Osceola County (Fla.) Goes Live With ASAP Service to Automate Alarm Notifications
Osceola County, Fla., has gone live with Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) Service, a technology designed to automate alarm notifications and reduce the workload on 911 telecommunicators at the county’s emergency communications center.
In 2025 the emergency communications center handled more than 12,000 alarm notifications, according to an announcement. With ASAP now in place the center is expected to save telecommunicators between 33 and 133 hours each month. County officials said that time can be redirected to higher-priority emergency calls, supporting faster and more accurate response.
According to the county, ASAP reduces the potential for miscommunication between the emergency communications center and alarm-monitoring centers by delivering more accurate information at the outset. Officials said the changes are intended to improve telecommunicator performance while helping reduce stress and burnout and enhance public-safety outcomes.
Christopher A. Blackmon, Osceola County sheriff, said the agency implemented ASAP to reduce the volume of alarm-related calls that previously had to be handled manually by telecommunicators.
Traditionally, alarm notifications require multiple voice calls between emergency communications center staff and alarm-monitoring center personnel so telecommunicators can gather the information needed to make dispatch decisions. County officials said those exchanges can add an average of six to eight minutes to response times. By shifting alarm notifications to an automated system, telecommunicators are able to focus more time and attention on higher-priority emergency calls, improving operational efficiency and public safety.
Osceola County joins a growing number of U.S. public-safety agencies using ASAP. Mission Critical Partners led the implementation effort, working with the county to complete deployment. The implementation was completed in partnership with Motorola, which embedded the capability into the county’s computer-aided dispatch system.
ASAP was developed by The Monitoring Association (TMA) to digitally deliver alarm notifications directly into an emergency communications center’s CAD system. The protocol eliminates voice calls, minimizes transcription errors and reduces response times for police, fire and emergency medical units. The system also supports improved situational awareness by transmitting images, video links and other attachments provided by alarm-monitoring centers.
As of go-live, the following alarm-monitoring companies are transmitting alarm notifications to Osceola County’s emergency communications center via ASAP Service: Rapid Response, Vector Security, Security Central, Guardian Protection, Tyco/Johnson Controls, Securitas, United Central Control (UCC), Quick Response, Everon, Alert 360, National Monitoring Center (NMC), Affiliated Monitoring, Vivint, Brinks Home and ADT.