Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/31490
22 MONITORING www.securitysystemsnews.com JANUARY 2011 SECURITY SYSTEMS NEWS Micro Key, SureView integrate By Daniel Gelinas KISSIMMEE, Fla.—Micro Key Solutions and SureView sys- tems have come together to make life easier for the central station operator through a marriage of their Millennium and Immix automation plat- forms. “The big thing now with Millennium and Immix is that whatever the dealer has for video technology—no matter the receivers—it’s transparent to the user. It just doesn’t mat- ter anymore. Whatever they’ve got, it will work,” said Micro Key marketing consultant Gary Slavin. “A lot of solutions out there now—and even some of our earlier attempts with Millennium—you needed to For a more robust version of stories in this section, see: WWW.SECURITYSYSTEMSNEWS.COM n have the video interface, you needed to have the burg or fire event and then the operator had to physically make that connection. The good thing is that this is a single interface. Now you’ve got the operator looking at one screen for a seamless display of the burg and fire with the video.” The c omb ina t i on o f Micro Key’s Millennium and SureView’s Immix provides one tool for monitoring all types of burglar and fire alarms as well as video and access control events from a single platform. Slavin said the integrated platform enables central sta- tions to handle all possible technologies that dealers need to support, enhancing both Micro Key’s and SureView’s offerings. “Connecting our two data- bases with a single interface has simplified receiving video and alarms for our users. We have several companies that selected our solution because they wanted to add video verifi- cation and more advanced video services, but didn’t want to have to manage two platforms,” said SureView COO Scott Haugland, in a release. SSN Central station licensing considered in New York By Daniel Gelinas ALBANY, N.Y.—There’s legisla- tion in the works here that, if passed, would require all New York central station operators to be licensed. Some industry insiders, such as CIA Security president John Lombardi believe there’s merit in this type of leg- islation, while others, notably, Bart Didden of USA Central Station believe this legislation is a bad idea. The proposed legislation, called Article 6-E, first appeared last fall. It was developed by outgoing New York Senator Brian Foley and the 6-E Legislative Review Committee—which included Lombardi, Electronix Systems’ president Ron Petrarca, Amherst Alarm CEO Tim Creenan, Alarm Tech Central Service president Robert Spetta, and All Star Electronic Systems vice president Richard Talbot. Foley’s deputy chief of staff Bart Didden Krystyna Baumgartner explained to Security Systems News that Foley “was approached by a local securi ty industry group in September or October of last year with [the idea for this legislation].” Bart Didden has been a vocal critic of the 6-E Legislative Review Committee’s work. ARTICLE 6-E see page 24 TRAINING & INITIATIVES G4S’ new ‘guard’ training By Daniel Gelinas BOSTON—Jerry Cordasco, G4S monitoring and data center VP of operations, says the company’s new training course, which results in G4S Remote Guarding Certification, elevates its operators to the level of highly- trained remote guards and differentiates the advanced video moni- toring company from others in the space. “I f what we’re doing is really remote guarding, then we’re doing what a guard would do if he were physically there. If you’re going to do that, you By Daniel Gelinas HUNT VALLEY, Md.— AlarmWATCH, a central sta- tion based here, recently teamed up with UTC Fire & Security’s Interlogix division, and AlarMax Distributors to co-sponsor the first annual Protect-A-Thon security dealers’ competition, which awarded the lucky win- ners with a day of tailgating and NFL football. “It wasn’t just a game—it was a very well-done tailgate event. We had a big entertainment tent that was very well-catered with excellent food, all kinds of soda and beer,” said Jim Porter district manager for Interlogix. “The cheerleaders came by and the marching band dropped by. It was all part of what Guy [Kline, VP of sales and marketing for need to think and act like a guard,” Cordasco said. “To my knowledge no one else is doing this kind of training.” G4S is a CSAA Five Diamond Jerry Cordasco central station, a fact that assures G4S’ operators are already vetted to high industry stan- dards for monitoring of alarms. Isn’t that enough? Not accord- ing to Cordasco, who asserts the training program fills a gap. “There is really nothing in the CSAA training that is appli- cable to the world of remote guarding,” Cordasco said. “It’s all about fire alarms and burglar AlarmWATCH] set up.” The three-month-long initiative was conceived and spearheaded by AlarmWATCH’s Kline. “We’re located in Baltimore and it just made sense to come up with a fun way to build on the strength we have between our dealers we monitor for and AlarMax distributes to and Interlogix sup- plies,” Kline said. “We were looking for ways to bring all the big deal- ers and the small deal- ers, and the new guys and the medium-sized guys into one program where everyone could work with each other and build some excitement. So I contacted the Baltimore Ravens.” More than three hundred deal- alarms—stuff related to con- ventional intrusion.” The completion of the pro- gram provides G4S operators the knowledge and skill to communicate and interact effectively and professionally with on-site guard forces or law enforcement, Cordasco said. The training enables G4S to leverage the concept of tech- nology and manned guarding by taking technically skilled personnel and giving them manned guarding skill sets like security interviewing tech- niques, techniques of effective patrol, ethics in security, and conflict management. G4S see page 24 DEALER TOUCHDOWN! Guy Kline ers competed to get into the action by adding new accounts, raising RMR and boosting prod- uct add-on sales. Thirty-four teams competed to win tickets to the Nov. 7 Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins football game at Baltimore M&T Bank Stadium, as well as tailgate passes and sports memorabilia. Teams gained points by add- ing new accounts through advancing their knowledge of the latest technolo- gies, fielding new product questions and creating excite- ment in the work- place. Winning dealers were feted for their achievements at the AlarmWATCH-sponsored DEALERS see page 24 BRIEFS Niscayah receives Five Diamond Certification WOBURN, Mass.—The Central Station Alarm Association has announced that Niscayah, Inc-Woburn, Mass. has received CSAA Five Diamond Certification. Certification means that 100 percent of its central station operators have achieved proficiency and certification by passing the CSAA Central Station On-Line Operator Training Course. These courses cover virtually all phases of central station communications with customers, law enforcement, fire and emergency services communications centers. In order to achieve the Five Diamond Certification, each and every operator must have not only passed the course. According to the CSAA, there are approximately 2,700 central stations in the United States, which communicate and interact with the law enforcement, fire and emergency services agencies. Of this group fewer than 150 have achieved the Five Diamond Certified status. Stanley opens first U.K. customer service center WILSHIRE, U.K.—Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (Stanley CSS), part of Stanley Black & Decker, officially opened its first European ProtectionNet Customer Service Center in the U.K. on Nov. 2. The ProtectionNet Customer Service Centre is among the largest data and monitoring central stations in the U.K., with capacity to monitor more than 50,000 customers across the U.K. The center offers a comprehensive range of monitoring services, including enhanced call verification, traditional intrusion, Sonitrol audio verification, and advanced video verification moni- toring, in addition to fire alarm moni- toring and managed access control services. Xtralis launches the ADPRO Platform NORWELL, Mass.—Xtralis, a provider of solutions for early detection of secu- rity threats, on Nov. 22 introduced a suite of products designed specifically for central monitoring stations. ADPRO VideoCentral is a multi-site security management software applica- tion designed to monitor video and audio from remote sites using ADPRO video transmission systems. VideoCentral supports multiple PCs and operators. The software platform allows remote monitoring of staff, assets and general site activity with interactive, user-defin- able maps enabling an operator to call and control sites directly from a map layout. VideoCentral is an intuitive program with user-friendly icons, pull- down menus and wizards for ease of administration.