Central Stations Face Off Against NFPA On Fire Monitoring

Published Sep 18, 2018 15:40 PM

Central stations are facing off against the NFPA over what they call anti-competitive language in NFPA 72, the standard [link no longer available] that covers fire alarms. The central stations say the NFPA is unfairly favoring municipalities but the NFPA contends it is following an established democratic process.

In this note we examine:

  • What Happened
  • Contested Language
  • NFPA Speaks Up To IPVM
  • What Central Stations Say
  • Alleges Eliminating Competition From Private Industry
  • NFPA Rebuts, AHJ Still Needs To Approve
  • The Effect On Central Stations
  • Next - TMA Targeting 2022

What ********

******* ******** *** ** *** ********** Association (***) [**** ** ****** *********] wanted ** ****** ******** **** **** 72 **** ******** *** ******** ** UL-listed ********** ******* ** ******* **** alarms. *** **** ******* ** ****** voted *** ******** ******* ****. ********** companies *** ***** ** *********** ******* for ***** ****** *** **** **** the ********* *** ******** *** *** language ** ************** ******.

Contested ********

** ****, **** ******* *** ****** from ******** *********** *** '********* *********' to ********** '****** ******* *********** ********' as ***** ** *** ****** ********* below:

*** ****-*********** **** ** *** **** that *** *** ***** *******.

NFPA ****** ** ** ****

*** **** **** **** *** ***** process *** ********** *** **** *** code ****** ***** ** ** *** voted ** ** *** *********** ********. IPVM ***** **** ******* ****, ***** Liaison *** **** **.

*** ******* ** * *********-***** *******. If ** **** *** *** ***** way, ***** ****** ***** **** **********. The ********* ** *** ***. **’* been ** ***** *** * ***** now *** ** ***** ** ******** practice ***** *** ***. ** **** didn’t *** ** ******** **** ****... It’s ****** **** **** ***, ** just *** ****** ** *** ** folks *** *** ** ******* *** not ****** *** *** ***** *** monitoring.

What ******* ******** **** ** ***

TMA Executive Director & CEO Jay Hauhn

*** ***** [**** ** ****** *********], Executive ******** *** *** ** *** said *** ******** ***** ** ******** the ******** *** ************** ** ***** of ***** ********. *** **** *** 304 ** ***** ******* *** ***-********* ******* ****** * floor **** ** ***** ********* *** NFPA ********* ******* ** *** ***** on **** **.

*******, **** ******** */* ** *** specific **** *******'* ***** ** **** and, ********* ** *****, *** ********* voted ****** *********** (** ** *)********** ******** ******.

******** *** **** ********* *** **** ********* *******. ************ ******* ***** ******* *** ******.

Alleges *********** *********** **** ******* ********

***'* ***** **** *** **** ******* force ****** ******* ********'* ******* *** to *** ************** ** ******** * self-serving ******** **** ********** *********** **** private ********.

*** ***** *** ***** **** **** and ***** **** ******* ** *** central ******** **** ******* ** ******* fire ****** **********, ***** *** **** language **** *** ***** ** **** facilitate ******** **-****** ******* ******** **** monitoring **** ******. **** *** ********* driven ** *******-**** ************** ******* ** their *** ********** *******. ****’** ****** to *** *** ******** ** ***** free *** **** ***********.

**** **** ** ****** ******* ************** wanting ** ******* *** ******* ********* has **** ***** ** *** * while (*.*.,*** * **** *******).

***** ******** ************ ** ********** *** ********** ****** Hertel [**** ** ****** *********] **** the ***** **** ** **** ****** than *** **** ******* * ************ to *** * ******** **** ** fix * ***** ******* ** *********** for ********* ********** *******.

**** ** ************** ******** ***** **** the ***** ********. *** **** ** the **** *****. ** * ** a **** ***** ********* * *** go *** *** **-****** **** ***** panel, ******* ** **** * ******* back *** *** * ***’* **** to *** ******** ******** **** ** AHJ ******* **'* ****** *** *** intended ***** ** **. *** ****** central ******** ** *** *********? ** go ******* *** *** ************** *** testing ** ****** ** *** ** the ****. ** ****** *** **** to **** *** ********** *********. *** other, ****** ******, ***** ** *** way *** ******** ** *******. *** possibility ****** **** * ***** **** to *** ******** ********** **** ***** AHJ ** *** **? *** *** imagine **** ***** * ***** **** to ** ******* ** *** *** maintain ****+ *******/********?

NFPA ******, *** ***** ***** ** *******

****'* **** **** ******* *** **** even ******, ** ** **** **** a **** ***** ********** *** ****** any **-****** ***** ******** ** **** station ** ** *** *****, ******* still *** ** *** *** ****** specs *** ******** ** * ***** and ******* ** ** *** *** so ** ** *** *** ********** ****** ******. ** ** *** *** **** for ********** *******, **** *******.

The ****** ** ******* ********

******* ******** **** **** ** ***** some ******** *** ** *** ******** language ** **** ** *** *** to *** ******* ***** ** *** AHJ **** ** ***** ** ********* fire ***** ****** *** **********. **** asked, ***** ******** **** ** *** lost ********:

*** ** ****. *** **** ********** accounts *** ***** ******* ******* ** could *** ******* ***** ********. ***** are ******* ***** **** **** ************ like "******* ****** ***** *** ***** or ******" ** ** "*** ** be ** **** ******* "** **** "directly **** *** **** **********."

Next - *** ********* ****

*** ******** ** *** *** *** the **** * ***** *** *** is ****** ** ****** **** *** the **** *******, **** **** ****.

*******, ****'* **** ********* *** ******* for ******** *** ******** ** *** standards **** ****** *** ****-****** *** security ******** *** *** **** **** after **** *** *** **********:

****** *** ** ** ****** ** eliminate **** ********* ** *** *** and ** *** ***** ** **** it ** *****. **** *** ** a ***… **** **** ** *** meeting ** **** ****. ** ****** and **** ** **** **** ** committee. *** **** ********* ***** ** wasn’t *********** *** ***** ** ****.

******* **** ******* *** ********* ******* to ** **** *** *** ********** companies **** **** ** ********* **** way ** ******** *** ******* *******.

Comments (3)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Sep 18, 2018

This is in the 2016 code? Who cares. We’re still on 2012 in my state! 😂 no one adopts the latest code. It’ll be a decade before this even matters and by then it will be changed. 

(1)
Avatar
Dan Gelinas
Sep 19, 2018
IPVM

I know that it varies from municipality to municipality. I know in my state, we're not up to date either. However, some of the contested language has been in there since at least 2007. I know that Rapid said they had lost business due to the language and TMA said other association members had also. I suppose it depends on where you're located and what the AHJ decides.

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Sep 18, 2018

This reminds me of Stu Jackson and DBA years ago.  I believe the argument would be if the National or Regional Monitoring station was UL or FM approved, it should be deemed acceptable to all jurisdictions. 

The exceptions allowed for municipalities and some significant entities to monitor their own fire alarms with just the approval of the AHJ.  There were and likely still are many direct wire alarms to fire stations across the country.

Oh well, there's our tax dollars at work.

(1)