The Benefits of Security Cameras For Campus Security

Are there benefits to having security cameras in schools? We believe they are an indispensable tool in campus safety.  On Monday, April 10th, 2017, A 53 year old man walked onto the campus of a San Bernardino California elementary school, went to the classroom of his estranged wife where she taught special education and opened fire, injuring one student, killing her and a student nearby before killing himself. You do not have to go long before another tragic headline, like this one, hits the news. It is horrible; it sickens us. It also firms our resolve to do all we can to make our schools safer.

Pro Tip: Any visitor can be a potential threat, so it is important to keep an eye on them. If you detect trouble, you can employ other safety precautions such as initiating help from law enforcement or using access control to confine the suspect.

Schools are vulnerable to crimes and acts of violence of all forms and surveillance cameras play an important role in making schools safer. Here are the top reasons why.

Deters Crime in the Area

When security cameras are placed in plain sight, studies show that it reduces criminal activity in that area. Criminals, don’t want to get caught.

Prevent Vandalism and Theft

Schools are often subject to vandalism because they have predictable off hours and inside thieves can access expensive equipment. Well-placed security cameras can deter this activity and help identify anyone that tries.

Eliminate Unauthorized Intruders

Unfortunately, schools are targets for unscrupulous people who want to victimize children. Those wishing to harm the students look like anyone else and would be difficult to detect prior to an event unless you are watching security footage regularly. Child predators of any type, whether sexual predators or drug dealers, will in most cases become familiar with the area, the school schedule, and with the patterns of a victim. School security camera systems can help you spot lurkers.

Monitor Entrances and Exits

Entrance and exit points are vulnerable so having an eye on them are essential to safety. A visible camera can deter crime, or aid in a crime event.

Monitor Corridors

Monitoring hallways and corridors is crucial to maintaining proper security. If any event occurs, having the ability to tap into the security camera system remotely will aid law enforcement.

Visitor Monitoring

We have learned that any visitor can be a potential threat, so it is important to keep an eye on them. If you detect trouble, you can employ other safety precautions such as initiating help from law enforcement or using access control to confine the suspect.

About Security Instrument

Security Instrument Corp. has over 50 years of industry experience and offers a full line of security and life safety solutions to fit the needs of any campus.

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Smart Home Security Starts With Your Smart Garage Door

Smart security sure has come a long way. Just a handful of years ago it would be difficult to believe all that is possible today with smart technologies connecting and enhancing a wide swath of security and convenience. While we enjoy all of the facets and elements of smart home security one element, the smart garage door, plays a truly pivotal role.

The Smart Garage Door is Key To Your Security

Securing the garage door is one of the most important, and most often neglected security actions. Over 90% of break-ins occur at ground level and a large portion of them through unsecured garage doors that lead to an interior door to the home. Over 70% of Americans use the garage door as their primary entrance. And it is not hard to figure that many, many people forget to close the garage door on countless occasions. That’s why the smart garage door is a strategic security feature. It can close or be closed remotely, even when you forget and provide pop-up smartphone alerts when it opens at unexpected times.

Pro Tip: When the garage door is part of a smart home system, going or coming can trigger actions to limit energy consumption, which reduces your costs.

Keep Track of Activity

Since a smart garage door can provide pop-up alerts on your smartphone when activity is detected or actions are needed, you can keep track of the comings and goings of the entire family by using unique codes.

You Can Manage Access Like Never Before

The ability to open and close the garage remotely and provide unique, time sensitive codes is also a valuable feature in time and project management. You can always be two places at once (almost) to let in family, friends, or service providers even if you are stuck in traffic.

A Smart Garage Door Makes Your Home Even More Thoughtful

A connected garage door can mean a much more responsive home. When the system detects that the door is opening and closing, and who by using codes or geofencing technology, it can trigger other responses. When the door closes, for example, the clothes dryer turns to “away”, the lights go off and the thermostat get turned down. Or when you draw near, the garage opens, lights go on, temperature adjusts, and the appropriate appliances are on and ready to go. It can also trigger an “away” sequence of events that it can turn off and on lights and music so that the home always looks occupied, making your home even more secure.

The Smart Garage Door Can Trigger Savings

Heating and cooling makes up the largest portion of our energy bills. When the garage door is part of a smart home system, going or coming can trigger actions to limit energy consumption, which reduces your costs.

Security Instrument is Delaware’s largest full-service, independently owned security firm serving thousands of customers with professional and personalized service throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.

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3 Tips For Getting Commercial Video Surveillance Right

The commercial environment comes with security risks completely unique to the industry and unique to the facility itself. Every commercial business needs some type of security to prevent, deter, and monitor illegal activities. How well that system serves you though, depends on several factors. We know that having it is a must, but getting video surveillance right doesn’t happen without some effort.

A well-designed video surveillance system can be any commercial business owner’s most effective weapon in their security arsenal. However, one that is ill-adapted for the purpose or application can prove to be of little use if a security event occurs. Here are some important tips in using video surveillance to protect your commercial facility, its property, and employees and visitors.

Commercial security camera systems are crucial to a business, but how well that system serves you depends on what you do right.

Know Your Risks

Every business has a unique set of risks based on factors such as location, type of business, size of facility, facility usage, and occupancy. Don’t assume your risks; know them through thorough investigation. Talk to local law enforcement and ask about local crime and why types of crimes do they see in similar facilities. Talk to other business owners in the area about how they deal with security, and ask other owners of similar businesses for their insights. Ask them about security cameras and which types they have employed. Finally, talk to security specialists to gain even more insight.

Develop a Workable  Security Plan

Great security is an ongoing undertaking with many facets. Once you have collected data, use it to develop a systematic plan of implementation for your security addressing all of the risks you uncovered. As you develop your plan of implementation, think about which commercial security cameras and CCTV systems will address the most likely issues you’d face, such as theft, accident, or violence.

Invest in the Right Commercial Security Camera and CCTV System

The security camera system is a business owner’s most effective tool in combating things like false injury claims, theft, and violence. But its effectiveness depends a great deal on a multitude of factors such as having the right type of camera in the right location, covering critical areas, camera placement to avoid glare, and many others. Because video footage is critical in any security event, proper placement is critical and always best done by an experienced professional. Here are some important points to help you choose the right security camera system and components for your facility.

  • Choose night vision cameras for the outside of your facility. Cover areas such as loading docks, parking lots, and entrances and exits.
  • Install security cameras with a wide view for a sweeping view of the facility.
  • Choose cameras appropriate for small areas to cover the stockroom or other tight areas.
  • Opt in to cameras to specifically cover POS area.
  • Install pan-tilt-zoom cameras to cover busy areas.
  • Choose a smart security system that offers remote viewing and control. Among other advantages, it helps law enforcement in the event of an emergency.

The right commercial security camera and CCTV system can help facility owners address many challenges. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, Security Instrument helps both commercial and residential clients with a full line of security technologies, services an, UL listed, Factory Mutual Approved Central Station Monitoring 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

 

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