CSAA Signals: CSAA/APCO Joint Standard

Please thank our 2005 Annual Meeting Sponsors: ADI (Opening Reception hors d'oeuvres, beverages, and music); Alert Alarm of Hawaii (CSAA Board of Directors Dinner); Altronix (President's Dinner Dance Reception); Bosch Security Systems (Band on the Mighty Mo); DGA Security Systems, Inc. (T-Shirts); Digital Security Controls (President's Dinner band); Digital Monitoring Products (DMP) (partial sponsor of the PSLC/AHJs Dinner); GE Monitoring Automation Systems (MAS) ( Tuesday Coffee Break); GE Security (President’s Dinner & Dance wine and beverages); HID Corporation (Dinner on the Mighty Mo); Honeywell Fire Systems (Monday and Tuesday Spouses’ Hospitality); Honeywell Security (Golf Tournament); LaSalle Bank (Monday Coffee Break); NAPCO Security Group (USO Show on the Mighty Mo); System Sensor (Tennis Tournament); and Vector Security (partial sponsor of the PSLC/AHJs Dinner)

CSAA/APCO Announce Joint Standard for Alarm Data Exchange

The Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International have jointly announced an agreement for a standard for alarm data exchange interface. Both associations, as well as related software and hardware vendors have agreed to participate in a development project to create a standard protocol and common software platform/application for central stations to electronically communicate with public service answering points (PSAPs), in order to increase efficiency and decrease the errors found in the current method of transmitting alarm activity over commercial land lines. It will be officially known as the “APCO Standard for Alarm Data Exchange.”

This historic agreement covers the organization and administration of the standard, as well as the development of the software/platform application. Under the agreement, both parties will be jointly responsible for the day-to-day management and administration of the program. This agreement also covers intellectual property, ownership, licensing, etc.

“This is truly a historic agreement that will very positively affect the alarm industry for decades to come; it is truly the “Holy Grail” of communications between the alarm industry and the PSAPs,” said CSAA Executive Vice President Steve Doyle.

“This agreement came about as a result of the combined effort of select PSAPs that participated in the development of the project, alarm software vendors such as GE, Bold, DICE and MicroKey, CAD vendors and the considerable assistance of Ed Bonifas of Alarm Detection Systems, Inc., Pam Petrow of Vector Security,” added Doyle.

“After almost 15 years of pursuing such an agreement, we have been able to combine alarm industry efforts over the years with APCO’s 'Project 36' efforts to come to a joint initiative that will serve not only our respective associations and industries well, but also the public we serve. Verbal communications mistakes will be reduced to minimum and the speed of emergency communications between the alarm industry and the PSAPs will considerably increase,” concluded Doyle.

Once developed, this application will be jointly coordinated by CSAA and APCO and is intended to be offered to any alarm software vendor or PSAP, computer-aided dispatch provider or other interested party involved in the delivery of alarm data to the PSAPs. CSAA and APCO will be responsible for coordinating the development, testing and deployment of the application.

For further in formations please contact Celia Besore, Director of Marketing & Communications at CSAA at 703-242-4670, Ext. 16.