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Smith & Wesson, which recently got into the home security business, and had a visible presence at ISC East this year, launched a lead-generation program at SHOT, a gun show that took place Jan. 15-18 in Orlando. The program gives fire-arms dealers material to display in their stores about Smith & Wesson Security Systems. The fire-arms dealers receive a commission for resulting sales. Here's the press release. I've got a call into Wayne Wahrsager, CEO of Smith & Wesson Security Services, to see how the program's going.

EMERgency24, a central-station alarm monitoring company based in Chicago, announced on Jan. 30 that it had donated $1,000 through its Responder Reward program to the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department, Company 10, in Bethesda, Md., on behalf of Splaine Security Systems of Kensington, Md. This Responder Reward donation was made to acknowledge the fast response by the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department (CJPVFD) to Patti and Michael Hellyer’s home in Bethesda. The department's speedy response saved the couple's three dogs and substantially minimized property damage. The photoelectric smoke detectors installed by Splaine Security Systems quickly recognized the fire scenario and alerted EMERgency24 monitors who dispatched the authorities immediately. During the ceremony, CJPVFD Chief James Seavey said that incidents like this highlight the important role alarm-system installers play in keeping our communities safe and the value of having a security system monitored by a central station. “This situation underscores the importance of having a monitored alarm system.” Sam Splaine, President of Splaine Security Systems, explained that security is a linear process. “If any link in the chain fails – the sensor, communication to the control panel, alarm transmission to EMERgency24, dispatch of the emergency responders – then everything else is wasted. A smoke alarm monitored by EMERgency24 is so much more effective than a system that only has an audible alarm. If no one is home, the neighbors won’t hear your alarm because of the way houses are insulated, but they might hear the windows explode eventually. Unfortunately, by that time, most of the house is gone and pets have no way of escaping. That sums up the importance of having a monitored alarm system.” The purpose of the Responder Reward Program, according to Patrick Devereaux, Senior Vice President of EMERgency24, is to recognize firefighters who put out blazes and to draw attention to criminal apprehension when the police respond to EMERgency24 dispatches triggered by monitored alarm systems. "The EMERgency24 Responder Reward Program was developed to thank firefighters and police officers for the invaluable services they provide in communities across America. Police officers and fire fighters responding to alarms is a vital function that makes our communities safer," Devereaux said. EMERgency24, headquartered in Chicago since its founding in 1967, is a nation-wide provider of central-station alarm-monitoring services with branches in Detroit, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. The company monitors 165,000 subscribers’ accounts.

President Obama's stimulus plan, which passed the House of Representatives yesterday lacked bipartisan support, (It passed 244-188 along party lines. Not one Republican voted for the plan. Trying to make a point, they knew it would pass) but it did have vocal support of some business leaders. Prior to the vote, Obama held a meeting where he wooed a group of 11 execs of major corporations. Of interest to the security industry may be the presence of David Cote, Honeywell CEO (parent company of Honeywell Security and ADI). According to a report in Reuters:

Cote said the current dynamic is bad for American industry and that his company supports the bill the House of Representatives is voting on today. "Our message would be that it needs to get done fast," Cote said. "

Here's the full story On a separate note: The NBFAA helped get language included in the House version of the stimulus package that should stimulate some security and fire business. There are two provisions in the stimulus package that you all should care about: one provides $16 billion to public schools and another provides $4 billion to colleges and universities. For schools, the grants can be used to bring public schools into compliance with fire, health and safety codes. That means they can spend the money on the professional installation (which is the key wording NBFAA helped out with) of fire alarms, and "modernizations, renovations and repairs that ensure schools are prepared for emergencies, such as improving building infrastructure to accommodate security measures." It's not a done deal yet. The language has to be included in the Senate version. We'll know if that happens by the middle of next week, John Chwat, NBFAA's guy on The Hill, told me. If it happens, though, the cash is there. No more authorizing or appropriating needed.

CNN has grabbed footage of the now-world-famous (and rightly so) landing of US 1549 on the Hudson River from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal surveillance cameras, which I've been informed were Bosch. The footage isn't the best, but you'll see the zoom in isn't half-bad resolution-wise. This is really just a chance for me to post footage of what I consider to be the feel-good story of the decade. Can you imagine being on that plane? I fly through NYC about 10 times a year. Of course, if those were all Mainers, they'd have all just swam to shore...