Page 14 - Security Today, March 2022

Going
Beyond Security
Houston takes steps to improve quality of life, public safety
ouston, the most ethni- cally diverse metropolitan area in the country, is the fourth most populous city in the nation with an es-
timated population of approximately 2.3 million residents as of April 2020. Hous- ton is home to 24 headquarters of Fortune 500 companies in the larger metropolitan area and continues to expand.
The Dynamics of the City
Houston First Corporation (HFC) is the official destination marketing organiza- tion for the dynamic city of Houston. HFC’s vision and efforts enrich the lives of Houstonians in a few ways, beginning with promoting the region as a destina- tion for tourism and convention business. HFC wanted Houston to become an even more attractive destination by supporting smart city initiatives and helping set the standard of what a smart city truly means.
The city of Houston used data and emerging technologies to help improve the quality of life for citizens by sharing im- portant information with the public, driv- ing economic growth, and building a more inclusive society. Piecing together the right technology partners and building upon the existing infrastructure to help accom- plish its goal was the next step in going beyond security. Houston is shaping the future of “smart cities” with its forward- thinking approach when it comes to public safety and security.
It all began in 2017, the year that the city of Houston hosted Superbowl LIVE, when Milestone Systems was requested to take part in the design of a supplemental camera system to be deployed during the Super Bowl LIVE Event. The video sur- veillance cameras installed were from Axis Communications and included a mixture of PTZ dome cameras, thermal cameras and the Axis F series modular cameras.
A permanent installation was imple- mented after the Super Bowl to support the Houston Living Lab (HLL) and re- purposed to monitor the Toyota Center,
By Monique Merhige
14
MARCH 2022 | SECURITY TODAY
Photography by Telmo Machado
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