How Pinnacle Protects its Parking Lots

This Pennsylvania healthcare organization worked closely with its security integrator to create a multi-layered security solution that protects patients, clinicians, employees and visitors.

The U.S. Department of Justice reports that parking lots and garages are the third most crime-prone areas in the country. Recognizing this,  PinnacleHealth has taken steps to protect its staff and visitors. The main Harrisburg campus has one five-story structure providing 240 spaces for physicians. Another nearby four-story facility offers 400 spaces for visitors. There are cameras placed on each floor of both structures.  There are also cameras in each of the elevators in the visitors’  garage. 

The hospital also operates four lots within a few blocks of the campus that provide an additional 1,200 spaces for employees.  Cameras mounted on hospital buildings provide views of each of these lots. ADT also installed duress alarms in each lot to provide an instant link for employees to hospital security.

PinnacleHealth also provides an escort service for employees 24/7 and has two shuttle vans that drive employees to their vehicles between 5 a.m. and midnight. The driver remains available until the employee is safely in his or her car.  Pinnacle maintains a staff of 56 security officers that provide the shuttle and escort services, patrol the garages and lots as well as respond to other security alarms.  An additional 14 contract guards augment the staff.

David Falgoust, PinnacleHealth’s director of security services, says the installation of the cameras as well as the shuttle and escort services have virtually eliminated assaults on visitors and staff, as well as significantly reduced vehicle break-ins.

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