3 Benefits of Deploying Standardized Security Technologies on Campus
Campus environments that develop and implement strict, consistent specifications will improve safety and cut costs.
The lack of a unified method to the selection and installation of security solutions can increase costs, cause confusion for first responders and hinder criminal investigations.
It seems like every time you turn around there is a new construction or renovation project happening on a college or healthcare campus. Add to that the times when vandalism or theft of valuable equipment prompts an individual department to investigate ways it can protect its assets. Let’s also not forget about the upgrades in security and public safety that are implemented when a serious incident, such as a shooting, robbery, employee injury or sexual assault occurs.
In each one of these cases, individual university or hospital stakeholders or groups of decision makers are most likely looking for ways that security technology can be leveraged to better protect certain areas of the campus. Maybe cameras need to be installed in a parking lot that is prone to graffiti. Perhaps an access control system needs to be installed because students or doctors are constantly losing their keys. Or, maybe sturdier locks need to be installed on hospital medicine storage units to prevent drug diversion.
The challenge, however, is when these solutions are implemented on a piecemeal basis, at different times and by different vendors. The lack of a unified method to the selection and installation of security solutions can increase costs and cause confusion for first responders during an incident, as well as hinder criminal investigations after the fact.
An important key to solving these issues is a consistent and strategic approach to technology acquisition. Institutions of higher education and medical campuses that develop strict and standardized specifications of what security solutions will be installed will realize the following three benefits.
1. Improved systems integration: Developing standards that narrow down the number of products installed and requiring those technologies to have the ability to “talk” to each other will ensure the systems installed can provide security or public safety departments with a more complete picture of the campus and its security issues. Additionally, standardization will enable easier management and merging of access control, emergency notification and other security-related databases.
2. Economies of scale: Campuses that select a few well-vetted manufacturers and products that are purchased in bulk have a better chance of negotiating per-unit prices that are lower than the cost would be if individual administrators or departments on campus each bought smaller quantities from different vendors.
3. Reduced training and personnel costs: Standardizing on one or two interoperable systems for security cameras, for example, means that that the security personnel responsible for running and maintaining the cameras will only need to learn how to operate one or two solutions, as opposed to having to learn about separate video surveillance systems for each area of the hospital or college campus. Additionally, standardizing on only a couple of systems might reduce the number of staff members needed to operate the systems.
These are just a few of the many benefits of technology standardization. A trusted security integrator can help with this process. An integrator can also provide valuable input on when it might be appropriate to revise standards or expand the number of vendors used so that a hospital or institution of higher education can best accommodate new situations and vulnerabilities.
STANLEY Security partners with both colleges and healthcare facilities to develop customized security programs for their campuses. By developing functional standards across the campus, a cohesive security program can be put in place that is resource-friendly.
There are many electronic security solutions available for all areas of a campus, and STANLEY Security frequently provides the following systems to its healthcare and higher education partners:
- Access Control Systems
- Video Surveillance Cameras and Video Monitoring
- Intrusion Alarm Systems
- Standards Development and Strategic Planning
- Software Support, Consultation and Integration
- Personal Safety and Security Response Mobile Apps
- Patient Safety Solutions
- Mass Notification and Emergency Communication
- Lock Down Solutions
- Custom System Integration
- Fire Alarm Systems and Regular Tests and Inspections
- 24 Hour UL and ULC Monitoring Services
- System Consultation, Design and Installation
- Preventive Maintenance and Service Plans
For more information on the solutions you can implement on your campus, or for educational resources on improving your security program, visit STANLEY Security at http://stanleycss.com.
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