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    Multi-Building Networked Systems                  Bulletin 3001 10/24/02  
    Copyright (C) 2001, Coastal Security Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.  
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    Monthly charges for monitored accounts depend upon the number of monitored
locations and not on the number of control panels or communicators.  Each
location that bears a separate address or a separate dispatch alarm permit
number must be maintained as a separate account in the central station.

    For example:  There are four buildings in a cluster.  Each building has
a separate street address that must be given to the authorities when an alarm
occurs.  All four buildings are networked to a single control panel and
communicator in one of the four buildings.  This will result in four separate
and separately billable monitoring accounts in the central station.

    It is best if the panel is programmed to send a separate account number for
each location.  If the panel cannot do this then our database can be configured
to relay the proper signals to the proper account numbers.

    In the event only one dispatch address or permit is required then multiple
buildings can be maintained and billed as a single account in the central
station.

    For example:  The Blue Ridge Condos has four buildings.  The main building
contains the fire alarm control and annunciator.  The AHJ (local fire marshall,
fire department or authority having jurisdiction) wants all alarms dispatched
to the location of the annunciator.  Under these circumstances only one account
is required in the central station.

    The advantage to setting the account up this way is that you will be billed
for only one account even though there are four monitored locations.  There are
some disadvantages to setting the account up this way:

1.  If the account is placed on test then all locations will be out of service
    (on test) for the duration of the test.

2.  If alarms sound at two or more locations at the same time there is a risk
    that some of the alarms will not be handled properly due to the receipt of
    a cancel signal or because an alarm of the same type was already dispatched
    within thirty minutes (see bulletin 2010).

3.  Multiple signals from different locations received within a two minute
    window could be erroneously be reported as multiple zones from the same
    location due to the redundant signal processing logic in the central
    station software.

4.  Runaway signals would be more likely and could cause the central station
    to stop monitoring all locations once the threshold of activity was met
    (see bulletin 1020).

    Central One can establish a reduced rate for the extra accounts required
in a networked fire alarm system upon request.  To qualify for the reduced rate
each system must:

1.  Have no burglar alarm signals or police dispatch agency defined.

2.  Receive signals on a root account number that is relayed or translated to
    the separate account.

3.  All accounts in the network must share the same callout list.

4.  The account where the panel is located is billed at the standard rate.