Unfortunately, an increasing number of business owners are having hard conversations with their staff and security systems vendors about active shooter scenarios and what they can do to help make their facilities as safe as possible.
From various types of remote access options to help ensure the security of entrances to integrated security cameras that can be accessed remotely and shared with authorities easily, the world of active shooter safety protocols is quickly changing.
In fact, one of our security systems was key in catching the Highland Park shooter only hours after the shooting, preventing further violence and saving many other lives.
So what can you do to deter a shooter and better protect your customers and employees?
“Emalfarb reported the surveillance video to the FBI, which took possession of the NVR for further examination. Based on images from the system, police quickly began their investigation. Crimo was familiar to law enforcement because of previous infractions and run-ins. The rifle left in the alleyway may have proven who purchased the weapon, but the surveillance video allegedly ties Crimo to the scene of the crime.”
How to prevent an active shooter scenario
No business owner ever wants to be in Hal Emalfarb’s shoes, watching in horror a mass shooter in action through the eyes of your security cameras. However, his quick thinking and the quality of the CCTV systems we had installed for him made it easy to share this crucial information with authorities immediately.
While there is no way to completely prevent the risk of a shooter on your premises, there are a few things you can do to help deter them and limit their impact should they still carry out their attack.
- Make sure your security cameras are visible and properly maintained: While this seems basic, it’s crucial. As was the case with the Highland Park shooter, an integrated camera system that covered multiple angles and stored footage in the cloud made it available for remote viewing and quick sharing. No matter the size of the building or space being surveilled, state-of-the-art CCTV-IP solutions ensure clear, high-resolution images with incredible zoom capabilities and full 360-degree panoramic views with easy-to-use software, analytics integration and remote viewing from any device.
- Pay attention to your access control systems: Access Control systems not only determine who can enter or exit physical spaces, but also monitor and manage where and when they have access to specific rooms or entry points. Whether it’s door entry, card access, turnstiles, elevator control, gate, garage, or other barriers, solutions like these provide the technology needed to deliver sophisticated security solutions. These are a simple way to help make your facilities safer and harder to penetrate.
- Track who’s inside your facilities: Systems that help with visitor management should easily integrate with any Access Control systems you already have. These help you understand who is in your building, how long they’ve been there, and, depending on that integration with your Access Control systems, where they are even able to go.
- Finally, make sure everyone is aware of the situation: Being able to quickly notify everyone who’s in your facility about the danger unfolding can save countless lives. Whether it’s through an integrated mass-notifications tool that can send a text message to employees, visitors, and local authorities, or an Affordable Rapid Emergency Response System (RERS) that will set off building-wide alarms, systems like this have never been more important.
Taking the first step
While many business owners and facilities managers feel as though “it can’t happen here,” we all face the reality that these random acts can happen anywhere.
It can be challenging to conceptualize the right optimal type of systems for your business, let alone the best way to discuss such plans with your employees.
That’s why our trained security professionals here at LaMarco Systems are always ready to help. From the initial solution planning on through designing and engineering the optimal systems, we’ve helped dozens of businesses prepare for active shooter scenarios.
Whether it’s footage caught on one particular camera that helps lead to an active shooter’s capture, or an Access Control system that prevents one from even getting inside, we’re here to help.