Publications
Each FARA publication is intended to help municipalities institute programs that will reduce the number of false alarms to which public safety officers must respond. Click on a publication listed below for a short synopsis of what each contains or scroll down to review all the descriptions.
Guides
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How to Develop and Implement a False Alarm Reduction Program
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Summary
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How to Create an Alarm User Awareness School for Your Municipality
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Summary
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False Alarm Ordinances
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Summary
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Standards in Calculating and Reporting False Alarms
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Summary
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Quick Reference for Alarm Equipment
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Summary
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False Alarm Software: What You Need to Know Before You Sit Down With a Contractor or Your IT Department
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Summary
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Burglar Alarm Systems: A Consumer Guide to Purchasing an Alarm System and Understanding False Alarms
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Summary
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Job Descriptions for Alarm Unit Staff
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Summary
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Proactive Alarm Industry Customer Service: A Law Enforcement Perspective
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Summary
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Questions for Your Prospective Alarm Management Software Vendor
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Summary
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How to Create Regional Meetings
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Summary
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Grant Writing
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Summary
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Universal Alarm User Permit/Registration Form
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Summary
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Electronic Filing
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Summary
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FARA Acronym and Terms Glossary
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Summary
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How to Create the Most Effective Annual Report
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Summary
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Working With Third Party Administration Companies
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Summary
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Brochures
Each of the brochures below offers specific false alarm reduction information that is germane to each type of facility; i.e., bank, school, church, business or residential site. These brochures are designed to give alarm users helpful tips on reducing false alarms, as well as information on how to identify and control the hidden costs of false alarms.
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Brochure
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English
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Spanish
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False Alarm Prevention for Banks
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PDF
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PDF
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False Alarm Prevention for Businesses
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PDF
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PDF
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False Alarm Prevention for Schools
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PDF
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PDF
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False Alarm Prevention for Churches and Other Religious Facilities
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PDF
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PDF
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Residential False Alarm Prevention
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PDF
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PDF
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Residential Security: Helping Residents Reduce Criminal Opportunity
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PDF
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n/a
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False Alarm Reduction Bulletins
False alarm reduction bulletins, which are one page informational sheets for consumers, were published to allow FARA members to easily highlight common causes of false alarms and ways in which to avoid them. The bulletins can be used as an article in a consumer newsletter, as bill stuffers, or as stand-alone mailings to alarm users.
Positions & Resolutions
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False Alarm Strategies White Paper
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Summary
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PDF
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Verified Response Position Paper
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Summary
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PDF
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Single-Action Panic Buttons Located on Key Fobs and Pendants Resolution
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Summary
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PDF
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Duress/Hostage Codes Resolution
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Summary
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PDF
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Smoke Emitting/Vision Obscuring Alarm Devices Position Paper
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Summary
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PDF
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Ordinances
Public Safety Tips
Public Safety Tips deal with important aspects of alarm management that Certified Alarm Managers must know. All are one-page documents.
- 1+ Duress=False Alarms
- Alarm System Fundamentals
- Billing Options
- Common Entry-Exit Errors
- Communication Reduces False Alarms
- Education Reduces False Alarms
- Evaluate. Adjust & Succeed
- False Alarm Quantified
- How to Pass Your Ordinance
- How to Succeed in Your Alarm Unit
- Major Causes of False Alarms
- Major Impacts of False Alarms
- Make A List and Check it Twice
- Prime Solutions To False Alarms
- Proactive Alarm Company False Alarm Prevention
- Standards Can Reduce False Alarms
- What to do After a False Alarm
Visit the member’s only section of the FARA website to download copies.
Summaries
How to Develop and Implement a False Alarm Reduction Program
An absolute must for any municipality that is considering enacting its own alarm ordinance or even one that is considering amending a current ordinance! This manual provides the reader with a step-by-step approach to developing a successful false alarm reduction program. It covers everything from how to garner support from your legislators to what might be contained in an effective ordinance to personnel, startup costs and timelines. Seasoned false alarm managers, who, combined, have over 200 years of false alarm reduction efforts under their belts, provided the information contained in the manual.
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How to Create an Alarm User Awareness School for Your Municipality
Alarm user awareness schools can provide your municipality with an excellent platform in which to educate alarm users about the severity of the false alarm problem, the costs and complacency issues it raises for law enforcement, and tips on how to avoid future false alarms.
This manual provides you with everything you will need to operate your own school, either on your own or in conjunction with your areas alarm industry representatives. It contains a sample agenda, handouts, a slide presentation, and more! This manual was developed and produced based on a joint effort between the FARA and the NBFAA (National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association).
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False Alarm Ordinances
If you are looking into enacting your own false alarm ordinance and just want to know what others are already doing in the false alarm reduction arena, the False Alarm Ordinance manual is for you! It contains the main provisions of hundreds of different ordinances that are utilized today by your peers. Find out which municipalities: a) require mandatory verification of alarm signals before a request for law enforcement dispatch can occur, b) have permit requirements, c) impose false alarm response fees/fines and what those costs are, and d) have a non-response provision in their ordinance, as well as much, much more. This manual is updated on a yearly basis to include the most current false alarm reduction ordinances in the country.
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Standards in Calculating and Reporting False Alarms
This manual is a must for any agency that regulates false alarms. The manual explains how to calculate false alarm response costs, defines what types of activations are acceptable defenses and what types are not for assessment purposes, and discusses the publication of false alarm rates for alarm companies. The Standards manual contains many graphs, charts and examples of reports that you may want to use in your own municipality. The manual also contains an excellent matrix of the key questions to ask a municipality when attempting to compare the effectiveness of various ordinances.
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Quick Reference for Alarm Equipment
- Adopted by NESA Board April 3, 2006
- Adopted by FARA Board April 17, 2006
The purpose of this reference guide is to provide public safety and the alarm industry with recommendations regarding alarm system equipment and installation practices that have proven to be highly effective in reducing false alarms and which will make a significant impact on the false alarm problem when fully implemented. The reference guide contains major alarm system components, describes their function, provides recommended applications and lists either the false alarm potential or the false alarm prevention aspects of each component.
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False Alarm Software: What You Need to Know Before You Sit Down With a Contractor or Your IT Department
The easiest, most efficient way to manage the collection and dissemination of alarm data is through a comprehensive false alarm software package. But, what do you need that software package to do and how do you even determine what your needs are? This manual provides you with an easy to read and understand A to Z guide of questions you should ask, decisions that should be considered, basic features, and options and upgrades for a good, comprehensive false alarm reduction program management software product. Issues to think about, and why, include custom vs. off the shelf, outside contractor or inside IT department, must have vs. like to have, along with a host of other issues that must be considered. This manual is an absolute must for any alarm unit that is considering developing or buying false alarm management software!
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Burglar Alarm Systems: A Consumer Guide to Purchasing an Alarm System and Understanding False Alarms
This guide is a must for any consumer who is considering purchasing or leasing an alarm system. Do you know if your alarm company is licensed? Do you know what a false alarm is and how to avoid one? Do you know which questions to ask when comparing one system or company with another? If not, this consumer guide on what to look for when purchasing an alarm system is essential so that you not only get what you pay for but also cant be mislead by salespeople. This guide is also a great public relations tool for any alarm unit professional, who wants to let consumers know about their rights and how to purchase or lease an alarm system the smart way.
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Job Descriptions for Alarm Unit Staff
If your municipality has never had an alarm unit and needs to create one, you may be unsure of exactly what classification and/or how many employees you really need. While the complexity and content of your alarm ordinance plays a role in the composition of your unit staff, there are some customary positions and job duties that can be delineated. This manual will help you decide what positions you need and serves as a guide in preparing your own position descriptions and job responsibilities.
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Proactive Alarm Industry Customer Service: A Law Enforcement Perspective
One of FARAs main missions is to work with the alarm industry to reduce false alarms. This manual is intended to give a law enforcement perspective on how alarm companies can develop good business practices that will help reduce the false alarms to which law enforcement responds.
The manual is based on the experience of alarm coordinators and their staffs throughout the country and addresses issues that law enforcement deals with on a daily basis. The manual covers such topics as customer education and service, employee training, verification of alarm activations, quality alarm equipment, and much, much more.
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Residential Security: Helping Residents Reduce Criminal Opportunity
The length of time a burglar spends attempting to get into your home is proportional to the probability of detection. The chance of being seen and possibly identified is the burglar’s biggest fear. Most burglars allow themselves one to two minutes to get into a home. Beyond that, the risk of detection becomes too great. A good security strategy slows burglars and extends them past their self-imposed time limits.
Thus, home buyers desiring security are often at a disadvantage before they even move into their home. While structural weaknesses may be expensive to repair, home security can be substantially increased by implementation of a few simple and inexpensive, yet effective prevention techniques.
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False Alarm Strategies White Paper
There are numerous programs in effect throughout North America for managing the false alarm problem. The False Alarm Reduction Strategies White Paper outlines 20 different strategies, which are in use today, along with some of the advantages and disadvantages for each method.
The most successful alarm management programs have combined several of the strategies to form a comprehensive false alarm reduction program. Law enforcement, alarm industry and alarm users can consider each strategy and determine which combination of strategies will work best for the municipality’s specific needs.
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Verified Response Position Paper
In an effort to clarify the FARAs position on Verified Response, the Board elected to publish a position paper reaffirming FARAs position that it neither supports nor opposes verified response, but, rather, simply recognizes it as a method utilized by some jurisdictions. The position further affirms FARAs commitment to the involvement of all stake holders in the development of local solutions to the false alarm problem and considers an open dialogue among all parties an essential element in any false alarm reduction program.
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Smoke Emitting/Vision Obscuring Alarm Devices Position Paper
FARA recognizes the deployment of smoke emitting devices when the devices are regulated.
Any jurisdiction considering the regulation of smoke emitting devices is encouraged to seek input from your fire marshal’s office, law enforcement authority and users, dealers and manufacturers of smoke emitting devices. If your community has any installed smoke emitting devices, adoption of an ordinance requiring public notification, installation and equipment standards and user training is strongly recommended.
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Single-Action Panic Buttons Located on Key Fobs and Pendants Resolution
Encourages alarm companies to adopt policies which eliminate the offering of Single-Action Key Fob and Pendant Panic Buttons, which trigger silent and unverified alarm signals.
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Duress/Hostage Codes Resolution
Encourages alarm companies to adopt policies which eliminate the offering of Duress Codes or which severely limit Duress Code offerings to alarm users who can demonstrate an extreme need for a Duress Code.
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Model Burglar Alarm Ordinance
The FARA, in cooperation with the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, developed a joint model Burglar Alarm Ordinance. This joint effort allowed law enforcement and the alarm industry to work together in developing a model ordinance that contains strict false alarm reduction elements. The beauty of the model is that both law enforcement and the alarm industry already agreed to the provisions, which should make it easier for you to go to your local legislature as a united front! The final model Burglar Alarm Ordinance is being distributed through both the FARA and the NBFAA and is intended for use as a guide in assisting municipalities enact their own legislation.
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Mobile Security Devices Position Paper and Model Ordinance
Throughout the coming years, mobile and personal security devices will have a growing impact on law enforcement agencies. It is estimated that by the year 2002, over 3,000,000 mobile security devices will be in use! With the enormous potential these devices pose for increased false alarms, FARA has created a position paper on mobile and personal security devices, as well as a model Mobile Security Devices ordinance that municipalities may use to enact their own ordinances relating to these types of alarm systems.
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Model Fire Alarm Ordinance
Fire departments across the country are dealing with increased numbers of false fire alarms, at the same time law enforcement is dealing with false burglar alarms. This joint effort with the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association will provide fire services with a model fire alarm ordinance, which addresses the unique dangers, obstacles and costs of responding to false fire alarms. Just like the Model Burglar Alarm Ordinance developed jointly between the NBFAA and
FARA, the beauty of the model fire alarm ordinance is that both fire enforcement officials and the alarm industry agreed to the provisions, which should make it easier for you to go to your local legislature as a united front!
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Questions for Your Prospective Alarm Management Software Vendor
Don’t purchase or develop alarm management (false alarm tracking) software blind! To get a better understanding of your needs and what you want, be sure to ask the right questions and compare apples to apples!
A list of questions to use to fully explore the features and costs of each software program that you consider. The questions are those that your fellow ordinance managers could identify based on their experiences in purchasing and using false alarm tracking and billing software
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How to Create Regional Meetings
Learn how to create regional meetings between law enforcement and alarm industry professionals that can be an extremely valuable tool in addressing false alarm issues in your specific area and in fostering positive working relationships between the two groups.
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Grant Writing
The purpose of this guide is to help you get organized when thinking about grant opportunities and to provide information on key elements of grant applications. We have been able to provide you with some reference materials related to grant research, and we have created an organized system that you should be able to follow when you begin your quest for a grant.
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Model for Electronic Filing of Alarm System Registrations
Registration of alarm systems is required under most alarm management programs. As alarm registration programs are being implemented, local government agencies have grappled with a mechanism to easily and efficiently create databases of residential and commercial alarm users with active alarm systems. They have started requesting that alarm companies provide this information to the agencies in an electronic format, absent any type of standard for what information should be provided or in what format.
This model provides a recommended protocol for sharing alarm system registration data and proposes standard data file formats for transfer of bulk information between the jurisdictions and the alarm business. It also provides guidance on issues related to “on demand” access to registration/permit information from either alarm businesses or alarm owners on features such as providing permit status changes and updates to information.
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Universal Alarm User Permit/Registration Form
In an effort to standardize forms used throughout North America, FARA has developed a Universal Alarm User Permit/Registration Form, hereinafter referred to as “permit.” The reasons for such an undertaking are two-fold; first, it is much easier for new alarm units to develop a permit form that meets their needs if they have something to which to refer or to use in total. Alarm companies will also find it much easier to have only one form to carry, instead of a separate one for each jurisdiction in which they do business. Second, the standardization of permit forms and the information requested will facilitate the electronic filing of permits. Governments across the nation are moving toward paperless offices, where everything from taxes to bicycle registrations are filed on-line in an electronic format. The “wave of the future” for alarm permits will follow suit. The use of standard forms in this arena will greatly assist municipalities, alarm companies and alarm users in the electronic filing of alarm permit forms.
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FARA Acronym and Terms Glossary
There exists a “foreign language” of acronyms and terms within the security alarm industry that are bandied about at meetings and in printed material. Clearly, this “foreign language” can impede good communication. This guide is a resource to understanding what the more commonly used acronyms and terms mean.
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How to Create the Most Effective Annual Report
This manual is designed to assist you to develop your own annual report. If your command staff is only looking for statistics, obviously that is what you give them. If, however, you have been given no direction on what the contents of your annual report should include, then the sky’s the limit. The tips and information provided in this guide will help you to lay out your report in a cohesive fashion and serve as a reminder of what you may want to include.
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Working With Third Party Administration Companies
Outsourcing is the practice of using outside vendors or service providers to manage certain business functions. Is outsourcing beneficial? For some jurisdictions, a strictly enforced alarm program may be costly. Allowing a third party administrator to have control could help reduce a jurisdiction‟?s administrative cost, free up staff time to concentrate on false alarm reduction strategies and gain access to expertise and technologies that might not otherwise be available. However, outsourcing requires proper management and monitoring of the outside vendor or service provider.
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