Irish Aviation Authority Uses Digital Video Surveillance, Passive Infrared Detectors To Improve Security
Digital video surveillance technology and long-range passive infrared detectors from ADPRO selected by A1Omada are at the heart of a major security and safety installation for the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).
The equipment has been installed to protect people and equipment at the IAA’s Air Traffic Control Centre (ATCC) in Shannon, Ireland and six remote locations housing essential radar and communications infrastructure across the region.
The IAA is a commercial State sponsored organization responsible for the provision of air navigation services in Irish controlled airspace and the safety regulation of the Irish civil aviation industry.
The ATCC at Shannon controls some 380,000 over-flights per year and can handle up to 85 percent of traffic between North America and Europe. Along with the Control Center, four long-range radar sites and two air traffic radio communications sites (spread across Clare, Cork Mayo and Donegal) were also included in the project.
The IAA wanted a system to protect staff, visitors and essential assets from a security angle.
"The very nature of our business makes it imperative to deliver a consistently high level of service," said Gerry Guihen, property and security manager for the IAA. "To do this, our security system must be able to ensure that all our assets are protected and secure at all times. We must look at new ways of managing the increased threat (since 9/11) and ensuring that people and assets are protected.”
Guihen also identified the role a surveillance system could play in enhancing health and safety. To this end, should an incident or accident occur, the cameras and recording technologies can be used to review the footage and determine what happened.
“This way, we can put measures in place to prevent such an event happening again,” he said.
The systems integrator on the project, A1Omada, chose ADPRO. ADPRO PRO detectors are also being used. If an intruder is detected, an alarm is activated that triggers the ADPRO FastTrace system which in turn immediately sends live pictures back to an ADPRO Video Central Gold management system in the control room in Shannon. Although the system records all activity 24/7, the recording rate is increased when alarm activity is triggered, maximizing digital recording.
“We chose FastTrace because it combines video alarm verification, remote site monitoring and control, and long duration evidential quality recording,” said Hugh Smeallie of A1Omada. “The system makes it quick and simple to manage sites over a large distance, something that is essential in this application. It is also robust in design which was another important factor to consider where reliability and performance are key.”
A1Omada is also using ADPRO’s PRO series of long-range detectors.
“The PRO Series are easy to install and adjust, and provide superior performance with the minimum false alarms -- something that is very important when securing remote locations,” Smeallie said.
Guihen is very pleased with the results of the technology so far: there have been no incidents since the equipment has been installed.
“The system has been installed to protect,” he said. “This is its primary function and we’re very pleased with the results to date.”