The document concentrates on the installation rather than specifying detailed equipment requirements. The main thrust of the document is that new systems (and existing systems, which have lost police response) must be capable of providing a "Confirmed Alarm" signal to the ARC. Many manufacturers have included this facility for some years (Menvier Security's first system with confirmation was the TS700 some seven years ago), and a large number of installers are using it regularly, keeping them one step ahead of the game.
The complexity for manufacturers, however, will come not directly from ACPO 2000, but from a supporting BSI document, the revised version of DD243: 1999. This document will redefine how certain procedures are to operate. As an example, no longer will any two intruder activations combine to generate the alarm confirmation signal to the ARC. The control panel will require some timing between the two activations, and if there is no second activation within a given time from the first, then the system must rearm and then be capable of subsequently sending another unconfirmed alarm.
There are likely to be other changes in the ways in which intruder alarm equipment is to work, and, ideally, these changes should have been implemented in readiness for the ACPO policy on October 1. Unfortunately, the revised DD243 is still not yet complete, and is unlikely to be available until early 2002. Until these require-ments are disseminated to manufacturers, we will be unable to develop and test compliant products ready for launch. For the installer, DD243 will now allow two detectors to have overlapping areas of coverage. Although not an equipment parameter, this is something that the market has longed for. Without overlapping coverage, it is difficult to fit two detectors in a room to reliably provide a confirmed alarm signal. It should be noted, however, that where detectors do overlap, they would have to be of different technologies (e.g. a PIR and a microwave). There are always exceptions to rules, and DD243 does allow two overlapping dual-technology detectors.
Detection devices increased
The emphasis is on system design (assessing the risk) in order to provide perimeter and space protection to ensure a confirmed signal is capable of being sent if an intruder only enters a specific area of a premises. This will in turn increase the number of detection devices required on an average system. If the ARC receives an alarm condition plus a signal indicating transmission fault, then they may pass this information to the police for response. Furthermore, if a system is capable of signalling alarm information via two independent transmission paths, then the ARC may pass failure of both paths to the police for response. These new requirements will undoubtedly increase interest in "dual signalling".
When an alarm condition is detected, the control panel will send an Unconfirmed Alarm to the ARC, which will result in a keyholder response. If another activation occurs within a given time period (the Confirmation Time) a Confirmed Alarm is transmitted to the ARC which will then result in a police response. If the second alarm does not occur within the Confirmation Time, the control panel will automatically rearm, and any subsequent activity within the same set period will generate another Unconfirmed Alarm.
DD243 will now allow two detectors to have overlapping areas of coverage. This is what the market has longed for ... without it it’s difficult to fit two detectors in a room to reliably provide a confirmed alarm signal
Changes will also be made to the way equipment handles entry procedures. It will now be possible to unset a system from outside the building using a wireless keyfob or similar.
So what does this mean to a manufacturer such a Cooper Security? Updating the complete range of Menvier Security and Scantronic control panels is virtually an impossible task. We must, therefore, prioritise our efforts and update the most important products first. Indeed, it will not be possible to update some of the older products in our range.
We have, therefore, produced a matrix of which products will be updated to be DD243 compliant, and which will be made obsolete (Copies: Marketing on 01594 545 444). The task ahead is to provide compliant product as early as possible in 2002. As soon as the required information is released to manufacturers we will begin our development programme to ensure that the market is satisfied as quickly as possible.
Source
Security Installer
