Re: NFPA's Creation of Security Standards/Codes

[Crash Gordon® <webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Welp, we don't have but a handful of unions out here...but yah you're =
probably right. I KNOW the residential builders won't go for higher =
prices..so homes will not be available with systems already installed. =
Time to stock up on wireless.


"Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx> wrote in message =
news:1116872960.746186.229760@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Crash Gordon=AE wrote:
> Excluding fire...
>
> This is all fine and dandy in theory however;
>
> Many many homes we do security for, we never even see a blue print,
and if we do it's 10 minutes before we are running wire. Security guys
are the low man on the totem pole, we are the last to be granted the
bid, the last to have contracts signed, the last be called when
something needs to be done, the last to get paid.
>
> Something like this will kill anyone working for residential
tract-home builders. Submit plans, pull a permit for every home, submit
for inspections (and have to be there?)...this will absolutely kill
reasonalbly priced alarm installations. And, what about pre-wired-only
homes?...the prewire alarmco is gonna pay for plans, permits on a job
that he probably will never finish the trim-out on? I don't do tracts
or prewires anymore (thank god), but I know the drill. This would
easily double the price of systems.
>
>
>
But Crash ............. that's exactly the idea!  There's been a long
.. but very deliberate crusade by the electrical industry, and larger
alarm companys, to oust the small alarm dealers. Take a look at who
does much of the fire installations. Take a look at who sits on the
boards of NFPA. Take a look at who does the lobbying for political
decisions. The Unions are no longer as strong as they used to be, but
they still have their foothold in the bureaucratic and political areas
where the big money is. Do you see much municipal work being done by
non union companies? How about the big fire alarm systems? Ever see a
non union alarm company doing them? Why do you think ADT gets many of
the big jobs? Not simply because it's the biggest alarm company but
because it's also got it's commercial branches unionized. In my area,
most smaller electricians are not union affiliated, but if you want the
bigger jobs, you'd better be unionized. The citys, towns, municipal
contractors and developers know better than to hire a contractor not in
the union, because they know they'll be picketed or work will be
delayed while unions (legally) hold up work, trying to pamphlet the non
union workers to "organize" on the job.

They ..... just ...... want ..... the ..... MONEY!

They want it to be .... that if anyone wants an alarm system .......
only the BIG companys get it. If the little users get knocked aside
because of code requirements that only apply to large jobs ...... they
don't care. they're only interested in  those that CAN afford it and
that it will be under the requirements that will insure that only the
big AND/OR affiliated installation companies will get the jobs. They're
not concerned in the least with the little users or the little
tradesmen.


Other than the obvious advantages to NFPA ...another item to speculate
about is ...... UL has been gradually eliminated from the installation
side of the alarm industry over the years. How much interest would THEY
have in seeing standards/codes instituted that would require their
"services"? As such, what influences could they be having on this
event? I don't know what their affiliations are, but they surely are
much more involved with the electrial industry than with the alarm
industry.

I wouldn't consider all of this an actual "conspiracy", but certainly
...... and at the least, a long range goal or leaning of these other
trades and organizations, all with a mutually advantageous target.