APCO (Association of Public Communications Officials) will hold its annual conference in August in Orlando, FL this year. They feature a strong dose of ASAP information (Alarm System Automated Protocol). SIAC encourages you to consider attending to learn more about how ASAP can help improve police response to alarms in terms of effectiveness and speed. Learning more about ASAP allows you to work on this issue locally with law enforcement officials.
APCO, CSAA (Central Station Alarm Association) and Nlets (National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System) collaborate to bring ASAP to municipalities across the country. Active engagement by the alarm industry is extremely helpful in this effort. That must come from individuals and companies. Many leaders have stepped forward, but more are necessary if we are to see this important and effective growing trend take a stronger hold in many more jurisdictions.
At the APCO conference, you will be able to meet directly to talk with CSAA officials at their booth. In addition to that, there will be a key session, “ASAP: A Win-Win No-Brainer for Public Safety and the Alarm Industry,” Wednesday, August 17.
Speakers include Bill Hobgood, a subject matter expert on ASAP, Boca Raton’s Cindy Cevallos, CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn, and Duff Wheeler, representing Houston’s Emergency Center. They will describe the agencies that participate in the program, project implementation outcomes, and show a demo. Participants will see how the program reduces 9-1-1 processing and response times to alarm events while eliminating telephone calls, miscommunication errors , between alarm monitoring companies and 9-1-1 PSAPs. It’s a great learning opportunity for companies and individuals in our industry. Check it out here.
More than 20 PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) now use ASAP. More are in the works. See how you can help.