The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) has published a position paper concerning the proposed standard NFPA 731, which would apply directly to the installation of electronic premises security systems. The NBFAA's top concern is that much of today's currently available equipment would not be able to meet the new standard, which applies to surveillance, intrusion detection and access control. According to the NFPA, the standard is designed to help reduce false alarms and ensure reliability and quality of equipment.

Hear what the NBFAA has to say in the following position paper:

----

INTRODUCTION

The National Fire Protection Association at the upcoming NFPA World Safety Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas, NV on June 6-10, 2005, during the Technical Committee Report Session is submitting for consideration of the NFPA membership their proposed standard referred to as NFPA 731 ' Standard for the Installation of Electronic Premises Security Systems.

POSITION

The majority of equipment manufactured by current design specifications cannot mechanically meet the requirements of this standard. The standard was composed for equipment that may be designed in the future. Any standard that is created must be designed for the use of current technology. A standard that is put into law without the technology capable of complying with the law will be catastrophic to the industry. If the standard was developed as a guide perhaps the technology in time could comply.

Listed equipment must be tested by a listing organization, the process is expensive and time consuming. Equipment generally is not listed for the majority of the UL listings required by this standard. The majority of alarm equipment is only listed to be electrically sound.

Fire alarms are mandated for installation by Building Codes, Life Safety Codes, State or Federal Laws and in some cases insurance companies.

Unlike Fire alarms however, Electronic Premises Security Systems are generally mandated by insurance companies in order for businesses to secure insurance for their properties and contents. In most cases, this requirement is placed on medium to larger capital companies not smaller mercantile establishments.

The smaller mercantile establishments elect to have their systems installed to protect their persons, employees and businesses; they are not typically mandated by an insurance company to install a system.