NBFAA Plans Day on Capitol Hill 2007

The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA), a national organization which represents the interest of companies installing, servicing and monitoring security, fire and other life-safety systems, has planned its 2007 Day on Capitol Hill.

The NBFAA Day on Capitol Hill is scheduled for May 1-2, 2007, and mixes meetings Congressional representatives, briefings, and discussion of policy and legislative objectives.

The NBFAA will be hosting an evening on May 1 with a guest speaker from Congress for a reception and dinner.

The next morning, on Wednesday, May 2, the NBFAA will host a breakfast where attendees will be addressed by a Congressman. The breakfast is to be followed by a briefing and a day of visits to representatives on Capitol Hill, as scheduled by NBFAA's Government Relations team. The day concludes with a debriefing among members and a reception, also hosted by the NBFAA.

The NBFAA Day on Capitol Hill has served in the past as a way for business leaders in the alarm industry to directly take their concerns directly to Congressional members. According to NBFAA's Government Relations team, one of the key initiatives in 2007 for the organization is to influence fire safety legislation. With a number of legislative pushes to promote fire suppression already occurring at both a state and national level, the NBFAA is seeking to convey its message that "fire detection + fire suppression = fire safety," and to push for legislation that would require professional installation of fire alarm/fire detection systems in facilities such as colleges and universities as well as assisted living facilities.

The organization has also supported and called for a federal tax deduction for professionally-installed security systems in commercial facilities and residential buildings. Other top concerns include VoIP, the AMPS sunset, and requirements for parking lot surveillance.

"This will be a great opportunity for you to meet with your elected representatives in Washington and tell them what's needed to protect the citizens in their communities and to enhance public safety in the United States," wrote NBFAA President George Gunning in a letter encouraging NBFAA members to be part of the Day on Capitol Hill.

Members interested in the NBFAA Day on Capitol Hill can contact NBFAA's call NBFAA's Director of Government Relations John Chwat at (703) 684-7703 or by e-mail to [email protected] for additional details.