ANSI approves updated CSAA alarm verification & notification standard

Aug. 18, 2016
Alarm confirmation, verification and notification procedures standardized

ANSI has announced approval of the long-awaited update of the CSAA Alarm Confirmation, Verification and Notification Procedures Standard (CS-V-01). It is designated as ANSI/CSAA CS-V-01-2016.

“My thanks to all the committee members for their work on this project and for everyone’s patience as we went through the fairly arduous process,” said Lou Fiore, past president of CSAA and outgoing chair of CSAA’s Standards Committee.

With this approval, the updated standard retires ANSI/CSAA CS-V-02-2012, CSAA’s video verification standard, and ANSI/CSAA CS-AUD-01, CSAA’s audio verification standard.

“When I initiated the process that began work on these three standards some 14 years ago with the original CS-V-01, my intent was to eventually combine the three into one standard, as I announced back then. The video and audio verification standards have now been successfully combined and updated into CS-V-01,” explained Fiore. “My thanks to Jim McMullen and Peter Giacalone for their leadership in chairing those two committees.”

CSAA is an ANSI-accredited standards writing organization. As such, the CSAA Standards Committee works on standards that benefit consumers, regulators and the security industry.

Industry standards were named one of the most critical issues for CSAA at the 2015 Long Range Planning meeting and are a central focus of the CSAA “Voice of the Customer” initiative. The CSAA Standards Committee promotes and produces standards to help guide alarm companies in operating their central stations within ANSI guidelines. Its efforts benefit CSAA members and the industry as a whole.

“[This approval] is wonderful news, after much time, effort and dedication by all. I was glad to have been involved with this process and great progress,” commented Peter P. Giacalone, President, Giacalone Associates, LLC.

This momentous event officially marks Fiore’s departure from CSAA standards activity. “I handed off the standards chair to the capable hands of Steve Shapiro some months ago but stayed on to finish the ANSI audit process for CS-V-01,” noted Fiore, “happily now concluded.” He will continue to chair the Alarm Industry Communications Committee (AICC).

Many CSAA members were involved in the process of revising this standard under Fiore’s leadership.

“Lou is to be thanked for this and all he has done over the years to help us collaborate on standards while always ensuring we followed ANSI rules in the process,” said Donald M. Young, Chief Information Officer, ADT. “It was not an easy task and one I am very grateful to him for accepting.”

“This is a great accomplishment,” said Steve Walker, Vice President Customer Service, Stanley Security. “Many thanks to all who participated – and special thanks to Lou for guiding the process to a successful conclusion!”

“It was a pleasure being involved in the process and working with Lou and the committee. His leadership was greatly appreciated,” said Mark McCall, General Manager, Security Central Lake Norman Security Patrol.

“We all owe Lou a debt of gratitude for the many years he has spent running the standards committee and establishing performance expectations that make our industry better. He has given unselfishly of his time and we, as members and participants in the industry, are better because of this,” stated Pam Petrow, CEO of Vector Security, Inc. and current CSAA President.