CSAA Applauds Effort, FARA Expresses Support for NFPA 731

As the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has
started its World Safety Conference and Exposition in Las
Vegas, two more alarm industry associations have weighed in
on NFPA 731 – a proposed standard for the installation of
electronic security system – whose adoption will be decided
at this week’s expo.

Like the NFPA’s several life safety codes, NFPA 731
provides standards for installers and alarm companies to
follow when installing and operation intrusion detection
systems. It also issues standards for access control, CCTV
and the integration of systems.

The NFPA Standards Council will decide whether to adopt
NFPA 731 during its meetings at the expo, taking place at
the Mandalay Bay Resort and Convention Center.
Representatives from the National Burglar and Fire Alarm
Association (NBFAA) plan to raise objections at the meeting
and will ask that NFPA 731 be sent back to committee for
further work.

The Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), which had
some of its members on the committee that formulated NFPA
731, has given support to the effort to create
the “Standard for the Installation of Electronic Premise
Security Systems.” However, the CSAA also expresses
reservations on some of the aspects of the proposed
standards.

“It is difficult to produce a comprehensive standard, such
as the proposed NFPA 731, that is acceptable to all from
a ‘blank sheet of paper,'” says a statement issued by the
CSAA. “While members of CSAA have some issues with the
proposed NFPA 731 Standard, CSAA applauds the effort and is
optimistic that its representatives will do their best to
correct the issues raised in a timely manner.”

Meanwhile, the False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA) has
given its full endorsement of NFPA 731. FARA’s board of
directors voted unanimously June 1 to support adoption of
the standard.

“The standard lays out reasonable requirements – including
equipment standards, needed requirements for back-up power,
specification of minimum training of design and
installation personnel, and procedures for conducting and
documenting user training – which can be adopted by
individual alarm users, alarm companies, state governments
and or localities to improve the overall quality of systems
and help to reduce false alarms,” says FARA President Norma
Beaubien in a statement. “We feel the adoption and
enforcement of standards, like NFPA 731, are a critical
part of the international effort to reduce false alarms.”

The NBFAA previously TARGET=’_blank’>announced its opposition to NFPA 731,
citing the vagueness of the language in the proposed
standard and the lack of current security technology to
adapt to it.

In a letter sent to the NFPA committee on June 3 and
released to the media on June 6, NBFAA Vice President
George Gunning formally asked the NFPA to reconsider NFPA
731, which has been in the works for three years, and
further refine it to better suit the alarm industry.

“We will not argue against your stated mission and purpose.
What we can tell you is that your goals of enhancing public
safety will not be advanced by adopting NFPA 731 in its
current form. It does not promote safety and security, and
it may do harm,” Gunning, currently running unopposed for
the NBFAA presidency, said in the statement. “We ask that
NFPA 731 be returned to the committee for further review.
We also ask that NFPA initiate a process to determine the
purpose of developing this standard, and restate the
mission of NFPA 731. We believe this will result in a
better standard that will, in fact, make a positive impact
on the communities we serve.”

NOTE: The NFPA has approved NFPA 731 and NFPA
730. For the story, TARGET=’_blank’>click here.