Press Release

ECHO is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Taylor as General Manager, effective 1st October 2020.

With an initial focus on engaging Alarm Receiving Centres and UK Police Forces to facilitate their on-boarding, Mark will steer ECHO as it readies itself for the start of the national roll out now expected in early 2021. 

On behalf of the ECHO Board Dave Wilkinson explained, “The ECHO journey from drawing board of NPCC requirements to full service delivery is soon to be realised, and Mark’s business management expertise will be a key catalyst for this leg of the journey and onwards.” 

ECHO now approaches Beta-testing of its automated alarms transmission service from Alarm Receiving Centres to the Police.  Vanguard police forces will be ECHO-connected from early 2021 when automated alarm signalling will be progressively rolled out.

More information about ECHO can be found at www.echo.uk.net

-ENDS-

Press contact:  

Dianne Gettinby NSI Head of Marketing Communications

 T: +44 (0)1628 764869 E: [email protected]

Editors Notes

Electronic Call Handling Operations Ltd (ECHO) aims to deliver a centralised, fully automated electronic call handling service to reduce the pressure on the emergency services and Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs) by reducing call handling times and errors which can occur with manual response handling.

Following discussions between the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the private security industry in 2015, the decision to implement electronic transfer was agreed. As a result, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) set the date of 2020 for all Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs) to be operating on an electronic platform.

The BSIA, FIA, ECA and NSI play key roles in developing and implementing the initiative to ensure ECHO is delivered in  2020. The launch presents a significant opportunity to facilitate more efficient use of emergency services, reducing call handling times and errors which can occur with manual call handling.

Pilot schemes have proved that ECHO will improve efficiencies. A number of ARCs and police forces are now accepting some electronic transfers, including: Metropolitan, Essex and Avon & Somerset and Northamptonshire Police. For more information visit www.echo.uk.net

The British Security Industry Association (BSIA), as the voice of the professional security industry, represents multiple sectors of private security in the UK. Its members provide over 70% of the UK’s security products, services and they adhere to strict quality standards. For more information visit http://www.bsia.co.uk

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) is the largest fire protection trade association in the UK with 850+ members. We are a not-for-profit organisation and a major provider of fire safety training. Our objective is to promote, improve and perfect fire protection methods, devices, services and apparatus. For more information visit www.fia.uk.com

The Fire & Security Association (FSA) is the leading trade association dedicated to companies who design, install commission, maintain and monitor electronic fire, emergency and security system. As a specialist group of the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) and working in partnership with SELECT, the Scottish electro-technical trade association, the FSA is uniquely positioned to improve industry standards and enhance and develop members' businesses. For more information visit www.fireandsecurityassociation.co.uk

The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) is the UK's most highly trusted and respected independent third-party certification body approving more than 1800 companies for a wide range of services in the security and fire safety sector. For 50 years NSI has been protecting businesses, homeowners and the general public providing rigorous auditing through its highly trained, in-house team of experts. Buyers of security services who choose NSI approved companies can be assured of security and fire safety services delivered to British and International Standards and Industry Codes of Practice, by businesses committed to quality. For more information visit: www.nsi.org.uk