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Leaders in High Profile Installs: An Exclusive Security Dealer Roundtable
Panelists discuss security risks in places where large crowds gatherThe Latest from SIW
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By Susan A. Brady
Security Dealer Magazine
Susan Brady: In public sports/entertainment arenas or at events where large crowds gather, what are some of the risks dealers should be aware of that exist in these types of applications?
Cosimo Malesci, Director, Fluidmesh: I would say there are mainly two different applications that a dealer should consider when designing a security system for an area where large crowds gather. The first one is providing surveillance on a micro-scale so that single independent events in the crowd can be monitored.
These events could range from life safety, such as pinpointing someone having a heart attack or other health issue to spotting a thief or detecting the breakout of a fight. The second application is providing surveillance on a macro-scale such as in the case of an emergency evacuation of people in a stadium or an arena.
The surveillance system in this case could not only be used to monitor the flow of people in real time but also to control that flow by providing directions to the crowd and limiting the panic factor. This could be easily achieved by having speakers mounted next to each camera. By doing so, the surveillance system allows the local authorities to promptly respond without having to be in that specific area of the stadium.
James Chong, CTO, VidSys: In public sports arenas and anywhere large crowds gather, timely response is absolutely critical. These situations require managing the risk of false alarms, which are important to be aware of in order to know how to navigate them effectively and efficiently. This type of situation is where physical systems are tested to their limits, or as some would say, “where the rubber meets the road.”
In light crowds or in locations where there is not a lot of activity at one time, things are much easier to manage. So, for security teams dealing with high volumes of information involving large groups, the potential inability to manage the situation becomes a big risk. The larger the crowds and the more centralized a gathering, the higher the risk and complexity of being able to manage the situation effectively.
These types of applications present a unique opportunity for security dealers to help their customers in deploying best-of-breed security technologies while understanding the critical actions that are needed—based on priority. So a security dealer that can infuse physical security information management into the operations center will enable personnel to better manage the situation instead of navigating the underlying technology.
