When the Statue of Liberty reopened to the public on July 4, 2013, following eight months of renovation and repairs due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy, it included a new surveillance system.

As part of the refurbishment, N.Y.-based integrator Total Recall Corp. had reached out to the U.S. Park Police, National Park Service (NPS) and the Department of Interior (DOI) with a state-of-the-art surveillance system proposal that would be designed, installed and maintained as a donation by the company.

On November 20, 2013, before the opening of ISC East, Total Recall, along with nine vendor partners, led a tour of the new security system and command center it had designed and installed to secure the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Liberty Island.

Jordan Heilweil, president of Total Recall, worked closely with Captain Greg Norman of the U.S. Park Police and others to redesign the Statue’s surveillance and security system from top to bottom by bringing together nine technology vendors. Today’s IP-based, all-digital security solution enhances public safety and improves operational efficiencies.

In this new upgrade, Total Recall and the technology team migrated the Statue from analog CCTV to the latest in digital video technology to enable the park to cover areas with high-quality video surveillance that they could not reach before. The team constructed an intelligent and ultramodern command center three times the size of the previous center to help the NPS and U.S. Park Police do their jobs more effectively.

The command center used to be in Liberty Island and was therefore vulnerable if a major security event were to take place at the monument. The new command center was moved off-site to a more advantageous position on Ellis Island.

Heiweil described his vendor partners in this project as the “Dream Team” for the unique expertise they brought to the solution.

Axis Communications provided a mix of nearly 160 IP cameras with HDTV quality, exceptional nighttime performance, powerful zoom, reliability and discreet appearance. Throughout the island, security devices are not hidden, so as to assure visitors the area is monitored, but Total Recall took special measures to ensure the devices do not distract from the main attraction. For example, the four PTZ cameras on each side of the monument’s base were painted to blend in.

BriefCam added its unique Video Synopsis software solution that enables law enforcement and security personnel to review hours of surveillance video in minutes. Each morning, the command center operators can review the entire night’s events captured on video in minutes rather than skipping around through hours of footage.

DragonWave supplied multi-gigabit packet microwave radios, delivering carrier-class transport for mission critical public safety communications.

Milestone Systems provided its open platform IP video management software that enables first responders to quickly search for incidents while pushing video to mobile devices.

Pivot3’s digital storage and computer devices specifically designed for the video surveillance industry allow Park Police a storage capacity well beyond the industry standard, Norman said.

Proxim Wireless delivered high capacity, wide area wireless broadband utilizing WORP® technology in order to connect IP cameras in areas the previous system could not reach.

RGB Spectrum enabled multiple video feeds to be displayed on the massive video wall in the command center using its MediaWall 2900 Display Processor.

Scallop Imaging contributed perimeter security via its all solid-state M6-200 IP cameras with six megapixel, extreme low-light video and undistorted panoramic 200-deg. field of view.

Winsted Corporation delivered ergonomically designed command center consoles that allow operators to be as efficient and comfortable as possible in a high-stress environment.

PROJECTS in the News

HID Global announced that the company’s secure ID card issuance solutions, combined with solutions from Plasco ID, an integrator and provider of card-based ID systems, enabled Dayton Public Schools (DPS) in Dayton, Ohio to increase classroom attendance, while enhancing campus security and safety by including new visual security elements on multipurpose ID cards.

With more than 30 buildings and special centers housing approximately 15,000 students, Ohio-based DPS needed to standardize and simplify ID card creation while expediting the previously manual process of checking in tardy students. The new solution implemented by PlascoID, includes the company’s automated student management system, PlascoTrac and HID Global’s FARGO® DTC4500 card printer/encoder plus its non-technology ID cards and AsureID® Enterprise card personalization software, which is used to create customized student ID cards with high-quality photos and other visual security elements.

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Allegion, a global provider of security products and solutions, announced that the nationally syndicated series, “Manufacturing Marvels,” on The Fox Business Network showcased Von Duprin exit devices, a brand of Allegion, during The Willis Report. The two-minute profile spotlighted how the Von Duprin brand was the first inventor of the touch bar exit device and has continued to invest in innovation and custom solution for more than 100 years.

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The Mamajuana Café franchise opened its doors to its newest addition in Paterson, N.J., with an addressable MS-9200UDLS system from Fire-Lite Alarms by Honeywell. The system was designed and installed by High End Electric, an experienced licensed electrical contractor, owned by Narciso Jimenez and Ramon Guzman. The Latin restaurant also monitors its fire alarm system with the IPGSM-4G fire alarm communicator from Honeywell Power.

The Fire-Lite fire alarm system monitors and controls a variety of heat and smoke detectors, and pull stations, as well as sprinkler and water flow valves throughout the restaurant. 

The MS-9200UDLS offers the café ample coverage with plenty of add-on capacity to handle future additions. High End Electric Leadman Electrician and Fire Alarm Specialist Luis Rodriguez says he was initially concerned about using cellular communications because the restaurant is located in a low altitude that can cause a weak signal.

 “AlarmNet gave us some tips about how to install the digital cellular communicator. And the first time we used it, we were able to set it up in about two hours, including the time spent on the phone with AlarmNet to set up the account,” Rodriguez explains.