La Cité, Ontario’s largest French-language college, recently upgraded parking lot security on its main Ottawa campus with the installation of 15 IX Series 2 video intercom assistance (or emergency) towers from Aiphone.

With the press of a button, the towers enable students, staff, and visitors to directly communicate with the campus security staff. The towers’ embedded megapixel cameras provide security officers with live video to more accurately assess and respond to a situation. The Aiphone towers are topped with bright blue lights making them easy to spot at night. They are always on and officers immediately know the location of any calls for assistance.

The IX Series 2 intercoms and towers replaced units that could no longer be repaired, with concerns that downtime could potentially endanger students or staff, said Rock Levesque, project manager for Ottawa-based project integrator, ComNet Networks and Security Inc.

“Pressing the old units’ call buttons initiated a siren that made it virtually impossible for students to hear instructions from the security staff,” he said. “Campus administrators place a very high priority on the safety of their students and staff, so the decision was made to upgrade the entire system.”

To replace the sirens, ComNet created an outdoor mass notification system by adding amplified horns to each Aiphone tower. The IX Series 2 towers include embedded megapixel cameras providing sharp closeup video. Levesque said the towers’ optional CCTV arms will enable the campus to add cameras for wider parking lot views.

The three-module towers feature built-in mounting hardware for power supplies or accessories and rear access panels to easily pull wire from top to bottom. The towers also feature built-in UL-Listed electrical boxes to satisfy local electrical codes.

Upgrades to the emergency assistance system on the La Cite Ottawa campus will set minds at ease and help protect the thousands of students and staff who call this campus home.