The topic of video monitoring is hotter than ever, and more and more dealer-owned and central monitoring stations are offering some version of it to customers.

Video monitoring just may be the answer to decreasing revenue from hardware-centric sales, DIY pressures and new market entrants offering monitoring for historical lows and no contract.

The Monitoring Association (TMA) has joined with APCO International, the world’s oldest and largest organization of public safety communications professionals, in calling upon security industry professionals to support the bipartisan, bicameral 9-1-1 SAVES Act, a zero-cost bill that would fix the federal classification by grouping Public Safety Telecommunicators with other "Protective" occupations.

Virginia Beach, Va. is the latest municipality to implement Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP), technology that automates communication between alarm monitoring central stations and public safety answering points (PSAPs)/911 centers, resulting in faster, more accurate emergency response.

With the help of Vector Security Inc., the provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses across North America, Bradley County, Tenn. became the 50th public safety answering point (PSAP) in the nation to go live with Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP).

AvantGuard has started the process of opening a third central station location in Cedar City, Utah. Within the next two years, it will become a complete part of AvantGuard's redundancy infrastructure, further cementing the company's level of reliability while allowing it to scale with the rapid growth of its subscriber base.

Micro Key Solutions, a provider of monitoring and back office accounting software, announced the hire of a new CEO, Andrew Bensinger. 

Marrying a variety of software and hardware, the goal of a video wall in any operations center or monitoring center is to provide operators with the visual information they need to monitor, assess and respond accordingly to a variety of threats.

On March 5, an appeal was filed on behalf of the Georgia Electronic Life Safety & System Association (GELSSA) in response to a District Court decision to not hear the case filed by ESA members in Georgia over an ordinance that fines alarm companies for allegedly false dispatches. 

Enterprise Ireland client Netwatch Group, a provider of proactive video monitoring, is expanding operations in the United States. David Walsh, CEO, Netwatch Group, said the company created 250 new jobs in the U.S. in 2018 and will continue this growth in 2019, adding another 100 roles.