VIENNA, VA (June 18, 2015) CSAA International announced that Bill Hobgood, Project Manager, Public Safety Team in the Department of Information Technology for the City of Richmond, Virginia, is the recipient of CSAA's inaugural Public Sector Award. This special honor is given by CSAA in recognition of a public sector individual's contribution to the alarm industry.
"Over the past several years, Bill has worked tirelessly to promote and implement ASAP\AE, a program that increases the efficiency and reliability of emergency electronic signals from central station alarm companies to Public Service Answering Points (PSAPs)," said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow. "Bill is the ideal recipient of this inaugural award" he has been an indefatigable advocate for the ASAP program, which benefits both the private and public sector."
"I am deeply honored to receive CSAA's Inaugural Public Sector Award," said Hobgood. "Having personally developed the first ASAP to Computer-Aided Dispatch interface for York County, VA and the City of Richmond, VA that was launched in 2006 as a two-and-a-half year pilot, I realized from day one that the ASAP program would become the win-win that it has for public safety and the alarm industry with the primary beneficiary being the community that we serve. The ASAP program has a proven track record of successes across the United States made possible due to faster responses by public safety responders."
Hobgood was nominated for the award by Vector Security and by CSAA Past President Louis T. Fiore. "This award is so well-deserved!" said Fiore. "Bill has done a great deal for CSAA, ASAP and the industry as a whole, and I congratulate him on this recognition."
ASAP was launched in 2011 as an initiative by the alarm industry in a cooperative effort between the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO) and CSAA. With ASAP, critical life safety signals and accurate information is processed in seconds, not minutes, through the Nlets system of state-to-state PSAP communication, insuring that critical time is not lost, and that complete and accurate information is transmitted to the PSAP every time. The ASAP program also helps reduce false alarms, and may save the PSAPs and emergency services potentially millions of dollars.
"ASAP is a critical initiative that will improve public safety," said Petrow, "and it is being implemented all around the country thanks to Bill."
"The program continues to expand to additional Public Safety Answering Points and alarm central stations at a rapid pace," Hobgood said. "It has been personally rewarding each time I learn of another PSAP or central station that has joined the program. This program really works and I am thankful to be part of it."
Hobgood was presented with the award at the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) Public Sector luncheon on Wednesday, June 24, at the Baltimore Convention Center.
About CSAA International: The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Global, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members' interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org
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