Team Work

YMCA on the receiving end of security system

• By Kim Rahfaldt
• Jun 01, 2017

Sometimes you need to be in the right place at the right time. Sometimes, it’s who you know. For Karrie Gabbard, executive director of the East Butler County Family YMCA in Hamilton, Ohio, it was both. Gabbard and her team were starting to discuss the idea of raising money for a good security system. They had been dealing with graffiti, theft and car break-ins, and knew it was time to upgrade for the sake of their membership and the numerous programs for children they run throughout the year.

Money is Tight

As typical non-profits go, money is tight, and money for a security system, deemed almost a luxury, was difficult to justify. They had six bad cameras installed but with no money in the budget to upgrade them.

As they were identifying donors to contribute to the project, an instructor told her about Securadyne Systems’ Community Day. Once a year, Securadyne, an electronic security systems integrator, closes its office and performs work in the local community. The instructor’s husband worked for Securadyne Systems.

Victor Hoffman, account executive for Securadyne, was excited about helping out his local YMCA. He and Securadyne project manager, Jeremy Brewer, reached out to Dennis Gibbs, Great Lakes regional sales manager at AMAG Technology, to see if AMAG could donate a new video management system.

“We just started talking about how we could raise money for a good security system when this opportunity fell into my lap,” Gabbard said. “We determined our basic needs, what Securadyne and AMAG could provide, and set the installation date. We were thrilled.”

AMAG Technology’s Symmetry CompleteView VMS sits on the front desk where employees can monitor activity occurring throughout the facility. The YMCA installed 12 cameras total. Five were purchased and the remaining were either donated or refurbished by Securadyne. Cameras monitored critical areas such as the doorways, front desk, hallways, workout areas, vending machines, parking lots, kiddy care area and the basketball court. This YMCA branch is the largest of seven in the area and services about 15,000 members, not including guests. Kettering Hospital Network uses a section of their building for a physical therapy office and orthopedics office. The main lobby camera provides a general view of the shared hallway.

Installing a video system was critical for the numerous children’s programs held. The summer day camp program services about 100 kids children day, and they go all over the building. A drop-in babysitting service provides members with 2.5 hours of free babysitting a week, and children as young as 6 weeks’ old are in those rooms. Cameras are stationed in each of the three babysitting rooms, which are divided by age, and parents can watch their children on a monitor in the wellness center.

More than 100 children participate in a half-day preschool program that is open mornings and afternoons in three classrooms. Installing cameras in the preschool area is part of phase two.

“Prior to this we had six cameras that didn’t cover much,” Gabbard said. “We have twice the number of members as the other seven YMCA branches and host several outside groups. Between our traffic and theft, I am so thankful for our new security system.”

Gabbard enjoys the ease of use with the system and the flexibility it provides. She and her team can playback incidents when needed, and anticipate helping local police in the future. Gabbard also likes that she can view her video management system from her phone or iPad from anywhere.

“We were happy to donate our time to a worthy cause and help the YMCA with their security needs,” said Victor Hoffman, account executive at Securadyne Systems.

“Working with Securadyne to donate a video system to the YMCA was a great experience and worthwhile cause,” Gibbs said. “We are proud to participate and look forward to working with the YMCA more in the future.”

Security in place, it is a great partnership between the two companies.

This article originally appeared in the June 2017 issue of Security Today.