Dynamark Security Centers Launches Account Acquisition Program

Dynamark Security Centers, Hagerstown, Md., is now acquiring monitored accounts as part of its national dealer program.  Dynamark has both bulk acquisition programs to allow dealers to monetize their accounts, and on-going purchase programs to allow independent dealers to compete with national companies.  Both programs feature aggressive multiples, expedited closings, and allow dealers to maintain the service on the accounts that they sell.

 The account acquisition programs round out the Dynamark Dealer Program, which also features third-party monitoring, national product distribution of all major manufacturers, and marketing assistance programs for Dynamark dealers.

 For more information, contact Tom Piston, vice president of sales and marketing at 301-745-1615 or by e-mail at tompiston@firstactionteam.com.

Look Mom, No Power Cords

About the size of a restaurant salt shaker — topping out at three inches high — the new Indoor MotionViewer from Videofied is a motion detector and wireless camera that runs on batteries.

The product has an array of upgrades from its predecessor, focused on the indoor security market, including a smaller profile and full-color, full-VGA resolution camera. The Indoor MotionViewer takes two AA batteries instead of three and will run for five years on one set of batteries, according to Keith Jentoft, president of Videofied - RSI Video Technologies, Vadnais Heights, Minn.

Videofied spent two years reengineering its product for indoor use, including improving performance and driving down costs so that it would be a viable option for the mainstream security marketplace. “The radio is three times faster than the original version and the video clip has been compressed to half the size,” explained Jentoft. 

Videofied’s new mobile application called Look-in enables end users to get full-color video clips, as well as arm and disarm their systems, all from their smart phones. 

The Indoor MotionViewer and Look-in capabilities can mean a new line of revenue for dealers and central stations. Monitoring companies can charge small premiums for both video verification and the mobile application.

For information, visit www.videofied.com. — By Maggie McFadden Shein, SDM Contributing Writer

NWD Introduces Account Management App

NationWide Digital, Freeport, N.Y., introduced MASmobile, an app that gives its alarm dealers access to their accounts on-the-go, using an iPhone, iPad or Android device.

The MASmobile App provides an instant link to the MASterMind database, where customer accounts are stored via a layer of secure web services. MASmobile allows dealers to view account information in real-time and perform system tests with speed and efficiency.

For information, visit www.nationwidedigital.com.

Command Alarm  Expands Nationally

Command Alarm Monitoring (CAM), Troy, Mich., a Midwest provider of alarm monitoring, announced that it is expanding nationally to offer independent alarm dealers its monitoring service.  “We know alarm dealers need help to provide the best monitoring for their customers and confidence their central station delivers the latest technology and best service,” said Ron Ross, president of Command Alarm Monitoring.

Security industry statistics indicate that many independent alarm dealers do not own their own central station and are forced to rely on outside services.  “We expanded nationally to help these dealers get the monitoring service, technology, and profitability they deserve,” Ross added.    

For information, call 855-CAM-SAFE / 855-226-7233 or email info@commandalarm.com.

VISTA Panels Get 4G

Honeywell, Melville, N.Y., is offering 4G alarm communications technology on its VISTA platform. In making 4G technology available for VISTA, Honeywell continues to standardize its systems on the industry’s newest and fastest alarm communications to maximize the longevity of their offerings. The first VISTA panels that will offer 4G — the GSMX4G and GSMV4G — are available now.

Earlier this year, Honeywell released its first 4G radio based on the HSPA+ network when it introduced its LYNX Touch 5100 self-contained system. Driven by the mobile-device industry and consumer demand for speed and network longevity, many major carriers are prioritizing 4G implementations over slower alternatives.

Gordon Hope, general manager of Honeywell’s AlarmNet communications network, said, “History has shown that faster networks gain favor with carriers, so investing in this 4G technology is a smart investment in the future for a dealer’s business.”

For information, visit www.honeywell.com/security.

PPVAR Adds Board Members

The new Partnership for Priority Video Alarm Response (PPVAR) announced the addition of four new members to its board of directors:

•          Jacqueline Grimm, vice president Security Solutions, Diebold Incorporated.

•          Douglas Curtiss, president, Sonitrol New England.

•          Jon Bolen, chief technology officer, Interface Security Systems Inc.

•          Robert Baxter, president, Radius Security Inc.

With a history of more than 150 years in security systems and services, Diebold has extensive experience in alarm verification and incorporates a range of proven, industry-leading technology — including video. “We’re pleased to join PPVAR to promote priority response to video alarms that are verified by a certified central station,” said Jacqueline Grimm, vice president, security solutions. “We’ve offered alarm verification services for many years, and our focus on priority response, apprehension and risk reduction provides comprehensive threat protection. Also, by assisting law enforcement with a second-by-second situation analysis, we can help improve officer and customer safety, while increasing criminal apprehension rates.”

Sonitrol has a long history of working with law enforcement to make arrests through audio verification.  Doug Curtiss, president of a leading Sonitrol franchise explained, “We have installed verified alarms for years and made thousands of arrests.  Whether it is audio or video, the operator is a witness to a crime in progress.  From my perspective, the ‘V’ in PPVAR is ‘verification.’  We support this organization, and its work to reduce false alarms and make more arrests.” 

Jon Bolen of Interface Security Systems was the chief product officer of Westec before the recent acquisition of Westec by Interface. “Westec has been providing video verification to national customers for over 15 years,” Bolen said. “We have reduced and maintained our dispatch rate to less than 3 percent of events handled by our operators.  Meaning that over 97 percent of the alarms we receive are resolved without the costly, and often needless, intervention of authorities.  We are pleased to join an organization promoting this kind of value.” 

Canada is also included in the partnership.  Rob Baxter is president of Radius Security, a leading video monitoring central station in the Vancouver area.  “Alarm response in many cities in Canada has been degrading as budgets and police resources decline,’ Baxter noted. “Video-verified alarms help us provide greater security for our customers and reduce false alarms for our law enforcement partners.”

 The PPVAR supports traditional police response to traditional burglar alarm signals, promoting priority law enforcement response to video-verified alarms for more arrests. Priority response is an incentive to upgrade existing alarm systems to video, the group said. Video alarms enable a central station to view video clips associated with alarm activity and determine if there is a potential crime in process.  PPVAR membership includes police departments across the United States including the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, the second largest policing organization in the country. Membership also includes many of the largest burglar alarm monitoring companies in North America. The PPVAR provides training to insurance underwriters, loss control professionals, law enforcement and alarm dealers through a series of webinars, regional seminars and training sessions provided in conjunction with trade association conferences.  PPVAR is also compiling best practices for loss control professionals to maximize risk reduction using video alarms in conjunction with priority response. 

For information, email execdir@ppvar.org.