The upgrade entailed installing new access control and video surveillance systems, which were integrated with the existing alarm system. “If an alarm activates, we have an instant response on the computer screens in the monitoring station, and cameras in the area pan automatically to view the area where the alarm occurred,†Gallagher says. “It’s helped cut down on having to respond to things that are not security related. If an alarm comes up, the camera is pre-programmed to look at the area. We don’t have to waste time trying to analyze what happened. If the fire alarm goes off, we know whether to call the fire department.â€
Images from all of the video cameras in the system are recorded continuously. A RAID array is used for storage. “Since all of the cameras are recording all the time, this allows us to keep a large amount of video,†Gallagher explains. Because the new system is digital and is tied in with the alarm system, it’s relatively easy for security personnel to locate the appropriate images when reviewing stored images to investigate an incident. “You can go back almost instantaneously to find something,†Gallagher says.