Articles by Joan Engebretson

When we think of applications for thermal cameras, the first one that is likely to come to mind is their ability to detect intruders in the dark.

Business customers’ security systems, particularly video systems, increasingly rely on networked connectivity. One sometimes overlooked benefit of networked systems is that the network can be used to essentially monitor itself and to report problems to the security dealer/integrator.

One area of life safety protection that is typically slow to change is fire protection.

The RS2 dealer meeting was held at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort and included a golf outing, a tour of the Midway aircraft carrier and a dinner cruise.

Dealers “like to learn from each other,” said Gary Staley, RS2 founding partner. Noting that attendees will keep one another in mind when they have a project that covers areas beyond their own geographic area, he said, “the camaraderie they build here goes a long way.” 

Last year was a big one for security industry mergers and acquisitions. SDM counted at least seven major deals involving security dealers or integrators — as either buyers or sellers.

Wholesale central stations seem to be involved in a continuous process of upgrading facilities, adding new services and developing new ways to support the security dealers who use their services.

The owner or owners of almost every security dealer consider selling their company at some time.

The use of smoke and CO detectors in customer installations is driven, in large part, by fire protection and life safety codes, which also drive the specifications for the detectors that manufacturers build.