By now, you’ve no doubt taken a look at the new NTS e-newsletter, NTS News. We’re looking for companies to profile in NTS News each month and that company could be yours!

We want to feature companies that are advocates of training and go out of their way to support NTS courses.  If your company is an NTS supporter, don’t be shy!  Send us your contact information including your name, phone number and email address and we’ll get in touch with you.  We’re interested in your experiences with NTS.

If you know of companies that support NTS courses and are advocates of training, take a moment to send us their names and we’ll follow up.

Send your information to NTS@alarm.org.

Thank you so much!

A new Carbon Monoxide Alarms Law went into effect February 22 in the state of New York.

The new law requires a carbon monoxide alarm to be installed “within each dwelling unit or sleeping unit having a sleeping area,” and “within each dwelling unit or sleeping unit, on each story where a carbon monoxide source is located,” for all buildings constructed on or after January 1, 2008. The law stipulates that one carbon monoxide alarm will be sufficient when installed on a story of a dwelling unit or sleeping unit having both a sleeping area and a carbon monoxide source.

For buildings constructed before January 1, 2008, a carbon monoxide alarm must be installed on the lowest story having a sleeping area within each dwelling unit or sleeping unit.

The law also requires that carbon monoxide alarms be interconnected within the same unit in such a way that when one alarm is triggered, all of the alarms in the unit will sound with the exception of alarms that are permitted to be battery operated.

For more information, visit http://dos.state.ny.us/code/COAlarm.htm and http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wrvo/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1614377

Mission 500, a strictly non-profit organization partnering with World Vision and dedicated to serving the needs of children and communities in crisis, responded to Haiti’s needs by raising almost $26,000 for relief efforts.

The fundraising effort took place as part of the ING half marathon held in Miami on January 31 where more than 20 people along with friends and family from the South Florida’s security industry participated.

“It was a beautiful day with a 70 degree temperature at the start, and some sprinklings of rain half way through to cool things off,” reported Ian McCluskey of Kroll. Ian was one of Team Mission 500’s top fundraisers and had run before in the ING.

The race started at the American Airlines arena and runners ran toward Miami Beach over the causeway with cruise ships lining the port, up the famed Ocean Drive with its art Deco hotels, and then back across to the mainland over the Venetian causeway with its picturesque sights of the bay. Over 18,000 runners registered to take part, making this one of the fasted growing running events of its type in the United States.

The goal was to raise US $25,000 to help with relief efforts for Haiti. The 23 runners of the Mission 500 team were part of a larger World Vision Team of almost 200 that combined, raised over $100,000 through this effort.

A third of the Mission 500 team ran a half marathon for the very first time. Luz Garcia and Lorena Stapff of Latin Press both said “This was a great experience; call us anytime to do it again!” Diego Lozano of Quaddrix also did his first half-marathon and despite the short-term pain promised to sign up for 2011. Frank Green from Silmar was disappointed with his 1:24 time as others who took 3 hours stood stunned at his speed. Silmar was also instrumental in getting staff and some customers involved and contributed $3,000 toward team Mission 500.

Anyone wishing to support relief for Haiti and the Mission 500 running team can still donate by visiting http://twv.convio.net/goto/mission500team. You can also help with the immediate relief efforts for Haiti by making a cash donation at: www.worldvision.org/mission500haiti

Mission 500’s next industry initiative is a 5K charity run at ISC West in Las Vegas on March 25, 2010. This first of a kind event at an ISC Expo was conceived to engage new corporate sponsors as well as individuals within the industry. Altronix Corporation, Axis, HID, LRG Marketing Communications, Morse Watchmans and Safety Technology International Inc. are charter sponsors. The Security 5K / Mission 500 Race is a joint collaboration between United Publications, publishers of Security Systems News and Security Director News; Reed Exhibitions, proprietors of ISC Expos; and Mission 500. More details at www.mission500.org or you can register to walk or run at www.firstgiving.com/mission500

Following more than two years of determined effort, and overcoming steep opposition, the Electronic Security Association (ESA) is pleased to announce that the New York State Apprenticeship Council has approved the New York Burglar & Fire Alarm Associations application for a Unilateral Apprenticeship and Training program for the occupation of Protective Signal Installer (Fire Life Safety and Electronic Security Installer).

The approval of the apprenticeship program will guarantee New Yorkers working in the electronic security industry an opportunity to submit bids on construction work in New York. A series of new local ordinances requires companies to have an apprenticeship program, whether prevailing wage or not. Because of these ordinances large security and fire alarm jobs were previously beyond the industry’s reach.

ESA’s apprenticeship standards were federally approved in September 2006. Following federal approval, interested ESA Chartered Chapters are required to locally adopt these standards and file with the state agency for approval. The acceptance of the application gives NYBFAA member and non-member companies the ability to fill the void for qualified security and fire alarm technicians in New York and to provide structured, quality training to the industry at a reasonable cost.

“It took 28 months from application to approval but the ESA apprenticeship program was finally accepted,” said Ron Petrarca, former chair of ESA’s Apprenticeship Committee. “During our lengthy application process we watched and applauded the ESA Chartered Chapters Louisiana, Missouri and Nevada as they obtained their registered apprenticeship programs. Their success also reinforced our conviction that this was an important effort to the future of our industry and gave us the incentive to continue on with the job of securing a registered program in the state of New York.”

Michael A. Miller, president of the Electronic Security Association, said, “This is exciting news for NYBFAA. We want to commend Ron Petrarca who has worked so diligently on this apprenticeship program, along with members of the NYBFAA. We know, at the New York state level, that Ron has been the main driver of this effort and we truly appreciate all he has done.”

A record 200 plus industry leaders, chapter leaders, business owners and managers descended upon Fort Worth, Texas last week to take part in the annual ESA Leadership Summit.

It was a productive event that was packed with high-level association meetings, training seminars and social and networking events that left no one out of the fun. A full recap of all the exciting developments at this year’s event is provided below. Photos, presentations and documents from the event can also be downloaded by visiting the event recap pages online.

Many thanks to the Executive Strategic Partners who stepped up to sponsor individual events.  GE Security was the corporate sponsor, Honeywell sponsored the Leadership Awards dinner, ADI sponsored the networking lunch, Altronix sponsored the Chapter Appreciation Reception, and Security America Risk Retention Group and Diebold sponsored the Leadership Breakfast.

Board approves an ex-officio seat for Young Security Professionals

Recognizing the importance of Young Security Professionals (YSP) in the future of ESA, the board approved a motion to include the chairman of the YSPs as an ex-officio member.  Currently, Trevor McEnany serves as the YSP chair and will represent YSP in this position.

New format for next year’s Leadership Summit announced

At the State Leadership Breakfast on Wednesday morning, John Galante of AE Ventures presented the new format of the 2011 Leadership Summit.  The summit will be comprised of two parts:  a two-day hosted event followed by two days of the traditional Leadership Summit format.

The hosted event will be headed by AE Ventures. Integrator members of the ESA board of directors, executive committee, committee chairs and senior executives from the top-dollar volume members of ESA will be eligible for hosting benefits which include air fare, ground transportation in the host city, food and beverage and lodging. In recognition of these benefits, guests agree to attend all general sessions, boardroom presentations and one-on-one meetings with vendor sponsors. Vendors choosing boardroom sponsorships will have appointment times with senior decision makers from industry-leading companies. Sponsorship opportunities for social functions and general sessions are also available.

The second half of the event will feature two days of the valuable association meetings, social functions and topical seminars that all ESA members have come to appreciate and enjoy.

Leadership awards

ESA honored several outstanding individuals and states for their dedication to the electronic security industry during the 2010 Leadership Summit.

Instructor of the Year

Don Childers won this year’s Instructor of the Year award because of his tireless work on behalf of NTS.  He developed courses, got them approved by the necessary regulatory agencies, scheduled and promoted a statewide and year-long training program, all while never accepting any compensation for the hours of planning and instructing he personally conducted on behalf of his state and NTS. All of these accomplishments were done in a spirit of honest and humble service to the association and its members. Dom D’Ascoli, ESA Vice President/President-Elect, accepted the award on Don’s behalf.

State Training Coordinator of the Year

Because of his commitment to the training activities of his Chartered Chapter, John Yusza from Connecticut was awarded State Training Coordinator of the Year. His work developing the training program and coordination the state certified instructors, as well as taking on the responsibility of submitting NTS course materials to Connecticut for approval as an alternative to the State’s Apprenticeship Training Curriculum to submit earned him the honor. Accepting the award on John’s behalf were state Education Committee Chairman Joel Kent and Connecticut 1st Vice President Jason Sokol.

Chapter Newsletter of the Year

InSecurity, published by the Arizona Alarm Association won the Chapter Newsletter of the Year award for its effectiveness as a member communications service, well-written articles that convey helpful information and strong support of ESA activities, consistent distribution, and quality layout and design.

Maria Malice, president of the Arizona Alarm Association, accepted the award.

Executive Director of the Year

Gwen Clavelle from the Louisiana Life Safety and Security Association exhibited the characteristics necessary to win:  she clarifies the vision of the chapter and puts that vision into action, she solidifies the relationship between their chapter and the national association and is a leader within the security industry, her community and her personal spheres of influence. LLSSA President Mary Ferguson accepted the award on her behalf.

President of the Year

Because of her hard work and the ability to lead people from different backgrounds and the initiative she takes to get things done, Maria Malice was honored with the President of the Year award.  She was a driving force in doubling the chapter membership, hiring a lobbyist to work on state-wide licensing issues and making the chapter newsletter a leading newsletter among chapter newsletters.

Chapter of the Year

The chapter of the year award was bestowed on the Arizona Alarm Association because of its dedication to the betterment of, and unwavering loyalty to, the industry. Other criteria were effectiveness of meetings, engagement in industry issues at local, state and national levels, vision and results demonstrated by volunteer leadership and/or paid staff, effectiveness and quality of products and services provided to members, its communications, public relations, and government relations, its training and the networking opportunities it presents.

As the founder or owner of your business, you create the vision but your employees define what the business is to customers. Are the majority of your employees meeting your expectations, and delivering the consistent level of service and professional productivity that you and your business require?  Are you satisfied with the revenue and profitability that each of your employees is generating for your business?

If your answer to both of these questions is “yes”, you are very fortunate indeed!

On the other hand, if you’re frustrated by employees who don’t reach your expectations…aren’t happy with your revenue and profitability, and are continually looking for good job applicants, you are not alone.

Because labor costs are typically second only to material costs, the tools and systems provided by Willow Creek Consultants (www.willowcc.com) have been proven to reduce labor costs and improve profitability.  By combining the best tools on the market with the latest technology in Internet-based delivery, even the smallest company has access to human resource capabilities typically found only in large corporations.  Programs from Willow Creek Consultants include:

• Labor law compliance
• On-line job applications
• Employee selection and background screening
• Performance evaluations
• Leadership development programs

Changing business practices involves risk.  Willow Creek Consultants has been successful at taking the risk out of change.  Our tools and systems meet or exceed all government requirements and are used successfully by over 35,000 companies worldwide.  We provide training seminars and newsletter articles to educate on simple tips and techniques that improve productivity at little or no cost.  Then, at no cost, we provide a 30-minute Confidential Needs Analysis to identify specific problem areas and improvement opportunities.  A no-cost demonstration allows you the chance to see how their programs provide immediate improvements, without adding administrative burden.  There is no long-term subscription or service contract to fulfill.  Assessment tools and support services are charged at an as-used price, with additional discounts for volume purchases.

To learn more visit our website: www.willowcc.com.  Or, give us a call at (208) 762-8638 or email Vicki@willowcc.com to request your free Confidential Needs Analysis. As an ESA Member Value Program, ESA members will receive a discount on consulting fees, from $120 per hour to $90 per hour, and a 10 percent discount on other services and products.

Willow Creek Consultants specializes in “maximizing workforce potential”.  The principals of Willow Creek Consultants, Steve and Vicki Wilson, have over 50 years of combined human resource experience.  Steve has been certified as a Staffing Specialist (NAPS) and a Professional Employer Specialist (NAPEO).  Vicki has been certified as a Professional in Human Resources (SHRM).

Mission 500, a strictly non-profit organization affiliated with World Vision and dedicated to serving the needs of children and communities in crisis, was already responding to Haiti’s needs through fundraising efforts when the major 7.0 earthquake hit just 10 miles outside of Port Au Prince, Haiti.

“Now, more than ever, Haiti needs help,” said George Fletcher, a Mission 500 volunteer. “We urge everyone in the security industry to get involved in supporting our efforts to aid in what is perhaps the worst natural disaster in terms of human toll of our lifetime in the Americas.”

To make matters worse, there have also been a series of 5.7+ aftershocks and Haiti has already been classified a Category III emergency by World Vision’s emergency relief team, the highest emergency response level. With reports of collapsed buildings, including hospitals, World Vision anticipates massive needs and a difficult response effort.

“It felt as if a truck had hit a wall,” said World Vision staffer Magalie Boyer, of the initial tremor. “This was the most powerful earthquake on record in the area and there is extensive damage in the city. People are spending the night in the streets. They are not comfortable staying in their houses. World Vision Haiti will distribute first aid kits to survivors, along with basic materials such as soap, blankets, clothes and bottles of water as an initial response,” Boyer added.

World Vision has worked in Haiti for 30 years and has approximately 370 staff members in the country. The downed communications, blocked roads and continuing aftershocks slowed relief efforts overnight, with staff unable to leave the agency’s Port-au-Prince office for several hours due to fallen debris in the roadways.

Reaching hard-hit areas with supplies is expected to be a significant challenge due to the damaged roads and infrastructure, including the main airport and government buildings.

World Vision’s workers from less affected regions of Haiti are mobilizing and the agency’s global experts are expected to arrive in the disaster zone with relief goods as soon as possible.

“We would be very concerned about a quake of this magnitude anywhere in the world, but it is especially devastating in Haiti, where people are acutely vulnerable because of poor infrastructure and extreme poverty,” said Edward Brown, World Vision’s relief director in the United States.

According to the U.N. Office for the Special Envoy for Haiti, unemployment reaches 70 percent nationally, and 78 percent of Haitians live on less than $2 a day. A New York Times story in 2008 reported that one in five children is chronically malnourished. The one business booming amid all the gloom is the selling of patties made of mud, oil and sugar, typically consumed only by the most destitute. “It’s salty and it has butter and you don’t know you are eating dirt,” said Olwich Louis Jeune, 24, who has taken to eating them more often in recent months. It makes your stomach quiet down.”

The disaster is the latest to befall Haiti, which has a population of about 9 million people and is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Hurricane Gordon killed more than 1,000 people in 1994, while Hurricane Georges killed more than 400 and destroyed the majority of the country’s crops in 1998. In 2004, heavy rains from Hurricane Jeanne — which passed north of the country — caused landslides and flooding that killed more than 3,000 people, mostly in the northwestern city of Gonaives. Gonaives was hit heavily again in 2008, when four tropical systems passed through.

Well before the earthquake hit, Mission 500 was taking action to Haiti’s needs through a fundraising effort during the upcoming ING Marathon to be held in Miami. As of today, about 40 people from the Security Industry community in South Florida are scheduled to participate in the ING Half Marathon on January 31, 2010. The goal is to raise US $25,000 to help sponsor needy children as part of Operation “Hope for Haiti”. Mission 500 already has over $11,000.00 in committed donations. Silmar, a Miami based security distributor is committed to getting 20 runners and sponsoring them. More than 15 other individuals have also made the commitment to participate.

Anyone wishing to support relief for Haiti and the Mission 500 running team can donate by visiting http://twv.convio.net/goto/mission500team. You can also help with the immediate relief efforts for Haiti by making a cash donation at: www.worldvision.org/mission500haiti

Mission 500 is also hosting a 5K charity run at ISC West in Las Vegas on March 25, 2010. This first of a kind event at an ISC Expo was conceived to engage new corporate sponsors as well as individuals within the industry. Altronix Corporation, HID, LRG Marketing Communications and Morse Watchmans are charter sponsors to date. The Security 5K / Mission 500 Race is a joint collaboration between United Publications, publishers of Security Systems News and Security Director News; Reed Exhibitions, proprietors of ISC Expos; and Mission 500. More details at www.mission500.org or you can register to walk or run at www.firstgiving.com/mission500.

Every year, Security Sales & Integration compiles a comprehensive and helpful list of trends and profiles of the security industry which serves to establish the profile and practices of a typical manager working in the security installation business today.

SSI is able to compile charts, graphs and tables about our industry because members take the time to respond to the survey.  These facts and figures are used by customers, the news media and ourselves to help us understand our industry and the direction we’re headed.

Please take a few minutes to respond to SSI’s survey.

Thank you!

Take the Survey

Rocky Bleier, who played as running back on four Super Bowl winning Pittsburgh Steelers teams, will deliver the keynote luncheon address at the Electronic Security Expo, June 15-17, 2010 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Bleier’s keynote, “Leaning Forward Into Life,” will share his journey from a soldier seriously wounded on the battlefields of Vietnam to starting running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl championship teams of the 1970s.

“Rocky Bleier is a true American hero, having overcome injuries that almost kept him from walking to becoming a football star only a few years later,” says ESX Chair, George De Marco. “His inspirational story will provide ESX attendees with the drive to perform exceptionally and improve their businesses.”

While serving in the Army, Bleier was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He is also the author of “Fighting Back,” which was made into an ABC movie of the week in 1980.

The keynote luncheon, sponsored by Security Dealer & Integrator, will take place on Wednesday, June 16 at 12 pm in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Tickets to the luncheon can be purchased at www.esxweb.com/register.

For more information on exhibiting or attending, contact Shannon Murphy at smurphy@ae-ventures.com or 508-618-4224. Call 877-628-9558 or email info@ae-ventures.com for general inquiries.

We are honored to announce that Honeywell Security Group has returned as a Platinum-level sponsor through the ESA Executive Strategic Partner program available only to ESA associate members.

As a Platinum Executive Strategic Partner, Honeywell will gain exposure to thousands of qualified prospects and top decision makers through print and electronic media, at ESA events and through the ESA Web site.

George De Marco, ESA Executive Strategic Partnership program chair said, “Honeywell’s platinum-level commitment to the Executive Strategic Partner program represents their belief in, and support of, ESA programs and initiatives. We recognize them as major contributors to the value and success of ESA and thank them for furthering our mission of advancing the industry and industry professionals.”

Companies interested in knowing more about the Executive Strategic Partnership program should contact ESA Associate Executive Director, Tonja Jenkins, at (888) 447-1689 or via e-mail at TonjaJ@alarm.org.

NTS’s 2010 Course Catalog should arrive on your doorstep within the next few weeks. Packed full of useful information on each of NTS’s powerful training courses, the 2010 catalog provides a unique roadmap down a career path of success.

For now, check out these exciting opportunities to expand your horizons through the training courses offered by NTS this month.

Complete course descriptions (and schedules) are available at www.alarm.org in the Education & Training section. Individuals in states where classes are not currently offered, and who are interested in receiving training, should contact NTS.

CERTIFIED ALARM TECHNICIAN

• Jan. 8 – 10 – Lafayette, LA
• Jan. 14 – 16 – Mobile, AL
• Jan. 26 – 28 – Allentown, PA

Rodney Bosch, managing editor for Security Sales & Integration, was one of the more than 300 attendees at this year’s California Alarm Association (CAA) Winter Convention that was recently held at the Hilton San Francisco near Union Square.

“The significance of the CAA’s positive impact on installing security contractors was on fine display during its winter convention in San Francisco,” Bosch wrote on his blog after the event. (Read the full article.)

The event featured three days of networking, educational sessions, vendor exhibits, and a tribute to George DeMarco, recipient of the 2009 George A. Weinstock Lifetime Achievement Award.

Check out these exciting pictures from the event.

ESA President Michael A. Miller addresses attendees during the general session at the CAA Winter Convention.

More than 300 industry leaders attended the 2009 CAA Winter Convention at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square December 10-12, 2009. California Attorney General Jerry Brown gave the welcome address. The program included workshops, CAA Executive Symposium and the CAA Tribute Dinner.

CAA George A. Weinstock Award recipient George De Marco received a surprise performance by his daughter, Lauren, at the CAA Tribute Dinner in San Francisco.

Past recipients Harvey Eisenstadt, Roger Westphal, Bruce Westphal, Ron Spiller, Frank Burke, Lessing Gold, George Gunning, Tony Smith, and Rod Uffindell celebrated the awarding of the CAA George A. Weinstock Award to George De Marco (center) at the CAA Tribute Dinner in San Francisco.

Security professionals have an opportunity to run to benefit needy children around the world. Mission 500 is proud to announce that it will hold a 5K race in Las Vegas on March 25. This first of a kind event for the security industry is a joint collaboration between United Publications, publishers of Security Systems News and Security Director News, Reed Exhibitions and Mission 500.

The run will take place from 7:30 – 8:30 am. Runners will be able to register for a nominal $30 fee and all net proceeds raised will go to charity.

Mission 500 has already raised more than $115,000 from sponsors and supporters from the security industry. Only $1 per day helps feed, educate and cater to a needy child’s health care needs.

Deister Electronics will be the time keeping sponsor and four companies, Altronix, HID, LRG Marketing & Communications, and Morse Watchman have already committed to sponsoring the race. Mission 500 hopes to secure 10 more sponsors.

Anyone interested in sponsoring and/or running in Security 5K should contact George Fletcher at 305-321-3193. Sponsoring events such as these provide many benefits. Companies will stand out as good corporate citizens, show leadership in the industry, enhance and improve their brand perception, motivate staff by creating a team-building initiative and most importantly, save and transform lives.

Tri-Ed is pleased to welcome LAN Power Systems to its team of vendor partners. A great addition to Tri-Ed’s product family, LAN Power has developed breakthrough technology for Video Surveillance over UTP, IP Security over UTP and Power over Ethernet systems.

Their VIPER, COBRA and EAGLE systems reduce costs both in up-front installation and in maintenance over the life of the system. Their modular designs accommodate end users by delivering the precise size solution for their current needs. End users can also easily make system changes or additions as their needs change and grow.

“Tri-Ed is very proud to partner with LAN Power,” notes James Rothstein, Senior Vice President. “Their innovative product line is a great addition to our IP category.” “LAN Power is excited to introduce its technology to integrators across the U.S. through Tri-Ed’s distribution channels,” adds Tom Kneis, Commercial Director for LAN Power Systems. “We also look forward to participating in Tri-Ed’s Tech Tour trainings in 2010. It’s a great opportunity to familiarize Tri-Ed customers with our products and technology to help meet their IP system needs. ”

ESA would like to thank the following individuals for their generous donations to the ESA PAC:

• Elizabeth Cain, Retired
• Dom D’Ascoli, Smoky Mountain Systems, Inc.
• Merlin Guilbeau, Electronic Security Association
• John Knox, Life & Property Security Systems, Inc.
• David Koenig, Capital Fire & Security
• Marshall Marinace, Marshall Alarm Systems, Inc.
• Emil Wengel, Wengel Electronics, Inc.
• George Gunning, USA Alarm Systems, Inc.
• Tim Creenan, Amherst Alarm, Inc.
• Mike Horgan, H&S Protection Systems, Inc.

Your commitment to helping grow the ESA PAC is sincerely appreciated.

Donations from our membership helps us elect and support legislators who understand our key issues.  In 2010, we will continue to monitor legislation, work with our allies in the federal government and provide our members with a voice in Washington.

Please consider contributing to the PAC in 2010. If you have not signed the necessary Prior Approval for Solicitation form, which allows us to solicit you for support, please fill it out and help us represent our industry on Capitol Hill.

Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) introduced HR 1796 and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced S. 1216, the “Residential Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act.”  We are networking with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), SIA and others to determine an industry approach to the bill.  There is no plan in Congress to pass it before January 1.

A broad hearing on carbon monoxide poisoning is being held this week by the Senate Consumer Protection Subcommittee on Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. We have sent a joint letter along with SIA and NEMA, commending the committee for holding the hearing. Senator Klobuchar has agreed to put the letter on the record and will be mentioning it during the hearing. (Read a copy of the letter.)