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THE BELLRINGERPennsylvania Burglar and Fire Alarm AssociationChartered State Association of the Electronic Security Association

3718 West Lake Road • Erie, PA 16505800-458-8512/PA • 814-838-3093 • FAX 814-838-5127E-mail: [email protected] MARCH 2017

©2017

The Bellringer, March 2017 -


THE BELLRINGER

Published monthly by

The Pennsylvania Burglar & Fire Alarm Association3718 West Lake Road, Erie, PA 16505

800-458-8512 (PA), 814-838-3093, 814-838-5127 FAXEmail: [email protected]

Website: WWW.PBFAA.COMSubscription Price: $36 per year

© 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the Editor.

2017 PBFAA STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENTJim Bucciaglia 610-372-8872

VICE PRESIDENTJaime Alwine 717-859-3662

SECRETARYvacant

Central Region:PRESIDENTKeith Maley 717-541-0212

Southeast Region: PRESIDENTBrad Schoenfeld 610-825-4600

Northeast Region:PRESIDENTJim Bucciaglia 610-372-8872

Ben Campbell 724-742-4900

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORSDarren Crawford 410-546-4091

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORDale Eller 814-836-9237

LOBBYISTJohn Malady 717-236-9600

TREASURERJune Allman 610-691-0451

PAST PRESIDENTAmy Simpson 610-825-4600

VICE PRESIDENTTBD 717-541-0212

VICE PRESIDENTTBD 610-825-4600

VICE PRESIDENTDan Vogel 215-628-6062

VICE PRESIDENTLise Vanderlann 631-379-7464

COUNSELMichael Revness 610-688-2855

Jodie Stuck 717-236-9600

2017 COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Annual MeetingJaime Alwine 717-859-3662

Budget / AuditJune Allman 610-691-0451

By-LawsMichael Revness 610-688-2855

EducationTom Chambers 610-825-4600

EthicsJaime Alwine 717-859-3662

LegislationLise Vanderlann 631-379-7464

Long Range PlanningJim Bucciaglia 610-372-8872

MembershipRalph Manento 570-992-6502

NewsletterDale Eller 800-458-8512

Nominationsvacant

ScholarshipBrad Schoenfeld 610-825-4600

Rep. to ESA BoardRalph Manento 570-992-6502

REGIONAL DIRECTORS

CENTRAL DIRECTOR SOUTHEAST DIRECTORRandy Wilson 717-859-3662 Brad Schoenfeld 800-421-6661

NORTHEAST DIRECTOR NORTHWEST DIRECTORTed Manento 570-992-6502 Cameron Wilkins 814-833-6376

SOUTHWEST DIRECTORJeffrey Becker 412-323-9774

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS

ADI ..........................................................800-233-6261AlarmLegal.com .......................................610-688-2855Allied Central Services ..............................800-304-0834COPS Monitoring .....................................800-367-2677Installation Quality Certification Program .....866-833-8302J.C. Gury Company Inc ............................800-556-5576Napco Security Group ..............................800-645-9445Rapid Response Monitoring ......................800-558-7767Security America RRG ..............................866-315-3838Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) ...972-377-9401SentryNet .................................................800-932-3304Tri-Ed Distribution.....................................888-874-3336

Please Support Those Who Support PBFAA

THANKS to this Month’s Bellringer “Sponsors”

PRESIDENTS COLUMNBy: Jim Bucciaglia, PBFAA President

Can you believe it is March already? I have just returned from the ESA Leadership Summit and what a great event to attend and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for some industry knowledge as well as personal business building skills.

The one big thing that I took away from the event was that the ESA is working on changes that might affect your voices. They are submitting by-law changes that would reduce the board from about 40 people (which includes all current Charter Chapter Members) down to roughly 12 people. The theory is that there would be 5 people that would represent all 30 Charter Chapter members. Please pay attention in the coming months for more information regarding this initiative. If you like do not hesitate to reach out to myself or the state office with any concerns.

Another great event that is quickly approaching is our State Convention in May at Valley Forge. Mark your calendars now so that you can plan on attending. We are constantly meeting to refine this event and Tom Chambers is doing a fabulous job nailing down the education portion of convention. I look forward to see you all there. Please if you have any questions reach out to the folks at the state office and read all the material provided in your email blasts as well as this month’s Bellringer.

Have a great March and we will see you all soon, thanks.

Thanks, Jim


ATTENTION: Alarm and Security Service/Equipment Providers

March 1, 2017

To ensure a continuing supply of telephone numbers, the new 223 area code will be added to the area served by 717. This is known as an area code overlay. The new 223 area code will serve the same geographic area currently served by the existing 717 area code which generally covers the south-central portion of the state serving communities such as Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York. The new 223 area code will serve the same geographic area currently served by the existing 717 area code

What’s an area code overlay?

An overlay adds another area code (223) to the same geographic region as an existing area code (717). An overlay does not require customers to change their existing area code or telephone number.

How does this affect providers of alarm and security services and equipment?

As a result of the overlay, a new dialing procedure requires callers to dial area code + telephone number. This means that all calls in the 717 area code that are currently dialed with seven digits will need to be dialed using area code + telephone number.

Alarm and security services and equipment currently located in the 717 area code and programmed to dial only seven digits must be updated or reprogrammed to dial ten digits (area code + telephone number) for all calls within and between the 717 and 223 area codes.

When does the change begin?

Effective March 4, 2017, you can begin using 10 digits whenever you place a call with in the 717 area code. If you forget and dial just seven digits, your call will be completed until August 25, 2017.

Starting August 26, 2017, you must use 10-digit dialing for your call to complete. If you don’t, your call won’t be completed and a recording will instruct you to hang up and dial again.

Reprogramming of alarm equipment should take place between March 4, 2017 and August 25, 2017. This period allows either the old or new dialing procedure to be used to complete calls. All alarm service providers must make their programming changes during this period.

To enable you to verify that equipment can complete calls to the new 223 area code, a special test number, 223-990-TEST (8378), will be in service beginning July 26, 2017 and it will remain active through October 26, 2017.

Beginning September 26, 2017, new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 223 area code. The new dialing plan will also apply to all 223 area code telephone numbers.

What will remain the same?

• Your telephone number, including the current area code, will not change.• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the overlay.• What is a local call now will remain a local call regardless of the number of digits dialed.• You will continue to dial 1+ area code + telephone number for all calls to other area codes (outside of 717 and 223).• You can still dial just three digits to reach 911.• If 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711 or 811 are currently available in your community, you will still dial these codes with just three digits.

Customers with questions about the dialing procedure change should be directed to their local service provider, or they can also visit the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s website at http://www.puc.pa.gov/for further information.

Sincerely,PA 717/223 Overlay Industry Committee Co-Chairs


INDUSTRY BUZZ “News from around the Electronic Life Safety & Security Industry”

Allentown Businesses Offered Financial Incentive for Surveillance CamerasThe SCAN program will award applicants up to 50% of the total cost of surveillance equipment and installation.

City officials here announced they will begin to offer security camera funding to help police solve crimes and deter criminals. Matching grants totaling $30,000 will be offered to businesses that upgrade or replace cameras that are compatible with the city’s current video surveillance network, according to The Morning Call.

The Security Camera Assistance Network program (SCAN), will award applicants up to 50% of the total cost of the surveillance equipment and installation, with a maximum cap of $3,000 for an individual business. The money will cover 15 to 20 surveillance cameras, according to officials.

“Our crime-fighting efforts have been greatly enhanced by our street camera program,” says Mayor Ed Pawlowski. “This program will aid retailers and other small businesses that want to improve security, but have been unable to find the funds to pay for a system.”

Allentown Police Chief Keith Morris says many city businesses either can’t afford or have outdated systems that make getting that information to investigators difficult. Any city business in good standing will be eligible for the grant money, regardless of location, says officials.

Originally published by Security Sales & Integration

ESA Announces SIAC as 2017 ESA Gives Back PartnerESA’s Philanthropic Program Rallies Around SIAC in Time of Need, Launches Fundraising Efforts at Leadership Summit

Each year, the Electronic Security Association’s philanthropic ESA Gives Back program engages its members in supporting charitable initiatives. In 2016, the program raised over $10,000 for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, benefitting the families of law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty.

ESA is proud to announce that it has chosen the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) as the recipient of this year’s ESA Gives Back fundraising efforts.

“We are proud to give back to SIAC,” says ESA President, Angela White. “The electronic security industry works collaboratively with law enforcement through this Coalition. With so many acquisitions in the industry, donations to SIAC have declined and we need to come together to support their extremely important work. We encourage all of our members to donate to this worthy cause”. ESA Gives Back kicked off the fundraising efforts and accepted $3,290 in donations at its Leadership Summit in Tampa, FL.

SIAC works tirelessly on behalf of the electronic security and life safety industry to foster strong relationships with public safety officials. Funded solely through donations, SIAC needs the industry to come together to ensure continued operations. Over the years, SIAC has worked to retain police response in numerous communities; prevent onerous ordinances and policies that would fine alarm companies for their customers’ violations. SIAC has also created alarm management committees where law enforcement and the security industry work together towards solutions rather than divisively.

“Our industry’s relationship with law enforcement is based on the shared mission of protecting and serving the public,” says Stan Martin, Executive Director of the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC). “We have personally shared our industry’s mission as well as best practices in alarm management with top leaders in law enforcement not only by working with individual departments but also by teaming up with the nation’s top law enforcement organizations in order to reach leaders in the nation’s 18,000 public safety agencies.

SIAC’s mission is to create a structure for all interested parties to come together under the banner of “dispatch reduction” and “alarm management” and through a coordinated effort to maximize the impact on “false dispatch reduction” and “alarm management” across North America by maintaining a liaison with national and state law enforcement leadership, while educating and empowering local alarm communities to proactively foster relationships with law enforcement before a crisis develops.


As the electronic life safety and security industry evolves to incorporate more IoT technologies – the industry’s technicians will need to become more knowledgeable on the various internet / networking aspects of these future systems. Below is a sample of what “your” technicians may face in the near future…

Old Guy: Hello, Tech Support? My Internet is not working.

Tech: OK, let’s start by checking your router.

Old Guy: What’s my router got to do with this?

Tech: Please find your router and tell me what it says on it.

Old Guy: Ok, but I still don’t see why we need to do this. It may take me a while to find it.

Tech: That’s ok, I’ll hold on.

Old Guy: (10 minutes later) I found my router, should I plug it in?

Tech: Yes, it has to be plugged in to run this check.

Old Guy: I’m plugging it in now.

Tech: OK, what’s it say on it now.

Old Guy: It says Black and Decker ½ HP router.

Tech: Black and Decker doesn’t make routers!

Old Guy: Sure, they do, I used this one to remodel my kitchen!

Tech: Not that kind of a router! Your Internet Router!

Old Guy: Why don’t we start th is over and pretend that I am only 8 years old and don’t know what I am doing.

Tech: Sir, if you were 8 years old you would have fixed this yourself by now!

“on the Lighter Side”


The Legal Corner:

Understanding Limitation of Liability ProvisionsBy: Michael Revness, PBFAA Legal Counsel

My last article on “Understanding Third Party Indemnification Provisions” was well received – thank you! In fact, so well received that I was asked by many of you to do a similar article to discuss “Understanding Limitation of Liability Provisions.” Ask and you shall receive!

A well-constructed contract in our life/safety industry will include (in addition to a Third Party Indemnification provision) a Limitation of Liability provision which limits the damage (often to as little as $1,000 or less) that can be recovered against your company by your customer, even if your company is negligent. Here is an example to illustrate how this works: Let’s assume your company has a contract with a customer that includes a Limitation of Liability provision capping damages not to exceed $1,000, even if your company is negligent. Your customer suffers a $1 million dollar property loss in a fire because your company negligently designed and/or installed a fire alarm system. The maximum amount that customer could recover against your company for that $1 million dollar property loss (if your company is proven in court to be at fault) is $1,000 per the Limitation of Liability provision. Pretty powerful stuff!

I am often asked whether it is reasonable to ask a customer to agree to a Limitation of Liability provision in your security alarm contract, even if your company is negligent. In other words, if your company negligently causes a loss to a customer, why shouldn’t your company be on the hook for the full amount of the customer’s loss?

Generally, asking a customer to agree to limit the damages recoverable against a negligent contractor is an unreasonable “ask.” However, this is not the case in our special life/safety industry for the following reasons:

• The security alarm company is never the source of the event that causes a customer’s loss. Rather, an eventsuchasafire,theft,burglaryorwaterreleaseis thesourceoftheloss.Atbest,thesecurityalarm company(i.e.,amalfunctionofasecurityalarm system)merelycontributestoalossstartedfrom anothersource,andthatcontributionisextremely difficult,ifnotimpossible,toquantify.

• Thecustomerisalwaysinthebestpositiontoprevent thesourceoftheloss(i.e.,fire,theft,burglaryor waterrelease)inthefirstplace,asthecustomerisin day-to-daypossessionorcontroloftheprotected premises – not the security alarm company.

• Thecustomercan,andtypicallydoes,insureagainst theriskoflossesfromsourcessuchasfire,theft, burglar,waterreleaseandothers.Moreover,the customergenerallyhasmorevisibilityofthepotential for,andamountof,possiblelossesthanthesecurity alarmcompanyand,therefore,isinabetterposition toinsureagainstthoselosses.

• Thepriceschargedbythesecurityalarmcompanyfor itsproductsandservices(i.e.,centralstation monitoring)simplydonotaccountfortheassumption ofunlimitedliabilityriskandrelatedlossessufferedby acustomerfromasource(i.e.,fire,theft,burglaryor waterrelease)thatthesecurityalarmcompanydid not cause.

• Ifthecontractsforourlife/safetyindustrydidnot containLimitationofLiabilityprovisions,thinkofthe farreachingconsequences:

o Fewerinsurancecompanieswouldprovide insurancepoliciestothesecurityalarmindustry becausetheriskoflosswouldbegreater.

o Thoseinsurancecompanieswhocontinuedto offerinsurancepoliciestothesecurityalarm industrywouldchargehigherpremiums;thatis, moremoney–substantiallymoremoney!

o Securityalarmcompanieswould,inturn,pass thoseincreasedinsurancecostalongtoits customers.

o Fewerandfewercustomerwouldbeableto affordsecurityalarmsystems.

o And,consequently,fewerandfewerpeopleand businesseswouldhavesecurityalarmsystems

continued on page 18


which,inturn,wouldpresentagreaterand greaterlife/safetyrisktopeopleandbusinesses inoursociety,asawhole.

So Limitation of Liability provisions in our security alarm contracts are entirely fair to your customers, and those provisions actually help to hold down the costs of security alarm systems for all of us – for society as a whole – so more and more people and businesses across our country can afford the protection of your vital life/safety products and services.

MICHAEL J. REVNESS, ESQ., is the founder of AlarmLegal.com and a founding partner at the law firm of KURTZ & REVNESS, P.C. Please contact me at [email protected] (or 610-688-2855) if I can be of assistance with the drafting security alarm contracts, purchase or sale of security alarm accounts or other related security industry legal services.

Legal Corner, continued from page 15

The PennsylvaniaBurglar and FireAlarm Association3718 West Lake RoadErie, PA 16505

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