New York Fire Stations, Municipal Buildings Use Panasonic Surveillance Cameras

  • Mar 16, 2011

Hello Alert Inc., a Babylon, New York security systems dealer, has installed thousands of Panasonic video surveillance cameras throughout the state of New York to provide surveillance of various municipal buildings, jails and approximately 50 fire houses in multiple jurisdictions on Long Island.

Lorraine Roberts, president of Hello Alert, which holds a New York state contract for security systems and solutions, is a big believer in Panasonic cameras.

“Reliability and durability are excellent, and that's why I sell so many,” she said.

Roberts buys the Panasonic cameras from distributor Tri-Ed/Northern Video Distribution Center located in Cranbury, NJ. She said that her Account Manager Ken Collins has recommended the best cameras for the various applications. Over the years, Roberts has installed Panasonic box cameras, PTZ models, and IP cameras, estimated at 3,000 cameras in all.

Roberts said she especially likes the Panasonic domes, including the WV-CW504 series of vandal-resistant fixed dome cameras featuring Adaptive Black Stretch (ABS), intelligent Video Motion Detection (i-VMD) and Auto Back Focus (ABF).

“It gives you a wide angle and a lot of coverage,” she said. “The picture is beautiful, and it's a very easy camera to install.”

A typical fire district where Roberts installs Panasonic cameras might encompass several fire stations, including a headquarters and multiple sub-stations that cover a certain geographic area.

Local DVRs preserve video of whatever happens at the stations, and video signals routed back to headquarters enable operators to watch who is entering certain buildings or attempting a break-in. Surveillance protects the facilities from vandalism and prevents damage to the expensive fire equipment stored at the various locations. Camera views also allow operators to identify delivery people and “buzz” them in.

“I truly believe in Panasonic,” Roberts said. “I have cameras that have been installed for up to 11 years, and they are still running. They are durable, reliable and worth every penny. That camera has to run 24 hours, all day and all night for 365 days a year. In the case of a power surge, the cameras come right back on.”

The dependability of Panasonic cameras also helps Roberts avoid the added costs of responding to service calls and ensures repeat business, she said.

“I have been with my districts for a very long time,” Roberts said.

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.