Ralph Sevinor, who was one of the first members in our profession to be appointed to the Board of State Examiners of Electricians shared the information below on how far this industry has evolved over the years.
Looking back, this journey started to gain steam in 1972, which is when the Salem Injunction took place. The Salem Injunction prevented anyone, except Licensed Electricians, from installing Alarm Systems. The Electrical industry was forcing the Alarm Industry and personnel to only allow Licensed Electricians to perform Fire Alarms and Security Systems. To make matters worse, the Massachusetts Appeals Court upheld the decision to prevent capable Alarm Technicians from doing their job, favoring Electricians who may not have been as adequate in the field of practice. Along the way, many cities and towns were jumping on the bandwagon to have their own Alarm Licenses and testing criteria. This quickly became a money generator for the cities and towns and a huge quagmire of regulatory compliance for the Alarm Technicians.
We have certainly come a long way! We are grateful for the representation of our small Industry in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Industry has changed more in the past twenty years than in the previous eighty years. With Technology changing rapidly, the need to update our Training, Consumer Demands and Licensing Demands are essential. I believe the Board of State Examiners of Electricians is well poised to embrace new Technology, Consumer Protection and relevant Licensing criteria moving forward. The Board of State Examiners of Electricians have my full support and appreciation. I hope you will join me in supporting and appreciating their efforts.
On behalf of the MSCA, please join us in congratulating James Colleary and George Condon on their position on the Board of State Examiners of Electricians. We appreciate their commitment and hard work.
In closing, we would like to recognize Ralph Sevinor for his brief summary about the industry and for providing memorable photos of this event!