How can we protect students and assets outdoors?

  • By Bruce Czerwinski
  • 03/01/18

Many of the security tools used to protect campus buildings aren’t as effective outdoors. We must think differently about protecting a student walking across campus late at night or guarding assets at remote athletic fields.

Surveillance cameras are a good indoor/outdoor tool. They provide invaluable information for your security team. But when placed outdoors, they need housings to protect them from the elements. Think about using infrared cameras, which are especially good in lowlight areas. Pan-tilt-zoom megapixel cameras provide sharp images of wide areas. But be sure to place your cameras close enough to eliminate blind spots in the coverage. Studies have shown many criminals are deterred just knowing cameras are present. Post signs across campus letting people know they may be under surveillance at any time.

Emergency stations, embedded with video intercoms, immediately connect distressed users with campus security/police. These stations allow two-way conversations, while a camera provides first responders with more information to assess a situation. Bright blue lights make these stations easy to spot at night—even from a distance. They’re always on and, when calls arrive, officers immediately know the station’s location. You can integrate them with surveillance cameras to get a broader view of an area. Emergency stations are available in both tower and wall-mount versions, making them ideal along walking paths, outside dorms, or in parking lots/garages.

There are also lessons to be learned from CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design). Provide adequate lighting along pathways, in parking facilities, and surrounding building perimeters. Keep bushes and trees well-trimmed to deny criminals a hiding place.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management March 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Bruce Czerwinski serves as U.S. general sales manager for Aiphone Corp. He is a 13-year veteran of the company, a manufacturer or security video intercoms. For more information, visit the website at www.aiphone.com/home.

Featured

  • a traditional red brick school building with the right side visibly deteriorated and the left side well-maintained, surrounded by neat landscaping

    Making the Grade: Navigating Funding Uncertainty in K-12 Schools

    School districts across the country must prepare for all possible funding scenarios by analyzing school asset and infrastructure conditions, understanding their funding needs, and developing a proactive maintenance strategy to stretch their funding dollars.

  • PNSI Global Alliance Launches New Quality Assurance Certification

    PNSI Global Alliance, a network of technology integrators and service providers, recently introduced a new Quality Assurance Certification (QAC) for AV service and support, according to a press release. The two-day, interactive workshop QAC course is designed for Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) to provide them with the most up-to-date and advanced quality assurance knowledge available.

  • Boosting Student Wellness and Safety Through Indoor-Outdoor School Spaces

    Engaging students through facilities designed for indoor and outdoor learning and activities reflects a growing awareness of how children learn and thrive, with educators recognizing the importance of getting outside and disconnecting from technology. And, as today’s youth grapple with the urgent mental health crisis of increased anxiety and loneliness fueled by both the pandemic and technology, along with a related crisis in youth physical health, the wellness benefits of getting outside have never been so palpable.

  • California District Starts Construction on New Robotics Facility

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) near Silicon Valley, Calif., recently announced that construction has begun on a new Robotics Facility on the campus of Cupertino High School, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility will serve students at high schools across the entire district, providing purpose-built spaces for student creativity and collaboration.

Digital Edition