The Monitoring Association (TMA) has renewed The Protection Bureau’s Five Diamond Monitoring Center designation. This designation is granted annually to monitoring centers that satisfy all of the requirements of the five points of excellence, the company said in a press release.

The TMA Five Diamond designation means, in particular, that a monitoring company has demonstrated an exceptionally high degree of responsibility to their local community and their customers through the investment of time, money and commitment to quality operator training. In order to achieve the Five Diamond designation, each operator must not only pass TMA’s Monitoring Center Operator course, but must demonstrate:

• proficiency in alarm verification, which helps reduce false alarms;
• proficiency in communications with the public service answering points, such as the emergency 911 centers;
• knowledge of electronic communications equipment, including radio;
• an understanding of the codes and standards of such organizations as Underwriters Laboratories, Factory Mutual, the National Fire Protection Association and others; and
• proficiency in the area of emergency preparedness under a wide scenario of possibilities. 

In addition, these Five Diamond companies have demonstrated an exceptionally high degree of responsibility to their local community and their customers through the investment of time, money and commitment to 100 percent quality operator training.

There are approximately 2,700 central stations in the United States that communicate and interact with law enforcement, fire and emergency services agencies. Of this group, fewer than two hundred monitoring centers have achieved the “Five Diamond” designation.