fire Department Battalion Chief Dale Brown said the between 16 and 18 people had been in Shiloh Baptist Church’s main sanctuary on Greenland Avenue for about 45 minutes when they felt sick and called for help. The church … More Info
• VA: Alarm Investigation Closed Leesburg Streets
  1.27.14 – Leesburg Today – The closure of several roads in downtown Leesburg around 4 a.m. this morning was the result of an alarm investigation at the Loudoun Times-Mirror building. More Info

Crime News

• AL: Security camera captures overnight burglary at north Huntsville T-Mobile store
  1.29.14 – The Huntsville Times – Police responded to an alarm shortly before midnight Tuesday and found the front door glass smashed. The owner claims several items, including iPhones, Galaxy Notes and Galaxy tablets, were stolen. More Info
• AR: Police investigate AT&T burglary
  1.29.14 – The Log Cabin Democrat – Conway police say an AT&T store was recently burglarized. Officers were dispatched to an alarm at the store around 5:32 a.m More Info
• AR: Police search for suspect caught on camera steeling tattoo parlor items
  2.2.14 – KATV Little Rock – Little Rock (KATV) – Police are looking for a suspect accused of breaking into a Little Rock tattoo parlor and stealing around $10,000 worth of items. More Info
• CA: Burglar triggers alarm, deputy triggers Taser
  1.29.14 – U-T San Diego – A sheriff’s deputy chased a burglary suspect out of a Spring Valley home and caught him. More Info
• CA: Home burglary reported near Calistoga
  2.2.14 – Napa Valley Register – A burglar struck a house west of Calistoga on Friday, taking jewelry and apparently trying to steal a safe, according to the Napa County Sheriff’s Office. More Info
• CA: Riverside: Burglar alarm at gun shop brings out SWAT
  2.1.14 – Press-Enterprise – The combination of a burglar alarm at a gun and ammunition store, open hatches on the roof and the presence of a bystander listening to the … More Info
• CA: San Bernardino: Pot dispensary robbed, three arrested
  1.29.14 – Press-Enterprise – An emergency alarm alerted the police just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 154 South E Street when at least three people — at least one armed with a … More Info
• CT: State man arraigned in theft of $900 from gas station
  1.31.14 – A police investigation determined someone entered the store using a key and a code, and deactivated the alarm system. Surveillance photos revealed that one … More Info
• ID: Police arrest man found on roof of Nampa pawn shop
  1.29.14 – KTVB Boise – Tampa – Nampa Police say they have arrested a man who broke into a pawn shop early this morning in an attempt steal a camera he recently sold to the store. Officers responded to a burglar alarm at Ken’s Pawn & Jewelry store at 3 a.m.  When they got there they could not find any immediate signs of entry.  However, after entering the business they located a hole in the … More Info
• IL: Ford County Sheriff’s Office police blotter (Jan. 27, 2014)
  1.27.14 – Paxton Record – 25, a commercial burglary alarm was received from Hicks Motors in Roberts. The alarm was caused by employee error. — On Jan. 25, a residential burglary in … More Info
• MA: 1 Arrested For Apartment Break-In
  1.27.14 – Patch.com – At 6:01 a.m., police received a report of a burglar alarm, which proved … At 7:06 p.m., police received a report of a fire alarm. More Info
• MD: 7-Eleven employee died after being stabbed 75 times; man charged is in custody without bail 
  1.28.14 – Gazette.net – A 36-year-old man charged with cutting and stabbing a 7-Eleven employee in Gaithersburg about 75 times on Thursday, killing him, will remain in custody without bail. More Info
• MD: Glen Burnie business burglarized
  1.27.14 – ABC 2 Baltimore – A man claimed he was just hungry and needed to charge his cell phone when he broke into a Glen Burnie business Saturday night. More Info
• MD: Police looking for man who burglarized businesses in Gaithersburg, Rockville
  2.2.14 – Bethesda Gazette – Montgomery County Police are investigating a series of commercial burglaries throughout Gaithersburg and Rockville. Police said the burglaries occurred on Dec. 10 and 11, and the same man is believed to be responsible for all of the incidents. More Info
• MD: Suspect steals shotgun from outdoor store in Arundel Mills mall
  2.2.14 – Baltimore Sun- – Anne Arundel County police responding to an alarm at the Outdoor World Bass Pro Shop in the Arundel Mills Mall at 1:48 a.m. Saturday, discovered an unlocked … More Info
• MI: Taylor: Thief robs Firestone in daylight heist
  2.2.14 – The News-Herald – Taylor — Police were dispatched to Firestone on a showroom motion alarm at 8:41 a.m. Jan. 26. More Info
• NC: Police: 3 fast food restaurants robbed minutes apart
  2.1.14 – WBTV Charlotte – Police say they responded to three armed robberies of fast food restaurants just after 10 a.m. in Charlotte. Officers responded to a hold up alarm call at a Taco Bell… More Info
• NV: Reno police arrest two suspected home burglars
  2.1.14 – Dayton Courier – Reno police arrested two men Thursday who are suspected of committing multiple home burglaries in the area. More Info
• OH: Kettering cell phone store hit in burglary
  2.2.14 – Dayton Daily News – Officers responded to an intrusion alarm at the Sprint store just before 4 a.m. and found one of the windows in the front of … More Info
• OH: VIDEO: Burglar Falls Through Store Ceiling
  2.1.14 – FOX 8 Cleveland – Springfield Township, OH – A man is arrested after police said he crashed through the ceiling of a convenience store… More Info
• OK: Deputies Arrest Suspect In Sperry Burglary, Shooting – NewsOn6 …
  1.29.14 – News On 6 – Deputies got an alarm call to a home at about 3:45… More Info
• OK: Men Accused Of Burglarizing Convenience Stores In Logan County
  1.29.14 – news9.com KWTV – According to the Sheriff’s Office, at about 1:48 a.m., deputies received an alarm call at the Petty’s gas station. When they … More Info
• OR: Burglars hit Sprint store
  2.2.14 – Albany Democrat-Herald – Between $30,000 to $40,000 of electronics were stolen during an early Thursday morning burglary at S Wireless, a Sprint retailer. More Info
• PA: 2 Bryn Mawr businesses hit by burglaries overnight
  2.2.14 – Main Line Times – Two Bryn Mawr businesses were hit by burglars Wednesday. More Info
• SC: Oconee deputies looking for November burglar
  1.29.14 – Anderson Independent-Mail – The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in regard to a burglary in November at a business … More Info
• TN: A motion detector alarm brought police to an area business last week
  1.31.14 – WDXE – A motion detector alarm brought police to an area business last week. At Performance Feeds, investigating officers found significant damage, … More Info
• TN: Teens Charged In Burglary Of Closed Dyersburg Convenience Store
  1.27.14 – WREG-TV Memphis – (Dyersburg,TN) Beer, junk food, and energy drinks. That’s what Dyersburg Police say teenagers were after when they broke into a… More Info
• TX: Fort Worth police internal documents in grandfather’s fatal shooting released
  2.1.14 – WFAA Dallas-Fort Worth – Fort Worth — Documents obtained by News 8 Friday give the first detailed account of what officers say happened the night they encountered 72-year-old Jerry Waller inside his own garage in May 2013. Two rookie officers had gone to the wrong address in responding to a burglary call. According to the Fort Worth Police Department’s internal investigation, the officers turned off their car lights a … More Info
• TX: Surveillance video shows car burglars
  2.2.14 – KPRC Local 2 Houston – The Rosenberg Police Department is hoping surveillance video will help lead to the arrests of the suspects wanted in connection to a string of vehicle burglaries. More Info
• TX: Thieves Cut Power to CASA Building, Make Off with Equipment
  1.27.14 – KIII Corpus Christi – After cutting power to bypass alarm systems twice overnight at the CASA building in the 2600 block of Prescott, thieves managed to make off with thousands of dollars worth of equipment. More Info
• VA: 3 arrested in copper thefts
  1.27.14 – Bluefield Daily Telegraph – One day after tweeting a request for help in his pursuit of suspects in a case involving the theft from a business located in the Bluefield, Va., Industrial Park, an alert deputy made a routine traffic stop that led to three arrests in the investigation. More Info
• VA: Police probe break-in at Radio Shack in Stafford County
  1.27.14 – Fredericksburg.com – Deputy Tom Grasso responded to an alarm and found the front glass door shattered. A manager later showed up and noticed the missing cell phones. More Info
• WA: Business owner confronts alleged burglary leading to pursuit
  1.29.14 – Columbia Basin Herald – Moses Lake – A Moses Lake man is facing burglary and eluding charges after he was confronted by a Moses Lake business owner and fled from police Thursday night. More Info
• WA: SPD: Teen burglars found rappelling through Kmart roof
  1.28.14 – KREM.com – Spokane, Wash. — Police arrested four people after a break-in at a Kmart store in East Spokane early Tuesday morning. Authorities responded when the store’s burglary alarm sounded around 3 a.m.  A 911 caller also reported seeing several people on the roof of the building.  When officers arrived, they … More Info

 

The National Monitor is a service of the National Electronic Security Alliance (NESA). Member states are free to reproduce the information contained herein in print or electronic media as they see fit. Contact NESA for more information at 301.519.9237 or bradshipp@4yoursolution.com

 

NESA is a federation of state associations established to serve and promote the electronic systems industry at the direction of, and through its affiliated state associations. Five state associations are part of NESA – Texas Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (TBFAA), Maryland Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (MDBFAA), Kansas Electronic Security Association (KESA), Arkansas Security Alarm Association (ASAA) and Oklahoma Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (OKBFAA). For more info visit www.nesaus.org.

 NESA Board of Directors

• President – Jordon Brown
• Vice President & Texas Burglar & Fire Alarm Assn. Director- Chris Russell
• Secretary- Kathleen Schraufnagel
• Treasurer and Arkansas Security Alarm Assn. Director – Rick Howell
• Maryland Burglar & Fire Alarm Assn. Director- Brian Shrake
• Past President –Rex Adams
• Kansas Electronic Security Alliance Director Dan Locke
• Oklahoma Burglar & Fire Alarm Assn. Director- Rick Spring
• Associate Director- Dean Coburn
• Executive Director- Brad Shipp
• Maryland Burglar & Fire Alarm Assn. Alternate- Craig Bober
• Oklahoma Burglar & Fire Alarm Assn. Alternate- Danna Fowble
• Texas Burglar & Fire Alarm Assn. Alternate- Chip Bird