Author: apigroup

Taking some precautionary steps today can make your church a safer and more secure place for staff and members. It’s important to create a security plan that allows the church to stay vigilant yet maintain the open and welcoming feeling a congregation expects.

Create a church security team; include members who have military, police and medical backgrounds. They can be advisors, or the emergency action response team in charge of training ushers, parking lot attendants and volunteers in the event of an emergency.

Perform a risk assessment of the church; invite a professional security company to help with the assessment. They know the right questions to ask. In recent years, attacks against churches have gone up in number along with the level of violence. Dangers like theft, assault, killings, child abduction and arson have tragically occurred in our local churches. One contributing factor to these crimes may be due to a perceived lack of security. Churches are thought of as soft targets.

Gone are the days of leaving church doors open for the wandering soul to find refuge. Crime is a painful reality for the church community today. Church leaders are either improving or developing safety and security strategies for their churches.

Establish procedures and strategies based on the security needs discovered during the assessment. Establish notification and lockdown procedures in the event there is a fire, active shooter or other incident. The plan should include where people should go, what they should do and then communicate the plan to the congregation. Train staff and volunteers how to respond appropriately when an incident occurs.

Have a Sunday school sign in and checkout system in place. This can be a sticker-based tracking system or a software attendance program.

A monitored security system has the ability to dispatch law enforcement, fire department and medical services quickly. (Remember your trained team will have a procedure to follow.)

Video surveillance in office areas, sanctuary, nursery and church school rooms, gathering places, entrances, and parking areas enhances security. Just the presence of video cameras can deter someone with malice intent from striking. In addition, video surveillance can protect against false accusations especially concerning interactions with children.
Control access to buildings by installing key pads at access points and a video intercom at the office building entrance. Create a single entrance into the church on Sundays or during large gatherings. Make sure ushers or greeters are at all doors before and during service and large gatherings.

Hire off-duty police officers, their presence alone can be a deterrent.

In conclusion, as a church leader today, security must be a priority. We have seen some very troubling and fatal reasons why churches should not leave their doors open to the public unattended. As we said earlier, gone are the days of churches leaving their doors open all the time.
Whether you’re looking to assess risks and identify vulnerabilities, or revisit and review policies and procedures, One Source Security can help you.
Reduce security risks by being proactive. One Source Security would be happy to provide a FREE security audit of your church, call us today at 800-570-6478 to set up your appointment. We can help you create a security solution that meets your needs today with the ability to upgrade as your church expands.

Lock and key, the oldest form of access control where locks are used to prevent unauthorized access to a facility manually are still very popular today, but come with a few drawbacks. Keys can easily be duplicated, lost or stolen. When an employee leaves or keys are lost, there is a cost to re-key all the doors to ensure safety and security for people and property within the building.

On site access control was developed to provide more features, functionality and automation using ID cards, fobs and smartcards to access buildings. Data is stored locally on specially assigned servers requiring constant manual data backups and firmware updates. This can take up a considerable amount of time, money and resources.

Today we have the option of using a cloud-based access control system where software is hosted/located in the cloud and allows administrators to control access to their buildings and gather data from anywhere at any time through a web browser or mobile device. Access to the facility is granted with ID cards, fobs, smart cards or mobile devices.

When comparing access control options it is obvious that traditional lock and key security is limited when compared to modern security solutions. For instance, keys cannot open doors remotely; track who has entered or exited a building, or who is authorized to enter a building, floor or room. It is assumed that they have authorization because they are in possession of a physical key.

On site access control provide more features, functionality and automation. These solutions require that an IT person maintains and updates the servers where the software lives. The administrator also needs to be versed in cyber security to ensure that the servers don’t get infected by cyber attacks. All system changes have to be made locally on a dedicated PC that is connected to the servers. To maintain IT security, on site software requires constant manual data backups and firmware updates. This can take up a considerable amount of time, money and resources.

Cloud based access control provides more protection, is more convenient and easier to use. Providing complete control from anywhere in the world. Employees are able to open doors with their phone, eliminating the risk of lost or stolen keys and keycards. There are no servers to maintain and the software is updated automatically to protect against cyber threats. Real time data is collected about traffic in and out of the building. When key cards are lost or stolen, or an employee leaves, access is revoked immediately. Cloud based access control allows unlimited scalability adding in doors, offices and users at any time. Remotely open and secure doors. Integrate video surveillance with cloud access control. API integrations are available for software applications, such as HR, visitor and membership tools.

Cloud based access control provides an unsurpassed level of security. It reduces the inconveniences of updating and managing the system manually and in house.

Call One Source Security today at 800-570-6478 to set up an appointment to learn more about cloud based access control for your company.

If you are a parent heading back to work after having kids, you are not alone. According to a Pew Research Center report, 17 percent of US households have a mom working at least part time, and 46 percent of U.S. households include two full-time working parents, and that leaves children who need care, most of them outside of the home environment.

On top of that, the distressing feelings that encompass leaving your child range from emotions of anxiety to fear, sadness, trepidation and guilt. Unfortunately, on an all too common basis, school shootings and child abductions get major news coverage and send parents and childcare providers scrambling to ensure their children are safe. While the likelihood of a childcare center being the target of an active shooter is relatively slim, it’s easy to imagine a facility dealing with a contentious custody dispute between two parents.

The National Center for Abused and Exploited Children estimates 203,000 children are kidnapped every year by family members. Seven percent of those children are taken from their school or childcare center and these are alarming situations that providers need to plan for and parents need to make sure are in place to ensure the safety of their child.

Childcare providers are legally responsible for the children in their care so strong security is a must-have at any facility to ensure that all possible precautions are taken to protect a child’s well-being.

One Source Security prides itself on protecting our most precious assets – children. We have been designing, installing and servicing schools and other education entities for many years with superior success.

Childcare licensing rules vary from state to state and many do not include any specific security requirements, so choosing the right facility for the safety of your child is an utmost concern for peace of mind.

Some of the child care-specific security measures we provide for licensed daycare facilities include:

•Access Control, including ID / Badging / Key Fob access – from design to creation; Prevent unwanted visitors from entering – even the vestibule, track who went where and when, integrate with time/attendance software; Keypad security is an excellent option for large centers, requiring each family member or person to have a unique code or simply their fingerprint. If someone is legally prohibited from picking up a child, their code, fingerprint, card or fob access can be completely removed from the system and they won’t get past any entry.

•Video Intercom – Providers can identify visitors before they have access to an entry door

•Chime indication when a child exits a door

• Video Surveillance – Remote Video Monitoring (view your center from any location, including on your phone), upgrade to IP & Megapixel Technology, integrate with Access Control
• Panic Notification – Press of one button immediately alerts police
• Emergency Lock Down Systems – Lock all doors immediately with the swipe of one card
• Universal locks that lock from the inside requiring staff to buzz parents into the center
• Smash resistan film for glass
• Locksmith Services – Bolster doors, frames and door hardware, Energy/Safety audit on doors, fire exit safety, ADA improvements
• Environmental Monitoring – Carbon Monoxide and Flood Detection, Hi/Low Temperature Monitoring

So, when choosing where your most precious asset will spend the day, consider these precautions to ensure their utmost safety and allow you some peace of mind. One Source will help assess your risks, needs and possible security weaknesses before we design your system. We are an advisor and will offer preventive advice, so you can avoid many potential problems altogether. We customize each system to suit the end-user’s specific needs.

Call us today for a free assessment at 603-645-5969 or email us at [email protected].

When pharmacies are burglarized, thieves are not usually looking for money, their desire is narcotics. They will try to gain access to a pharmacy through the roof, doors or breaking windows, as well as boldly holding up the store during business hours. These criminals usually are addicted to the drugs they steal. Prescription drugs are the second most abused category of drugs in the US, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

There are multiple ways to safeguard a pharmacy. Installing video surveillance inside and outside the pharmacy may deter thieves from robbing the pharmacy if they see the cameras. Video surveillance can also be used to keep an eye on the pharmacists and the technicians, making sure the prescriptions are filled correctly. Use IP cameras which will give more detail than an analog camera, with a DVR, allowing police to see what took place before, during and after a robbery.

With the use of access control to the pharmacy section of the store, as well as drug cabinets, access can be given to only those who are authorized to be in the pharmacy area, and access can be quickly and easily terminated when an employee leaves. Using a centrally monitored access control system would allow only authorized personnel to program the system, schedule access times for specific employees to access the pharmacy area and drug cabinets. Audit trails will reveal who accessed which area, when and the failed attempts to access those secured areas. At a local pharmacy the pharmacist or technician can reach over the half door and open it from the outside. This doesn’t seem to be the best way to deny access to prescription drugs.

Always use your alarm system. When an alarm system is used sporadically the false alarm rates may be higher. Also, install a silent alarm or duress button which is used to silently notify police of an incident in progress or immediately following.

Use safes to securely lock up narcotics. This can provide a safe and more secure environment for the controlled substances. If the break-in occurs at night or when the pharmacy is closed, they may not be able to access the narcotics in the safe at all.

Glass break sensors and security glass laminates can be used on windows. When a window is broken the sound will trigger an alarm. When security glass laminates are installed on windows and doors they become smash-resistant and bullet-resistant (with some of our laminates, to NIJ standard level 3A), when applied to ordinary windows. These laminates are more cost efficient than replacing windows with bullet-proof glass.

Test your alarm system on a monthly basis. Inspect security cameras and the recorded data to ensure they are functioning properly. Install adequate lighting outside and leave it on after hours. When an employee leaves change access codes, alarm codes and safe combinations. Never have one person open and close.

If you are the victim of a robbery, cooperate fully; remember your primary concern is the safety of everyone in the store. After the robber leaves sound the alarm and call the police. Lock the doors (the robber may come back) until police arrive, and ask customers to stay and give a statement. Remember do not to touch anything.

Call today for a FREE ASSESSMENT of your pharmacy.

Security Systems Companies-Questions to Ask

You’re looking around for the right security company but are feeling very intimidated about which one to choose. You have questions, but are they the right ones? Will your choice be good enough to secure your family and your valuables?

Pictured above is a Gemini Security System, complete with wireless devices.

A home invasion can be devastating to a family. Not only does it take an emotional toll on those involved, but the prospect of losing precious belongings and the sense of security is unimaginable.

In the corporate world, business security is a must. Whether you’re a fortune 500 firm or a “mom and pop”, a security breach can shut you down. The fortunate ones may be able to recover, but many won’t.

Business are also subject to frivolous lawsuits by employees or visitors (video can prevent this), as well as employee theft.

Low-Cost Security Providers…or are they?

Many security companies will offer discounted or low initial fees to lure you in. Then you find out that you don’t own the security system, and there’s a hefty monitoring fee to pay each month.

Plus, you’ll be paying that higher fee for quite a while since you’re typically locked into a long-term contract. A quality security company wants to keep you as a customer with quality service, not with long-term contracts.

Then comes the end of the contract…many times, you don’t own the equipment, and if you don’t renew your contract, they could come and rip the system out.

Be sure to ask if they install non-proprietary equipment that you will own.

In some instances you may own the equipment, but you find out that the equipment is proprietary to them so unless you renew your contract, the equipment is useless.

Look for an Experienced Security Provider

Choose a home or business security firm that will evaluate what you need through a detailed consultation and one that will customize the solution to fit YOUR situation.

Some “companies” may not even have a shop at all and may work out of the trunks of their cars. Choose a security company who has longevity and one whom you can count on if a situation arises or you need maintenance—don’t discount this factor!!!

Ok, So Which Security Integrator is for Me?

Many security companies talk a good game and sound enticing with their marketing approaches. Then you find out the installer is a subcontractor who may or may not be thoroughly trained on the equipment.

***Does that mean your security company is trying to help protect you, or hire the lowest bidders they could find? Do you want those people in your home…securing everything that is dear to you?

Security Solution?

Do a bit of homework to find a security company you can trust.

If you’re in the Massachusetts or New Hampshire area, more answers and expert advice can be found by contacting One Source Security. Also, check out the “Why Us” page on our site to see if we may be a match.

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Since hospitals are generally easy to walk into and wander around inside, electronic security needs to be as strong as possible to compensate. Especially with violent acts occurring nationwide, such as those by disgruntled patients.

Decision makers certainly want effective hospital security, but they tend to not desire an overly present force—they don’t want to raise fears. So there can be a challenge to provide both sufficient personnel as well as an abundance of electronic security while maintaining a relaxed environment.

Hospital security is needed due to the fact that hospitals themselves are also targets. They house expensive equipment, computers, drugs, even precious babies that can be the center of controversy. We’ll cover these, as well as other areas in the ten points that follow.

We’ll talk about how the main tenants of security (CCTV, Access Control and more) apply.

ER and waiting room. Access control and video surveillance are important in these areas. In regard to access control, a focus must be made between these two areas in order to limit who can enter the emergency department from the very public waiting room. Emotions run high and family members are desperate to see their relatives inside, but the professionals need the space to do their work. A proximity or swipe card system can be in place to only allow authorized personnel to enter.

Video surveillance will allow the security department to monitor any disturbances in this aforementioned cauldron of emotion and public gathering during tense situations.

Pharmacy and other drug concentrations. Access control can be used where credentials are required to be presented to a card reader so an audit trail is established. This way, a record is kept of who came and went, and when. Video surveillance can even be used in conjunction with video analytics software to trigger an alarm in the security office if a person enters during an unauthorized time, etc.

Administraton / record keeping. Due to HIPPA standards, for instance, access control is necessary in these areas to establish the audit trail mentioned above.

Nurse stations / patient rooms. Nurse call stations are essential for patients who require critical and timely care. A simple press of a button summonses the nurse station from the patient’s room.

Intercom can also be set up inside the patient rooms.

Ambulance ports / parking lots / loading docks. Security departments need to have a solid grip on these exterior locations via video surveillance. Ambulance entrances need to be kept clear and monitored for proper personnel to be present. Thefts and accidents happen in parking lots and garages, so having video evidence to solve disputes and help catch thieves and vandals is effective. And finally, loading docks can be loose in their access control. Having card readers to solidify who can enter and exit with proper authority and having security cameras for the security department to be able to monitor are essential.

For instance, employee theft of expensive equipment can occur through this area.

Retail / other cash handling areas. This goes without saying. Security Cameras, especially megapixel technology which allows for better facial recognition than traditional analog security cameras, not only provides evidence of a robbery or theft, but also provides a deterrent.

Panic buttons that transmit to the security department or to police can be set up under the cashier’s counter also.

Maternity / nursery. You can’t argue that this is the most valued of all areas to protect. Access control in conjunction with video can be used at the department entrance so the nurse station can control who enters, and just as importantly, who exits.

Ankle bracelets can be worn on the babies’ legs to trigger an alarm if they’re carried out past a certain point.

ICU / Surgical areas. Just like controlling entry to the ER as we mentioned earlier, access control needs to be established for entry into these highly sensitive departments.

Psychiatric unit. Video surveillance and “wander alarms” will help the security department and nurses control the retention of patients inside this department. Wander alarms trigger if a door or window is opened. The caregiver’s pendant vibrates or buzzes to indicate that the patient has opened a door or window and is about to leave.

Elevators / corridors / lobbies. These highly public areas require video surveillance for security to maintain order. Among the things that can be done with the aforementioned video analytics software is to people-count. This helps with personnel positioning, staffing, etc.

The above are certainly not the only areas in a hospital that require security, but these ten certainly would be considered important nonetheless.

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One main component of security is prevention, and security cameras are a chief player in this equation. They need to be seen. What good would hidden cameras be if you’re trying to prevent a crime from happening in the first place?

The image above shows a visible exterior security camera.

If you’re going to make your security cameras visible by others, position them up high enough and/or use vandal resistant security cameras and housings.

One could argue that having signs posted that announce that you’re using video surveillance may help, but there’s nothing like someone seeing the cameras themselves. And of course a mixture of the two is ideal.

And what about “dummy” security cameras? Are these effective enough to use as your visible cameras? Be careful, many thieves can see right through these. They often know a real from a fake and it may not deter them.

A common giveaway that a security camera is a dummy is that its red light flashes several times once you walk by, or maybe it pans. This is just a reaction to motion but no viewing or recording is taking place.

If you have hidden cameras, and they end up doing their job by capturing quality video footage of criminals, those people still need to be found and prosecuted after-the-fact. And hopefully then, maybe you can still get your property back or have restitution paid to repair any damage. This isn’t always the case.

This is not to say that hidden or covert security cameras don’t have their place. If an employer is trying to capture bad behavior by an employee on video as evidence to fire him or her, for example, they certainly are very effective.

If your security cameras are hidden, one way to make them more effective is to use remote video monitoring–sending you email alerts real time. This can help prevent the difficulty of pursuing the offenders after-the-fact as mentioned above. It allows the owner to be alerted real-time so he or she can contact the authorities and respond.

The best solution of course is to have a mix of the two types of video surveillance. We’re not trying to straddle both sides of the fence in answer to the title of this blog post—it really is a great way to go if you have covert cameras and visible security cameras together.

But if you had to choose one type, as detailed in the beginning of this article, you may want to consider visibly posted security cameras in and around your property. This is the best way to prevent crime from happening in the first place.

All the headaches of filling out police reports, insurance paperwork, dealing with the emotional distress and repairing the physical damage may never happen if you are able to prevent the crime from happening from the outset.

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Over the past year the Jewish have been targets of hate crimes. 2018 had the second highest amount of Anti-Semitic incidents.

In Massachusetts alone, there were fifty-eight cities that recorded at least one Anti-Semitic incident. Massachusetts had the fourth highest number of incidents per state in the country.

(144) California had (341), New York (340) and New Jersey (200).

Many Synagogues are open 24/7, giving all-day access. In addition, they openly welcome big groups of people, which can trigger crowd-related security issues.

These issues create the need for Synagogues to plan and implement security policies and procedures.

KEY SAFETY ISSUES:

• The Entrances and exits are typically unlocked during worship to accommodate late comers.
• Many Synagogues sponsor after-school daycare, as well as religious education classes on weeknights.
• The community aspect of Synagogues and places of worship imply a welcoming environment. Not a facility that has high security or a lock-out system.

SOLUTIONS:

• Access control systems are an economical way to control access to the building by simply programming who can enter the building and at what time. They can save money in the long run.
• Create a Synagogue security plan. Security plans should be a part of the security policy and should help people behave in a safe manner when issues arise.
• Install video surveillance which is a powerful tool that enables staff to oversee all areas from one place and respond immediately to any incident by giving a command at the central dashboard. Having a recorded video of any incident helps to document what actually occurred.
• Create a security policy for fire, violent entries, domestic disturbances or attacks and shootings. These must be given special attention. The failure to do so may result in greater harm or damage to people or property.

One Source Security was recently sent an email with an article titled something like, “Security Technology for Social Distancing.” We are purposefully paraphrasing here. Since we see the need for more tools to fight COVID-19 and future pandemic-type occurrences, we were eager to discover a new strategy for ensuring social distance.

This technology was… uncomfortable. Security cameras were trained on outdoor break areas where staff congregated. Boxes were painted on the ground. Staff were required to stay within a painted box. If people strayed from their box, too close to another person, a security alarm would sound. Additionally, if staff stayed in their box for too long (longer than their allotted break time), a security alarm would sound. This article contained a video demonstration of the security camera in action.

We are not going to link to this security camera here, because the technology itself is very interesting and useful. Perhaps it could help people maintain distance in crowded subways? This particular break room application of the technology is, however, not likely to encourage productive employee / employer relationships.

At One Source Security, we like to view security holistically. After all, that is the purpose of these integrated systems- to provide a holistic view of potential threats. Any way you look at it, alienating staff is bad for security. Disengaged employees are more likely to steal, call out sick, and be less productive. And disgruntled employees pose a deadly threat to security. Employers must not forget that their employees can be both a wonderful asset and a surprising danger.

When making security decisions, employers must consider health, safety, AND engagement. COVID-19 has changed the way we work, but it hasn’t changed our basic humanity. We can socially distance without being yelled at by a security camera.

We at One Source Security believe that installing panic notification buttons are yet another line of defense for creating a safer environment for employees, customers, students and patients.

By not only using video surveillance with analytics and access control, installing panic notification buttons in locations where employees can quickly and easily notify emergency personnel or police can help minimize an incident.

Today, employees expect employers to promote workplace safety. A key element can be the addition of panic notification buttons to help lower the possibility of injury. There may not be an opportunity to pick up the phone to call for help, picking up the phone could escalate a situation.

A panic notification button is a simple, cost-effective addition to an overall security system which will strengthen the response when there is a threat. When pressed, emergency personnel will be notified, initiating emergency protocols.

This single button device can be hidden at:

• The receptionist desk
• A cashier’s counter
• The delivery entrance
• The security station
• The customer service counter
• Rooms were cash and valuables are stored
• Any highly utilized employee spaces
• Any place where a confrontation can occur

Panic buttons are an important security measure in a wide range of businesses and organizations. Violence committed by irate customers, clients and random strangers as well as disgruntled employees warrant the use of panic notification buttons today.

• More schools are installing them as an extra precaution with the increase in school shootings over the past few years.
• Convenient stores and gas stations where there are high incidences of robberies are installing them under the counter or in the back office area where safes are located.
• Large companies are installing them in the HR department where employees are let go, in case the employee becomes violent.
• Hospitals are also installing them in emergency room areas.
• oEmergency personnel may be needed when a patient who is high or incoherent lashes out at the doctor or nurse with the intent to cause physical harm. Also, relatives and friends of patients have been known to overreact when the patient is being treated thinking the doctor is causing more pain.
• Panic notification buttons can also be used to help with lockdown procedures, issue alerts to staff, initiate emergency protocols, as well as contact emergency responders.

Call One Source Security at 800-570-6478 today for a FREE assessment of your business, school or hospital. One source will help assess your risks, needs and possible security weaknesses before we design your system. We are an advisor and will offer preventive advice, so you can avoid many potential problems altogether. We customize each system to suit the end-user’s specific needs.