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CSAA 2006 Annual Meeting Early Bird Registration Deadline Nears
Register by Monday, August 14, 2006
Don’t miss your opportunity to take advantage of the Early Bird Registration Discount for the CSAA 2006 Annual Meeting. All registration rates will increase after Monday, August 14.
Visit the CSAA web site at www.csaaul.org and click on the Annual Meeting icon on the right-hand side for more details and to download registration, hotel and optional tour forms (or click on the underlined words).
VoIP and Licensing Reciprocity Update
By Bill Signer, AICC Lobbyist
We wanted to take this opportunity to both update you on our VoIP legislative initiative and urge you to contact your two Senators during the August recess and in September.
We have been successful in securing the inclusion of the "Alarm VoIP Consumer Notification" provision in both the House and Senate telecommunications bills. Our provision would require VoIP providers to notify the consumer at the time of installation and-or number activation that:
1. The consumer needs to notify his alarm monitoring company that he has switched to VoIP phone service;
2. The consumer should test his alarm system; and
3. The consumer will need a back up battery power source.
While the Telecomm bill has passed the full House, to date, it only has been reported by the Senate Commerce Committee and still must be acted upon by the full senate and then go to a House-Senate conference to resolve the differences.
We have two concerns that we would like to be addressed. We urge you to contact both your senators about these issues.
- First, we are concerned that both the House and Senate bills, as drafted, only require notification at the time of installation and/or number activation.
The industry feels and has been supporting legislation which would require clear and conspicuous notification be included in the directions that accompany equipment sold directly to consumers. Since self-installation is and will increasingly be the way VoIP phone service will be marketed to the public, it is essential that the accompanying instructions include notification as to what the consumer needs to do to ensure that his alarm system continues to work properly.
- Second, in order to better serve consumers, keep costs and thus prices down through enhanced competition, and to reduce the administrative burden of repeated testing and finger printing, we are seeking alarm monitoring license reciprocity legislation.
Under the industry proposal, licensure would still be left to the states. However, any license issued by any state that either adopted the proposed national model national standard, or which had in place licensing standards that were the equivalent of the proposed model standard, would have to be honored by any state requiring licensure.
Thus, we are urging you to take time during the month of August and September to contact both your Senators and urge them to support the Senate Communications, Consumers’ Choice and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006.
We are also urging you to ask them to tell Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) or Ranking Member Daniel Inouye (D-HI) that it makes sense to provide consumers with the information they need when they self install VoIP equipment. This can be achieved by including clear and conspicuous written notice similar to what the telecomm bills now propose at installation or number activation in the instructions that accompany the equipment to be installed directly by consumers.
It is very important for you to contact your Senator and ask them to support the VoIP Equipment instructions provision.
Because it is unclear if there is enough time left to bring the Telecomm bill up in the Senate, Chairman Stevens is looking for support for his bill so that he can tell Majority Leader Frist that he has the support needed to pass the Telecomm Bill. We have good grassroots and must show Chairman Stevens that we will use it to help him with his bill. By helping him, we will enhance our position on our two priorities: a VoIP packing notice and license reciprocity.
Materials
Please call and write today!
Charlie Darsch to Receive Industry's Triton Award on October 24, 2006
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The Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA), and the Security Industry Association (SIA) are pleased to announce that Charles G. Darsch, Director of Corporate Relations for System Sensor has been chosen to receive the 2006 Triton Award. The security industry veteran is being recognized for his outstanding dedication and significant contributions to the work of the associations and to the security industry at large. The Triton Award will be presented to Darsch at Razzmatazz and All That Jazz – the 2006 Tri-association Awards Dinner on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 at Cipriani’s 23rd Street in New York City.
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Darsch’s career in the security industry dates back to the 1950s. After serving in the US Army and US Army Reserve Military Police, Darsch went on to become a sales engineer for Pollak Corp. in Dorchester, MA. In 1959, while still working for Pollack, Darsch formed an alarm installing company, which he named Minuteman Security. Using relay-operated controls and hand-made bells, Darsch installed both residential and commercial alarm systems. In the early 1970’s, Darsch took a position with Advisor Security. Through the decades, Darsch has worked in varying capacities for Aritech Corp, ADT, Sentrol and later System Sensor. He has led and participated on many industry committees and his accomplishments are many.
CSAA Executive Vice President Steve Doyle called Darsch one of the most influential contributors to our industry. “Charlie’s commitment to the industry and to the volunteer work that he does so well has been of inestimable value to the Central Station industry and to our industry in general. No one represents the spirit of the Triton Award better, or is more deserving this year, than Charlie Darsch," added Doyle.
Those interested in personally expressing their appreciation to Darsch may make reservations to attend the event or purchase a page in the memory and recognition book by visiting www.siaonline.org. To make your reservations for Razzmatazz and All That Jazz - the 2006 Tri-Association Awards Dinner, please visit www.siaonline.org.
CSAA Annual Meeting Pre and Post Convention Tours and
Daily Sightseeing Tours
The CSAA Annual Meeting this year will be significantly different than previous meetings in a number of respects. Due to local restrictions, bus availability and other concerns, it is strongly recommended that you give adequate thought as to which optional tours you would like to participate in this year.
Pre and Post Convention Tours
These are listed on the CSAA web site, www.csaaul.org. Click on the icon on the right hand side of the home page for the CSAA 2006 Annual Meeting. This will give you the various dates for Pre and Post Convention Trips, the daily schedule of events, timeline, costs and registration procedures. It is recommended that you make your reservations for these trips as early as possible, as they all have different “cut-off” dates after which time you may not be able to sign-up. Different vendors are organizing these trips and CSAA will have no avenues to help out at the last minute.
Daily Sightseeing Tours
A number of the venues, tours, etc. can only accommodate a certain number of people and only a finite number of tickets will be available. Busses and transportation will need to be coordinated well in advance. Therefore, please visit the CSAA web site and download the tour information and registration form and fax it in to John McDonald at 703-242-4675 as soon as possible. THERE WILL BE NO ON-SITE SIGN-UP CAPABILITIES, unless there are cancellations, and few are expected. These tours will need to be pre-paid, and there will be no refunds.
Please call John McDonald at 703-242-4670, Ext. 17 or meetings@csaaul.org if you have any questions.
