Industry leader Timothy M. Creenan, CEO of Amherst Alarm Inc., is calling for others in the alarm industry to join the fight against harmful ordinances that threaten the industry’s ability to protect lives and property, such as the ordinance put in place by Sandy Springs, Georgia.

Creenan says that his company will donate 10 cents for each of its customers to the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), resulting in a substantial donation. The donation will be divided between the fund established to fight the Sandy Springs ordinance and funding for SIAC’s ongoing nationwide activities to promote a “Model Alarm Ordinance” that has dramatically decreased false alarms in communities nationwide, SIAC reported in a press release.

“There is no question that cities such as Sandy Springs negatively impact our business and our customers with ordinances based on misinformation or animosity toward our industry,” Creenan said. “A small investment now will pay tremendous dividends if ordinances that fine alarm companies, impose outrageous fees for registration and false alarms, and generally discourage or punish people from protecting their lives and property go unchallenged.”

SIAC is providing the background information for and organizing the legal challenge to the Sandy Springs ordinance in U.S. District Court. In addition, SIAC’s professional staff meets with public safety leaders throughout the United States and interfaces with leading public safety organizations to promote proven solutions that include the Model Alarm Ordinance, created with input from law enforcement.

“Let’s not kid ourselves,” said Stan Martin, SIAC executive director, “there are individuals in the country who spend a considerable amount of their time trying to undermine our industry’s credibility and promote ordinances that either fine alarm companies or severely limit police response to alarms. Their misinformation campaigns can take root when there is no alternative voice to provide expertise on the issue.

“Without a proactive program to engage the nation’s 18,000 public safety agencies these efforts will gain momentum, harm our relationship with customers and place excessive administrative and financial burdens on our businesses,” Martin continued.

Creenan, who serves on the SIAC board as a representative of the Electronic Security Association (ESA) urges other companies to make the same donation of 10 cents per customer.

“I can’t think of any investment with a higher potential ROI than funding SIAC’s well-established track record for promoting the Model Alarm Ordinance and fighting back when our industry and those we serve are attacked. It is clearly a case of pay now or pay much more later.”