Editors Note

Engaging a Rapid Response

There is more than one reason why emergency vehicles have lights and sirens. Several years ago, there was a campaign by the Ohio state fire marshal which was, “Move right for lights and sirens.” This makes a lot of sense, allowing emergency response to get where they need to be with minimum interference.

Today, there is much more involved than lights and sirens. Back then, there was no such thing as cloud storage. Today, cloud applications are meaningful and necessary for government applications.

Our cover story in this issue is from Nicholas Maier or RedSky, and he talks about the necessity of finding ways to improve response times. Taking a step back, the government created the 911 system. That was back in 1968. Today, a new standard is part of emergency response, and it resides in the cloud.

The cloud is key because there is text 911, video streaming of 911 events, dynamic geo-spatial routing of 911 calls, all of which require a new architecture. The call routing will be routed by cloud-based applications, which is important because when a caller rings up 911, a database will capture the location of the caller, and it will appear on the emergency dispatcher’s screen. This is a great story that will help explain real-time emergency response.

Our Lindsay Page spent some time with ASSA ABLOY’s Jeff Huggins to better understand and provide information on how to grow your business. Doing business with the government can be challenging, but never fear, there are experts who have done this successfully for years.

Huggins, who was interviewed for this story, will walk you, the reader, through the GSA letter of supply, and how it will benefit you if you want to be a government supplier. Huggins and his team of two others staff members are relatively new to the ASSA ABLOY group, but clearly understand numerous solutions that apply to the government, and will benefit the manufacturer.

Also important to government security is city security, and how the Hartford, Conn., Police Department (HPD) established its Real-time Crime Center and Data Intelligence Center. As seen all too often lately, keeping a handle on crime and criminal activities in the city is a difficult task. How did they pay for it? HPD used various grants and other available monies, all of which you can help an end-user find and secure.

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

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.