Is a 911 Security Alert Standard Coming?
We will soon learn the fate of the proposed Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) standard that could allow the automatic routing of alarm company alerts to 911 centers.

In an article on the Government Technology website, Andy Opsahl says that although alarm companies typically place a phone call to 911 centers when an alarm sounds, the proposed new standard would send them automatically.

Bill Hobgood, public safety team project manager of the Richmond,Virginia, Department of Information Technology told Opsahl an automated standard could eliminate 32 million calls nationally from the alarm companies to the 911 public safety answering points, erasing the two to three minutes of processing time call takers need for obtaining information from alarm company operators.

“That means police, fire and emergency medical services (EMS) will get to the scene of an emergency two and a half to three minutes faster,” Hobgood told Opsahl. “That will increase the likelihood of police apprehension. It increases the chances that fires will be extinguished faster, possibly avoiding a structure being completely engulfed when they arrive. Of course a bunch of lives will be saved from an EMS standpoint.”

APCO should announce whether the standard prevailed sometime this week. Some are concerned, however, that the new standard would prompt 911 centers to cut staff because there would be fewer incoming calls.

Hobgood told Opsahl he doubts that would happen. Fewer calls from alarm companies would free the call takers to answer the remaining calls promptly, he said.