The Great Outdoors

Wireless surveillance provides liability protection, safe passage in outdoor environments without breaking the bank.

Outdoor perimeters are a challenge to secure, period. Why, you ask? Quite simply, these areas vary greatly in size, geographic make-up and location, and they cannot be ignored because they serve as access points to retail locations, corporate offices and municipal properties, among others. As with indoor environments, it is a property owner’s responsibility to provide security controls to manage and monitor potential issues. If a business fails to provide the tools needed to maintain safety, it could be liable if an on-site incident occurs and property is damaged or an individual is injured. Therefore, providing surveillance coverage of these areas not only enhances security but is useful in gathering evidence to manage liability issues. By expanding the use of surveillance around business and city perimeters, business owners can mitigate losses, speed up investigations and limit liability. For example, if an employee reports he injured himself near the loading dock due to unsafe work conditions, investigators can use surveillance data to determine what actually happened.

From legal and safety perspectives, it makes perfect sense to increase the coverage of a surveillance network to cover perimeters, but deploying a surveillance system in outdoor or remote areas once came with exorbitant costs due to the trenching, power and cabling requirements needed to install a system in these locations. But those costs are now a thing of the past.

New IP-based surveillance solutions leverage advanced wireless protocols and solar power to allow property owners to extend the reach of their surveillance system without the expense. Innovations in wireless enable the delivery of fully self-contained wireless video cameras that allow for placement anywhere because the devices are, by definition, not constrained by wires or cables. These systems incorporate directional antennas for reliable and long-range operation. Many also support 3G/4G networks to maximize system uptime in case of a network failure.

Video surveillance plays an important role in monitoring activity, reducing crime and optimizing operations in outdoor environments. The integration of wireless, outdoor surveillance cameras enables property owners and security teams to gather detailed data on an incident while providing personnel with the ability to make an assessment of a situation in real time to determine the appropriate response.

Outdoor surveillance systems act as a significant deterrent to criminals and provide reassurance to customers and employees. A wireless surveillance system cultivates a more secure environment at a cost much less than found with traditional security camera systems. At the end of the day, it is an owner’s responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment to protect brand identity, limit safety concerns and mitigate liability.

This article originally appeared in the October 2012 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

John Graham is the vice president of sales and marketing at MicroPower Technologies.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • 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.

  • 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.