In the May 30, 2002 CSAA Signals, titled "The Power of One, " we notified you that the members of NFPA voted to reject the security industry's proposal to include NFPA 72-381.

This provision has the widespread support of the security industry associations, as well as the support of many of the fire services associations. It would have the effect of raising the standard on fire alarm systems in both the short term and the long term.  There would be enhanced confidence in fire alarm systems. False alarms would be dramatically reduced, and there would be many other benefits to the public, the fire services, and the insurance and alarm industries.

Due to the lateness of the hour in which the vote was taken, there was much confusion in the minds of those not directly connected with the issue, which greatly affected the outcome. The final vote came back 81 to 80 against Proposal 72-381.

CSAA is appealing the vote on the grounds listed below, and we have a good chance to overturn it...

 IF EVERYONE TAKES THE TIME TO WRITE TO NFPA SUPPORTING OUR APPEAL!

Letters/e-mails MUST be received by the Standards Council no later than 05:00 PM (EDT) on Monday, July, 1, 2002. 

This deadline doesn't give us much time, so please write your letter/e-mail as soon as you finish reading this Signals.

Below are some of the points that need to be included in your letter:

1 - 72-381 provides that Remote Station Systems shall be either certified or placarded. This provides for a higher level of service between the protected premise and supervising station.

2 - By requiring that the Remote Station be inspected by a third party, there is a method in place to ensure that the location where the signals are to be received meets a standardized minimum level of performance.

3 - By requiring that the system at the protected premise be inspected by a third party, there is a method in place to ensure that the installation meets a standardized minimum level of performance.

4 - Fire alarm systems and their off-site supervising stations must work the first time and every time that they are called on to operate. Proposal 72-381 provides a method to assure that both the system at the protected premise and the remote station meet the basic minimum requirements of The National Fire Alarm Code.

5 - The Committee on Supervising Station Fire Alarm Systems (SIG-SSS) voted 20-1 to accept the original proposal 72-381 (the one supported by CSAA and others).

6 - The Committee on Supervising Station Fire Alarm Systems (SIG-SSS) voted 23-0 to reaffirm their prior position in support of 72-381 (see point no. 5).

7 - The membership in a vote of 81-80 accepted comment 72-308, which asked to reject 72-381. Due to a closure vote, there was no opportunity to speak against the motion on the floor. Shane M. Clary of Bay Alarm, was standing on microphone 5 to speak when a member at microphone 2 was called on by the chair. The question was called by that person.

It has been recommended to us that your letter should be in your own words and on your letterhead. Please feel free to forward this Signals to others.

Please send your letters/e-mails to:
Casey C. Grant, P.E.
Secretary, Standards Council
National Fire Protection Association, International
1 Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02269

Their fax number is 617-770-0700.

For those that may be sending in a letter via FedEx, the phone number is 617-770-3000.

They may also be e-mailed to mmaynard@nfpa.org. Click on the e-mail address on the left to start writing your e-mailed letter now!

Many thanks to Shane Cleary and Bay Alarm for their vital time and support on this effort, and to many others who have supported the industry on this issue.

If you have ever said that one person can’t make a difference, you are wrong. Remember, the final vote came back 81 to 80 against Proposal 72-381.

"YOU are the one vote we need.

You have The Power of One."¹

We will be sending another CSAA Signals tomorrow related to another appeal which would effectively delete from NFPA 72 certain sections which require central station service and certification and placarding. More on this tomorrow.

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