The Monitoring Association, a non-profit trade association representing the professional monitoring industry, has signed a multi-year managed services agreement with Mission Critical Partners (MCP) to support the growth of TMA’s Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) service. 

The award was made after a competitive procurement process, according to an announcement. 

ASAP is the industry-leading, standards-based service for the digital dispatch of alarm events to 911 centers. Since its introduction in 2011, ASAP has been helping public safety agencies reduce the time to dispatch first responders by an average of two minutes, enabling faster and more informed response for improved outcomes, saving lives and property.   

ASAP has the largest adoption rate in the industry, with over 80 percent of the alarm systems in the United States monitored by an alarm company connected to the ASAP service, according to TMA.  

TMA’s partnership with MCP will accelerate the rollout of the ASAP service and drive the development of ASAP’s next-generation, cloud-based solution. The next-generation solution will allow for the real-time sharing of rich data, including camera video streams, live location, health information, photos and interior blueprints, dramatically improving situational awareness for emergency responders, according to the announcement. 

The ASAP service, developed collaboratively with the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International (APCO), already has widespread support across the 911 community. The solution is deployed in 911 centers in 23 states and the District of Columbia, covering a population exceeding 54.5 million. 

According to TMA President Steve Butkovich, MCP is ideally suited for this initiative because of its subject-matter expertise and knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in the 911 community. 

“MCP was chosen for its strong reputation throughout the 911 community and the trust it has earned by successfully completing thousands of projects in 911 centers nationwide,” Butkovich said. “Their team of professionals will bring unparalleled technological, operational, information technology, cybersecurity and data-integration expertise, driven by a vendor-neutral approach, to this important initiative.” 

“The ASAP service offers significant benefits to monitoring companies and 911 emergency communications centers by streamlining alarm notification processing,” said Mel Maier, CEO and executive director of APCO International. “Automating alarm workflows through ASAP significantly reduces response times and manual intervention, ultimately enhancing public safety response.” 

“TMA and MCP share a mission to improve emergency-response outcomes, which is why this collaboration makes perfect sense,” said Darrin Reilly, MCP’s president and chief executive officer. “We’re excited for the opportunity to help TMA expand the reach of its ASAP service, and moreover, committed to the release of advanced features and functionality that will further enhance its performance and life-saving benefits.”