Fidelity Security Services is rolling out the ActiveGuard routing and monitoring solution in a project that will promote realtime monitoring of guarding activities thereby ensuring proactive guarding and comprehensive reporting for all its clients.
Kevin Whateley, general manager electronics services, explains: “Initially, we ran a pilot project with Trinity Telecomms, suppliers of the ActiveGuard solution. The success of the system in the field then prompted the decision to roll out the system countrywide.
“The GSM-enabled ActiveGuard batons are used by the guards to scan tags placed at security checkpoints, and this information is sent to our control room in realtime. This means that we can ensure that all guards are active on their required routes. If no signal is received in the allotted time, then we can call the guard on the ActiveGuard baton to ensure that all is in order.”
According to Whateley, this dial-up feature to the guard is a key advantage. Although the guard cannot dial out, there is a ‘call me’ button, as well as a ‘panic’ button on the unit, both of which immediately alerts the control room who then return the call. This eliminates the potential for cellphone abuse, whilst still enabling the guards with 2-way communications in realtime.
Other features include the ability of the baton to send the SMS ‘call me’ and ‘panic’ messages to a number of pre-defined cell numbers, including the control room and the security manager. This ensures that everyone is notified immediately should any emergency occur, enabling a rapid response and minimising negative consequences.
Whateley says, “The fact that we can get realtime information about the time and location of each check point scan is the biggest advantage of the system. We can be proactive in managing our guards, and in responding to any emergencies. We have increased our active patrolling dramatically as a result of the ActiveGuard roll out.”
Because the system uses GSM-based communications, the need for any infrastructure to be implemented is eliminated, making the roll-out relatively quick. All that is required is the installation of the software in the control room, and the equipping of each of the guards with the baton, and some fairly simple training on the 3-button device.
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