Page 65 - Security Today, July/August 2019

just outside the main entry. Visitors, vendors and parents push an intercom button to gain the attention of office staff. The intercom’s master stations are conveniently located on the desks of the executive director and receptionist, as well as in the common areas of the main and school offices. Each master station’s color LCD monitor allows office staff to see and have two-way conversations with visitors. If the visitor is approved for entry, a door release button is pushed to remotely unlock the door.
Hands-free audio intercoms were installed to link the school’s classrooms and offices with the main office. Previously, teachers re- quiring assistance had to leave the classroom and walk to the office. CAT-5e cable links each intercom unit to a master station which also powers the system.
Finding a Solution
The integrator ran into a tricky problem during installation. Existing conduits between the main office and the school were nearly full of cable for the cameras and other IT connections, leaving no room for ca- bles from each classroom to the intercom’s central control unit (CCU) near the main office. Tearing out ceilings and walls to run new conduits would have added to the project’s cost and delayed completion.
The solution was running the classroom cables to a room station control unit located in the school facility. From there, only two cables were needed to connect to the CCU. That fix enabled the project to stay within budget and be completed on time.
Horns and speakers were installed in the school play area, two patios, front entry, sanctuary, social hall and main lobby to share emergency messages throughout the property.
Also, each classroom, a social hall and kitchen are equipped with panic buttons. Pushing a button generates a pre-recorded message heard throughout the facility. That message contains a code phrase intended to generate an immediate lockdown without frightening the students. The buttons are placed under clear plastic casing similar to those covering fire pulls to prevent accidental activation.
Emergency communications are now deeply imbedded in the fa- cility’s daily operations. The congregation, students and staff rou- tinely use the intercoms as they practice drills to prepare for natural and manmade emergencies.
There are other systems and best practices that add valuable layers of security to help protect a house of worship. Those layers often include:
Access control. Access control systems, which enable employees and regular volunteers to enter locked exterior and interior doors using a plastic card key or personal identification number (PIN) in conjunction with readers mounted outside doors. Unlike mechanical locks with keys that can be easily lost, stolen or copied, card keys and PINs can be deactivated and replaced in seconds and without the costs of a locksmith. Also, access systems provide audit trails show- ing who has entered which doors and when.
Vestibules. A vestibule, often referred to as a mantrap, is another valuable addition to a secured entry. It provides one last locked bar- rier between a visitor and the house of worship’s congregants and children, if the facility has daycare and/or a school. Many architects
now include mantraps in the design of new religious facilities. A ves- tibule involves building another wall or two, adding a door with an- other electric strike lock and a bulletproof glass window with pass- through opening—much like you’d find at a bank teller’s station. The window enables office staff to look for weapons and contraband, while confirming only authorized visitors enter.
Visitor management. Visitor management systems provide an- other valuable entry check. Once inside a vestibule or an office, visi- tors swipe their government-issued identification cards through the system. The card’s data is compared with online federal and local criminal databases and sex offender registries. Local watch lists can be created. If the visitor is cleared, the system prints an adhesive ID badge to be worn while the visitor is in the facility. Another benefit of a visitor management system is that staff knows how many visitors are on site in case of an emergency requiring evacuation.
Intrusion protection. Intrusion protection systems use motion de- tectors, door contacts and glass-break sensors to detect burglars and vandals and sound audible alarms. Sensors should be placed on all exterior doors and at controlled interior entries to rooms contain- ing cash and expensive or irreplaceable religious objects. Systems are even more effective when linked to professional dispatchers in a central monitoring station which can contact first responders when alarms are noted.
Security staff. Security guards add an extra layer of security when deployed on the property during events or when the facility is be- ing used by neighborhood groups such as scouts. A guard service can conduct regular patrols throughout the night and early morning hours before the staff arrives.
Design. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPT- ED) includes hardscape such as fencing, lighting, bollards and sig- nage. It also calls for bushes and trees to be kept trimmed to deny criminals easy hiding places.
Policies. Policies and procedures help ensure everyone, from cler- gy to the membership, is on the lookout for potentially dangerous situations. Advance planning also outlines how staff should handle emergencies to minimize loss of life, injuries and property damage.
Consultant or integrator. It’s also best to work with a security consultant or system integrator with experience meeting the specific needs of houses of worship. These experts often begin with an all- risks assessment to gauge the current security strengths and weak- nesses of a facility. An integrator will have the knowledge to help se- lect the systems and services that will maximize a security investment.
Admittedly, security represents a cost most houses of worship would prefer to avoid. But it is no longer enough for congregations to pray for the safety and security of their members. The world
has become more violent with less respect for those
institutions many hold sacred. These best practices
are no guarantee to stop all crime, but they will put
houses of worship in a much better position to safe-
ly continue their missions.
Dana Pruiett is marketing manager at Aiphone Corp. WWW.SECURITYTODAY.COM 57