The security week that was: 02/08/08

Feb. 8, 2008
A weekly surveillance of news shaping your profession

Review your mustering plans

Does your security plan include mustering of employees after an evacuation? Last night's incident of an explosion at a sugar refinery in Georgia, where it's believed that six employees are still missing, was a reminder that the best security system in the world replete with cameras, state-of-the-art ID cards, fire detection and suppression devices, alarm panels and motion sensors, is of no value if you don't also make detailed incident management plans.

It sounds like that refinery had this kind of plan in place, based on how quickly reports were produced on the number of employees were missing, but it's still a good reminder that you need something similar for your security program. And that's no matter whether you're securing a refinery, a retail store or a corporate office. Our thoughts go out to all of the employees at the Dixie Crystals plant in Savannah.

SIAC tastes success
Appleton, Wisc., reduces alarm responses by 35 percent

Sadly, it's not often that we can report a positive story about security systems and false alarm response. But in Appleton, Wisc., the town tied in a requirement for enhanced call verification (2 attempts to verify alarm by calling subscriber or subscriber's representative) with increased fines for false alarms and the enactment of a non-response clause for heavy false alarm offenders. SIAC is championing the news as anecdotal proof that an ordinance which involves both police and the industry is a very good thing. Cutting false alarm responses is indeed a good thing for our industry.

Back from MIPS 2008
Integration sessions bring out the best

Security Dealer & Integrator magazine's Greg McConnell and I recently headed south to attend the Milestone Integration Platform Symposium. I've been before and clearly this event is growing quickly (it's a channel event held by video management software company Milestone Systems), and it brings together some really sharp integrators and VARs, as well as some specifying engineers, consultants and end-users. Greg's blog has a nice report from Day 1 at the show on the A&E education track, while I headed over to a day of technical training on Milestone's software and a new license plate recognition module. Other highlights included a keynote on NVRs vs. DVRs from Jim Gompers (Gompers Inc., and a founder of the IP Institute from Reed Exhibition/ISC tradeshows) and a discussion from Milestone's CCS&MO Eric Fullerton about the drivers for the IP video market.

Last chance for video analytics poll
Have you worked at some level with analytics technology?

It's about time for us to close our poll on video analytics, but I wanted to remind you of our 1-question poll in case you haven't weighed in yet. Take the poll and you get to see the results! We'll have a new poll up early next week, so respond today.

Incident case management webinar next week
Registration still open

I'm hosting a webinar with iView systems next week on incident and investigations case management. You can still learn more about (and sign up for) this program. Like all SIW webinar programs, this can be attended for free.

In other news...

SecurityNet, an alliance of independent systems integrators, has elected new officers for 2008-2009. Cam-Dex's John Krumme will be president. ... Our roundtable sounds off on how video surveillance will fit into the home. ... Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez has planned a visit to Hirsch Electronics (part of her California constituency) to talk about security and defense issues that are related to her position on the House Committee on Homeland Security. The same company also just landed TSA approval for its RUU verification station.

Government building security got a big wake up when a disturbed man killed five people (police officers and city officials) at a city council meeting last night near St. Louis, Mo. ... Security at our U.S. monuments was slammed by a new report that cited lapses and staffing challenges. ... Honeywell, according to research firm IMS Research, still is the worldwide market leader for intrusion detection devices. ... Northrop Grumman landed a massive $33.5 million video surveillance systems contract for security at missile-launch facilities in the U.S.

We close as always with a look at our most read articles of the week (there are some repeat offenders in this list):

  • Navigating network video recording topographies
  • How video surveillance fits into the home
  • Conventional fire market remains strong
  • A crash course on hardening soft targets
  • Northrop gets $33.5M surveillance contract