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In This Issue
NBFAA News
Our Sympathies for Those Impacted by the California Wildfires
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We wish to extend our heartfelt sympathies to the members, their families and their customers that have been impacted by the devastating wildfires that have terrorized California this week.
We hope everyone in the path of the blaze has been evacuated safely. If there is anything that NBFAA can do to help those that have been displaced from their homes, we are here to help as best we can.
We are all family, and as such, we look out for each other. Please call our number at (888) 447-1689 if you need assistance.
If you want to donate to help those affected by this event, we have provided access to local and national organizations (below).
The American Red Cross is coordinating the relief efforts. To find out how you can help, visit their site on fire relief. They also have a site to find those who have been displaced in the fires.
The San Diego Salvation Army is also providing support. Visit their Web site for more information.
The San Diego Medical Societies are posting information about how to deal with medical emergencies related to the fire and gathering volunteers. Visit their Web site to learn more.
The San Diego Apartment Association and the San Diego Association of Realtors are working with their members to find apartments for displaced residents. To learn more, visit the SDAA and SDAR sites.
Save the Date for the Leadership Summit
Help kick off a year of celebrating the NBFAA's 60th anniversary – the Diamond Jubilee – and a Legacy of Leadership by attending our Leadership Summit in Dallas/Fort Worth beginning on Tuesday, January 15.
This four-day event, to be held in Irving, Texas, will include a chapter workshop, committee meetings, the Board of Directors’ breakfast and meeting, as well as a member reception, leadership dinner and a chapter appreciation reception on Thursday sponsored by Altronix.
A complete schedule of events is available on our Web site (www.alarm.org).
The NBFAA Leadership Summit will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn DFW Airport South. Reservations may be made online through the hotel directly. Attendees will need to enter the dates of their stay on the right hand side of the screen and click on Go. On the second page, enter your preferences and input the code NBF in the Group/Convention Code space in the Special Accounts section at the bottom of the page. The deadline to reserve your hotel room is January 1, 2008.
: The Official Airline of the NBFAA Leadership Summit
For those flying to Dallas to attend the event, NBFAA has received a discount for its members through American Airlines. Attendees should go to www.aa.com and make their flight reservations using the promotion code A8118AT.
Be sure to book your room and flight early as space is limited.
October State Legislative Report Now Online
The October State Legislative Report is now available online in the Members section of NBFAA’s Web site.
Each month, NBFAA’s government relations team monitors all 50 states and tracks hundreds of bills that have the potential to impact your business. The team then organizes these bills by state and places them on the NBFAA State Legislative Report providing their current status and a summary of the bill’s intent.
This month’s report contains subject highlights of the following types of bills:
- 92 bills relating to Alarms
- 10 bills relating to Automatic Contract Renewal
- 79 bills relating to Licensing
- 12 bills relating to Taxes
- 7 bills relating to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Of particular interest this month, Illinois S 1366, relating to licensing, was amendatory vetoed by the Governor and both Houses overrode the veto; Massachusetts H 2329 relating to registration requirements for security alarm installation companies was heard in committee and is now eligible for executive session; Ohio H 41 relating to licensing passed in the House and is pending in the Senate; Wisconsin S 167 relating to licensing, began consideration in the Senate - an amendment was offered on September 21, 2007 to increase the exemption for low-voltage installation from 50 to 100 volts.
The NBFAA State Legislative Report is a member benefit. If you are not a member, visit www.alarm.org and click on How To Join or contact NBFAA today at (888) 447-1689 to discuss your membership options.
Be a Part of NBFAA History and Help Celebrate the Past 60 Years
 NBFAA Executive Director Merlin Guilbeau receives dancing lessons at NBFAA's 50th anniversary celebration in San Antonio, Texas |
It’s an opportunity that only comes around once. Here’s your chance to be a part of history and show your support for the NBFAA. 2008 will mark NBFAA’s Diamond Jubilee year – 60 years as an association! To commemorate the event and to share our history, NBFAA will publish a 60th anniversary tribute book, Tribute to a Legacy of Leadership.
All 2008 members will receive a copy, and we will be distributing at the inaugural ESX event in Nashville. (More information about ESX.)
One of the highlights of Tribute to a Legacy of Leadership will be stories about the many multi-generational companies that have helped our industry grow, but we need your help to tell those stories. Please contact us if your family's company spans multiple generations. We want to feature YOU.
Also, we are hoping to highlight as many of the long-time NBFAA member companies as we can. So please, let us hear your stories, how long you've been in business and where you want your company and the industry to go. If you have photos of your company when it first started, and what it is like today, send those as well.
Photos can be sent to:
NBFAA
2300 Valley View Lane, Suite 230
Irving, TX 75062
Be sure to include information about who's in the photo and when and where it was taken. We will need a return address to send the photos back to you once we've finished with them. If you have a hi-res digital version of the photos, you can e-mail those to Georgia Calaway at georgiac@alarm.org.
It has been an exciting 60 years, and with your help, we can make it a memorable celebration. To help contribute to this project, contact us today at (888) 447-1689 or send an e-mail to communications@alarm.org.
Finally, you won’t want to be left out of this once-in-a-lifetime publication. Make sure your company is included with a tribute sponsorship.
Check out the opportunities here.
Become FAIMous with NTS
Sign up for a Fire Alarm Installation Method (FAIM) course in your area today and receive world-class training in fire alarm services.
This two-day course is ideal for individuals seeking to expand their knowledge of the installation, service and maintenance of fire alarm systems. Additionally, this course provides the necessary review material to prepare for NICET Level 1 and 2 examinations.
This course follows the structure of NFPA 72 and is based on the 1996 edition of NFPA 72 and NFPA 70. This course will end with the administration of a two-hour, multiple-choice examination. Attendees successfully completing the examination will receive a certificate of course completion.
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Once upon a time, there was an alarm installation technician that was sent to a customer’s residence to install their new alarm system. The technician was nervous because he never received the industry’s best training from NTS. When he arrived, the customer could see how nervous he was. The technician kept looking over the equipment and hoped he could figure out the best possible way to install it, but he just didn’t know how. Finally, the customer, realizing the technician’s poor training, asked him to leave and told him they would be looking for a new alarm company. |
Please use the following to contact NTS:
Send any hard copy correspondence to NTS at the following address:
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Electronic Access Control Life Safety Code Course & Workshop Networking 101 Understanding Alarm Systems Video System Technology |
Don’t let this horror story happen to your company. Keep your technicians trained and up to date on all the latest techniques with the best training from NTS. Visit the Professional Development section on the NBFAA Web site for more information.
Complete course descriptions and schedules are available at www.alarm.org in the Professional Development section. Classroom courses are listed by state and class type. Individuals in states where classes are not currently offered, who are interested in receiving training, should contact NTS.
Upcoming courses:
Advanced Burglar Alarm Technician
Nov. 13 – 14 – Ft. Walton, Fla.
Nov. 10 – 11 – Jackson, Miss.
Business Growth Strategies
Nov. 14 – Boston, Mass
Nov. 16 – Buffalo, N.Y.
Certified Alarm Technician (Level I)
Oct. 26 – 28 – Montevallo, Ala.
Nov. 2 – 4 – Lafayette, La.
Nov. 2 – 4 – Jackson, Miss.
Nov. 2 – 4 – Memphis, Tenn.
Nov. 7 – 9 – Little Rock, Ark.
Nov. 7 – 9 – West Virginia
Nov. 13 – 15 – Owings Mills, Md.
Nov. 15 – 17 – Greensville, S.C.
Nov. 28 – 30 – Riverside, Calif.
Nov. 28 – 30 – Long Island, N.Y.
Fire Alarm Installation Methods
Nov. 2 – 3 – Montgomery, Ala.
Nov. 10 – 11 – Gaithersburg, Md.
Nov. 13 – 14 – Boston, Mass.
Nov. 13 – 14 – Teterboro, N.J.
Nov. 17 – 18 – Jackson, Miss.
Nov. 28 – 29 – Kansas
Nov. 28 – 30 – Buffalo, N.Y.
NBFAA & Chapter Calendar Highlights
Keep an Eye out for These Upcoming Events to End the Year
Many chapters will be holding meetings and conventions as the remainder of the year winds down. Place these events on your calendar and be sure to attend to show your support of your local NBFAA chapter.
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GELSSA Quarterly Meeting Please join the Georgia Electronic Life Safety and Systems Association (GELSSA) for the Quarterly meeting Saturday November 3, 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at the Kingwood Resort in the Raven Room. Lunch will be served from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Rooms are $85.25 for single or double occupancy. More Information |
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LLSSA Convention and Trade Show Please mark your calendars and make plans to attend the 11th annual Louisiana Life Safety & Security Association (LLSSA) Convention and Trade Show, Nov. 14 – 16. The event will feature a golf tournament, putting contest, training opportunities, meetings and exhibits. More Information |
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CAA Winter Convention The California Alarm Association’s (CAA) 2007 Winter Convention will be held Dec. 6 – 8. The event will feature the presentation of the George A. Weinstock Award, exhibits and more. More Information |
For more information on these and other events, visit NBFAA’s Event Calendar online. If your chapter’s events aren’t included in NBFAA’s Event Calendar, then please forward the information to communications@alarm.org. We’ll follow up with your chapter leaders and make sure all their events are listed on the calendar.
Member Benefit Spotlight
Fill the Void with Custom Messages from On-Hold, Inc.
On Hold, Inc. |
“Please hold? Thank you for calling; can you hold?” It happens and you can't avoid it. If you're in business, the reality is you have to place callers "on hold.” Well, now you can use that "hold time" to maximize sales opportunities. NBFAA has teamed up with On-Hold Inc., the nation's leading on-hold message company, to offer members professionally produced custom on-hold messages. Now you can tell callers about products/services, locations/hours, advertise your Web site, promote special offers and more. The opportunities are endless! The time your callers spend "on hold" is an invaluable opportunity to market directly to a captive audience that should not be missed! |
Industry News You Can Use
Court Case in Washington State Affects Take-Home Vehicles
A ruling by the Supreme Court of the state of Washington may affect how you handle company vehicles.
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Change Your Clock Change Your Battery Program 20th Anniversary Opportunity
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and Energizer encourage you to actively participate in the 2007 Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The date this year is Nov. 4.
This fire safety and prevention program started in 1987 with just two fire departments in St. Louis and Atlanta. As a result, many Americans have adopted the habit of changing the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors at the same time they change their clocks in the fall.
NBFAA encourages its members to reach out to their customers and remind them of the importance of changing their batteries. Activities members can do in their own communities include:
- Reaching out to a neighborhood that you feel is a high risk for home fires.
- Going door-to-door asking residents if you can check their smoke detectors.
- Inspecting and installing smoke detectors and batteries.
- Get with you local fire department and see what they are doing and how you can help.
For more information on how you can take part in this program, visit www.engergizer.com/firesafety.
Please note that Energizer only provides free batteries to fire departments.
Member News
Honeywell to Buy Hand Held Products
Honeywell International on Monday announced an agreement to acquire Hand Held Products, a privately held automatic identification and data collection company based in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y., for roughly $390 million. The company will become a part of Honeywell's Security Group, within the Automation and Control Solutions business.
:: Full Story
Bosch Security Names New President for North America
Bosch Security Systems announced today a new president for North America and a new leader of the company's sales for the Americas region.
:: Full Story
Tri-Ed Opens New Locations
Tri-Ed Distribution, one of North America's largest distributors of security and alarm technologies, just got a little bigger.
:: Full Story
Member Product News
New Altronix HubWayLD Delivers Video and Data up to 3000 Feet
Altronix, a manufacturer of low voltage power supplies and accessories for the electronic security industry, recently introduced the HubWayLD, the next generation of video/data/power products which bring the benefits of centralized transmission to larger and more complex video surveillance installations. HubWayLD transmits video and data on a single cable for distances of up to 3000 feet.
The new HubWayLD receiver hubs are available with eight or sixteen video channels in a space saving rack mount chassis that fits standard 19-inch racks or in wall mount or desktop configurations. The units can be ordered with or without integral distributed camera power outputs with several choices of power ratings.
DMP Introduces New Thinline Series Icon Keypad
Digital Monitoring Products (DMP) recently unveiled its new Thinline Series Icon Keypad at ASIS International 2007. This attractive keypad features simple, easy-to-see icons that guide the user through operation, making this keypad one of the fastest and easiest to use.
The sleek icon keypad also incorporates the new DMP patent-pending Cancel/Verify feature that enhances security while reducing false alarms. It provides users with a simple way to cancel or verify an alarm right at the keypad, avoiding potential false alarms and cutting response delays during real emergencies.
NBFAA and Members in the News
Recent Press Releases
CSAA/NBFAA Industry Leaders Appointed to Guide Design of New Security Show
NBFAA and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) announced today the appointment of several industry leaders to working groups that will guide the design, development and delivery of their new Electronic Security Expo (ESX).
:: Full story
For Member Update
Sponsorship information, contact
NBFAA Senior Director of Business Development Tonja
Jenkins.
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If you have questions, comments or concerns about Member Update, please contact the Communications Department.
All content © National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA)
2300 Valley View Lane, Suite 230 •Irving, TX 75062
Toll Free (888) 447-1689 • Local (214) 260-5970 • Fax (214) 260-5979