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Eastern DataComm is proud to announce that it has been accepted as the latest ZeroNow industry partner, joining this impactful organization in its mission to keep schools safer.
ZeroNow is a non-profit alliance that brings together stakeholders in school security to connect about experiences and develop new solutions to ensure schools remain secure. Teachers, security specialists, technology experts, and students all play a role in ZeroNow’s mission to bring school violence to zero.
Uniquely Positioned for Positive Impact
Eastern DataComm is not only passionate about ZeroNow’s mission, we’re also a uniquely qualified industry partner for ZeroNow.
As communications and safety solutions technology specialists, we’re experienced in providing schools across the country the technology solutions they need to safeguard their communities. From video surveillance and access control to emergency notification, environmental sensors, VoIP phone systems, and paging systems, our team has worked with schools for over three decades to help them better protect their students and staff. Each cutting-edge tech solution we provide is designed to integrate and improve the school safety ecosystem of every customer we serve.
Taking Steps to Make Schools Safer
ZeroNow has laid out a set of steps that guide the Path to Safer Schools. At Eastern DataComm our efforts mirror many of those steps as well.
Our diagnostic and consultative process is designed to help school leaders and stakeholders assess potential gaps and vulnerabilities so that areas of need can be prioritized.
We design technology solutions that integrate so that the chance for human error is reduced and our customers can respond to threats as quickly as possible when every moment counts.
We work with our customers to explore potential sources of funding to cover costs for the enhancements they’ll need to improve their safety and communications infrastructure. Without an advisor in their corner, this process can prevent those who have never gone through a grant exploration or other funding search process from taking advantage of potential funding opportunities within their reach. We believe that nothing should stop our clients from ensuring the safety of their buildings and grounds. At every step in our process, the goal is the same: keep students, staff, and visitors connected and protected.
Putting Collaboration and Safety Planning at the Forefront
“ZeroNow is fully aware of the challenge to first responders when the call comes from a noisy environment and the caller is understandably panicked,” said Ara Bagdasarian, Co-Founder of ZeroNow. “Step Two on Zero Now’s Path to Safer Schools deals with assessing vulnerability, and we encourage every school to have an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that covers what happens before, during, and after an emergency. Fast reporting saves lives, and Eastern DataComm’s focus on removing the human element from emergency communication processes eliminates a major obstacle to that.”
We share this commitment to preparedness and take it to heart. That’s why when we meet with customers, we approach their challenges with collaboration and a diagnostic eye to assess their areas of strength and need. Planning takes a holistic approach so that every aspect of their school safety ‘big picture’ – their ecosystem – is considered. And we ensure they know that working with us means they have more than a vendor, they have a trusted partner in protecting their schools and districts.
Cutting-Edge Solutions and Forward-Thinking Integrations
“Eastern DataComm is proud to join ZeroNow in its mission to increase the pace of innovation and investment in school safety. This mindset mirrors our own passion for keeping schools connected and protected through cutting-edge technology solutions that empower clear communication, especially during emergency events when every second counts.
“In addition to our own technology solutions, we share ZeroNow’s dedication to providing educational resources to our customers and partners. We understand the magnitude and reach their decisions have when it comes to protecting young minds and educators. We remain dedicated to assisting school leaders with that process by creating and sharing impactful safety and technology resources,” says Al Harnisch, CEO of Eastern DataComm.
Eastern DataComm believes in driving the industry forward with state-of-the-art technology, solutions that serve multiple functions within a school community like cellular repeaters, environmental sensors, clocks, paging systems, VoIP systems, access control, and video surveillance – solutions that make safety and communication accessible for all.
We also value helping our customers stay in-the-know and within compliance regulations for their state, as well as on a federal level. We look for opportunities to assist with funding technology improvements, helping them keep up with the pace of innovation, and allowing them to pave the way forward for uncompromised safety in their region. When it comes to building safety leadership with a vendor partner by their side to handle all of their physical security technology needs, schools look no further than Eastern DataComm. Because together, we can keep our schools safe. Read more about this exciting time for both ZeroNow and Eastern DataComm in this press release.
Eastern DataComm is excited to share that on April 15th, 2024, we acquired OSI Technology. As we welcome our new team members aboard, we want to share a bit about OSI Technology. Below, you can read more about the ways in which we anticipate their addition to our Eastern DataComm team benefits you, our customers, today and in the years to come.
OSI Technology’s History
Similar to Eastern DataComm, OSI Technology has a history of serving businesses, schools, and municipalities. They also have provided tech solutions to customers in the retail, healthcare, and hospitality sectors. Through 42 years of dedication serving customers across these industries, they have sharpened their expertise in providing leading-edge tech solutions that are the right fit for the organizations who’ve utilized their services. In fact, they were one of the first AT&T dealers in the nation, and since then have continued to provide the best-in-brand technological options to their customers.
Their expertise in data and telephone systems is the foundation from which they grew their portfolio of safety and communications solutions offerings. The team has extensive experience integrating voice, wireless access, access security, contact centers, video, carrier services, software applications, disaster recovery, video solutions, cloud solutions, and networking technologies in service to fit the needs of their clients.
With this acquisition, Eastern DataComm honors the deeply-rooted history and reputation for excellence that OSI Technology has built over the decades. Our team shares their passion for supporting clients with cutting edge technology and is excited to bring their expertise to the customers we serve.
A Passion for Cloud, Voice, and Physical Security Solutions
Another exciting benefit customers can anticipate is the safety and communications ecosystem expertise the OSI Technology team brings to the table. Many of the offerings OSI Technology has provided over the years mirror ours at Eastern DataComm, including cloud, physical security, and voice solutions. The great news? Even more resources and subject matter experts will be at the fingertips of our customers!
OSI Technology has developed a strong technical expertise and robust network of contacts serving government and municipal entities. This expertise augments Eastern DataComm’s experience serving customers in this space. The talents brought by the OSI Technology team serve as an asset that will allow us to better serve all of our customers today and into the future.
Whether you’re a government organization looking to secure your proprietary data, a business looking to grow your communications infrastructure, or a school district ready to secure your buildings and grounds, this acquisition and resulting expansion of skills cements Eastern DataComm’s commitment to providing the best resources to help you, our valued customers, stay connected and protected.
A Shared Desire for Strong, Lasting Partnerships
Our Eastern DataComm team couldn’t be more ecstatic about this acquisition for this last, but extremely important point: Both organizations share a desire to foster strong partnerships. OSI Technology’s team has cultivated key relationships with manufacturers like Aruba, Mitel, and Verkada. In fact, in 2023, the OSI Technology team garnered the elite Diamond Partner status with Verkada, a manufacturing leader in video surveillance technology.
As your trusted vendor partner for integrated, holistic video surveillance solutions, Eastern DataComm strengthened our team’s existing partnerships as a result of this acquisition. We’re eager to deepen our relationships with these industry-leading manufacturers and other key partners as we continue to grow the portfolio of products and services we supply to our customers.
The Future Is Bright for OSI Technology Customers as They Join the Eastern DataComm Fold
The acquisition of OSI Technology by Eastern Datacomm is a mutually beneficial experience for both organizations. However, those that stand to benefit the most are the customers of both organizations.
“The combination of communication solutions, people, and skills honed over decades of service in New Jersey’s public and private sectors is great news for all: Uniting the organizations under the Eastern DataComm umbrella allows us to deliver what our customers are asking for – more flagship manufacturer brands, cutting-edge products, and end-to-end deployments engineered to the highest standards. The OSI team is excited about the opportunities to enhance safety and communications technology resources for those we serve as a result of this acquisition,” shared Joanne Pagoulatos, President of OSI Technology.
“OSI Technology brings over 42 years of industry experience with strong proficiency in video surveillance as well as other communications technology platforms. They boast a meaningful presence in the K–12 space in New Jersey, as well as with businesses and municipalities that will undoubtedly increase the exposure of our solutions to decision-makers and administrators throughout the state and beyond,” says Al Harnisch, CEO of Eastern DataComm.
The entire team couldn’t agree more with these sentiments!
Stronger Together: Eastern DataComm, OSI Technology, and You.
For additional details, you’ll find the press release detailing the Eastern DataComm acquisition of OSI Technology here.
And if you’d like to learn more about how our newly expanded organization can support your government agency, business, or school to stay connected and protected, contact us for a Complimentary Safety & Communications Tech Consultation.
Environmental sensors provide government agencies, businesses, and school campuses with a cutting-edge, technologically-focused approach that provides for the health and safety of those in their buildings.
From providing important alerts about a carbon monoxide levels in the breakroom to sharing notifications in real time about a rapid rise in temperature in one of your food storage areas, to warning about a vaping incident in a restricted area, environmental sensors offer actionable information to facilitate real-time responses and address issues that matter most to you.
At Eastern DataComm, we believe in customizing our customers’ solutions to meet their needs. But before that personalization occurs, our customers often want to understand how a solution makes for improvements across their organization. And when it comes to a holistic approach to safety and security, campus safety sensors cover many bases. So today we’re sharing five ways environmental sensors make for a safer campus. Let’s get right to it!
1. Protecting the Health of Your Community
Environmental sensors address a variety of potential health concerns within your buildings.
These solutions can help you proactively correct potential air quality issues by monitoring for carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, TVOC, and particulates.
Sensors allow for preemptive resolution for food safety concerns by providing you with relevant information regarding food storage area temperatures and relative humidity in corresponding locations.
Environmental sensors for schools offer a variety of uses, including monitoring occupancy and addressing or preventing behaviors that run contrary to your school policies like aggression and vaping.
Other applications of this technology allow you to track average air quality over a few hours and address ventilation issues as needed. Leveraging this powerful technology will help you catch chemical spills and hazardous gas issues in utility closets, prevent the spread of potential infectious diseases, and understand when rooms may need to be cleaned or filters replaced.
While you may not always be able to prevent these issues from happening, environmental sensors can enhance the pace at which you respond by alerting you in real time whenever an issue arises.
2. Preventing Vaping + Smoking
One popular use for environmental sensors is vaping and smoking detection. These cutting-edge sensors not only identify vaping and smoking in bathrooms, manufacturing areas, and break rooms, but they can identify THC and even vape masking.
Many campuses are creating safer schools with sensor technology. Such sensors are valuable tools for districts as they strive to address behaviors that can have negative health impacts like youth vaping and smoking. And as environmental monitoring in education becomes more widespread, the ability to detect vape masking (using scented sprays and aerosols to cover odors) will become an even greater benefit.
With wireless environmental sensors, educational institutions, businesses, and government organizations can provide better working and living conditions for all. This ensures that students, staff, and visitors follow behavior policies and any applicable ordinances while maintaining a smoke-free environment.
3. Enhancing Safety
From emergency alert lighting and panic buttons to spoken word detection (recognizing keywords like “help”), to gunshot and aggression detection that protects customers and staff, your environmental sensors can have a life-saving impact. These sensors help you enhance your overall safety by detecting everything from fights to loud noises in typically subdued areas.
These sensors provide true smart campus technology that can detect motion, letting you know if an area that’s meant to be unoccupied (or is usually empty before school or business hours) has experienced any movement.
You can even use environmental sensors to help determine how many people are currently within a particular area while alerting you to potentially abnormal levels of occupancy via people-counting sensors.
4. Providing Real-Time Support to Your Security Infrastructure
Environmental sensors offer a host of special features that provide in-the-moment support for your physical security needs. This includes centralized web-based dashboards with remote access. To make for an even easier user experience, you have the ability to view your dashboard on a phone or tablet app. That dashboard also provides organized logs, reports, and analytics to ensure you maintain compliance when it matters most.
Furthermore, these systems allow for live views on maps and real-time notifications. The flexibility and depth of these platforms facilitates a full picture of the goings-on of your buildings. You will know what’s going on wherever your sensors are located. Whether you’re upgrading your business’s safety profile or adding a set of university safety enhancements, this is the level of support you can come to expect from a personalized and effective environmental sensor solution.
5.Integrating with Your Existing Safety and Communications Solutions
Further deepen the value you derive from your environmental sensors solution by integrating with your communications and safety solutions. This offers a comprehensive approach to staying connected and protected. From access control systems to paging systems and even your video surveillance solutions, you can connect your technology infrastructure assets so they work holistically to address the needs of your business, government agency, or learning community.
As IoT campus safety solutions become more prevalent, integration has become the norm. And whether you’re preparing for an emergency or responding to one, environmental sensors can become an important component of your emergency response system. This further reduces the potential for human error and ensures the safety of those in your buildings.
Keep Your School, Business, or Government Agency Protected with Environmental Sensors
To learn more about how the right environmental sensor solution can address a variety of your organizational concerns, check out our Environmental Sensors page. Explore more about environmental sensors here.
And if you’d like to explore how our team can help you implement a right-fit solution to make the most of this cutting-edge technology, book a complimentary consultation here .
While recent federal regulations relating to security concerns are leading many government agencies, businesses, and schools to remove their old cameras and related equipment the question remains: What type of system should these organizations implement in their stead?
This month we answer an equally important question: What features would be needed to create the most comprehensive video surveillance system?
Whether you’re choosing a security camera solution for your business or evaluating school surveillance systems to discern the best option for you, there are some key considerations to make when upgrading. Replacing your old system with more of the same will leave you with security deficits that could cost you in the near term and the long run. To make this selection process easier, we’re sharing with you this video surveillance checklist, including the top ten features your video surveillance system must have to deliver optimal security.
High-Quality Video
The quality of your camera’s video and its resolution are related. As such, the most comprehensive video surveillance solutions include the best of both. While it’s essential to have at least 5MP video when selecting your cameras and surveillance equipment, be aware that 4k and 8MP are at the high end of quality and resolution options as well.
Eastern DataComm Pro Tip: Don’t be fooled by the popular buzzword “hi def”, short for “high definition”. It’s already outdated and many camera manufacturers consider 5MP the standard now.
AI-Powered Video Analytics
While AI has become quite the buzzword, it’s important to sift through the noise. And here at Eastern DataComm, we believe in doing just that.
We’re focused on how AI is really making a difference when it comes to video surveillance. Where do we see the greatest strides being made? Video analytics.
This means that searches can be defined based on the video data collected. Such an approach can help to rapidly improve your ability to find events in the record, saving time and resources.
AI can also recognize abnormalities and alert you to them in real time, allowing for a more proactive system. This has the added benefit of reducing your company, school, or organization’s need to have a person constantly monitoring the video. Human intervention can be subject to error, not to mention the inherent resource allocation costs. This is definitely one instance that highlights the power of AI to share meaningful information and reduce resource expenditures that would otherwise be assigned to this task.
It also bears mentioning that the US Chamber of Commerce recommends the use of video analytics to “empower businesses with critical data that helps business owners improve decision-making, understand customer behaviors, and better protect their assets.”
So, while you may find yourself inundated with a mountain of information when it comes to potential AI features for your video surveillance solution, we recommend reaching out to a trusted partner and focusing on the features that will make the most impact on your business, school community, or government agency.
Below, you’ll find the AI features that our team finds most impactful for our customers’ video surveillance solutions.
License Plate Recognition
License Plate Recognition is a remarkable technology that automates the process of manually finding and extracting license plate information from a video. It can also alert you when a specific plate is captured on the video, making it extremely useful in parking lots, along driveways, and at building entrances.
In fact, according to a 2023 Video Surveillance Survey conducted by Campus Safety Magazine, License Plate Recognition is quickly gaining traction on campuses as a solid investment when it comes to AI for video surveillance. (2023 Video Surveillance Deep Dive) And with good reason!
License plate recognition can be exceptionally helpful in law enforcement investigations, in addition to acting as a crime deterrent. On school campuses, it is an easy way to maintain data regarding students and staff parking needs organized over time.
Facial Recognition
Facial recognition technology is an advancement in video surveillance that helps you to address theft, locate missing individuals, and secure your buildings and grounds.
There are, of course, notable privacy and security concerns to consider with your team, including legal implications for those in public education. However, there are also advantages, including the potential for so-called “face similarity”, to find specific subjects quickly and accurately from an uploaded photo. Working with a trusted partner like the team at Eastern DataComm can help you select a solution that meets with your compliance and privacy needs.
Overall, these systems can play a helpful role in addressing crime in your school community and can be a welcomed addition to video surveillance systems for business as well.
Access Control Integration
One of the most powerful integrations to combine with your business surveillance system, campus video security system, or government agency surveillance system is access control.
Integrating your video surveillance solution with your access control system allows you to see and regulate who enters your buildings, when, where, and how. This means harnessing the power of a state-of-the-art access control system that includes components like:
headend devices
swipe cards and card readers
request-to-exit systems
magnetic locks
door strikes
crash bars
Vehicle Recognition
Whether you’re concerned about customer parking for your business’s lot, or protecting where your students and staff leave their cars on your school’s campus, or the spaces where your government employees park, chances are you’ve wondered about what solution is best to monitor the vehicles near your buildings and grounds.
You may also have concerns about the cars that drive around or near your buildings as well. That’s exactly why vehicle recognition is such a must-include feature to employ when it comes to your video surveillance system.
Recognizing vehicles using video surveillance allows you to capture real-time video and store data for law enforcement investigations while taking proactive steps that add to the security of your parking lots, nearby roads, and grounds.
Environmental Sensor Integration
Environmental sensors help you to address concerns like air quality, vaping, food spoilage, and even overheating IT equipment. But did you know you can integrate your environmental sensors with your video surveillance system?
When it comes to optimizing your video surveillance solution, this approach allows you to monitor behaviors and conditions that impact the health and safety of your buildings’ grounds. This technology empowers you to address everything from motion and aggression detection to occupancy monitoring, and even monitor food temperature and noise levels. Furthermore, this solution can point to where issues may stem from so you can proactively and effectively address them before they become problematic.
You can also tie your environmental sensors to your video camera system. This allows you to deliver pop-up alerts to various devices so that notable events can be easily detected, recorded, and addressed. Responding to real-time alerts as they happen can help you save money, time, and potentially lives in the case of emergency situations.
The truth is clear: Integrating your video surveillance solution with your emergency response system reduces the chance of human error during situations like lockdowns and active shooter events when time is of the essence.
It also gives you peace of mind that you’re doing all you can to provide for a comprehensively safe and secure working, learning, shopping, or publicly funded environment for those who frequent your buildings and grounds.
Automated Alerts
Leverage automated alerts using predetermined criteria that you select to help identify issues in real-time. Setting up the alert criteria with your video surveillance system helps to ensure you receive notifications as a situation unfolds, keeping you ‘in the know’ and enabling you to take a proactive corrective approach.
Automated alerts allow you to set criteria within your video surveillance system so that you receive automated alerts immediately when the system identifies issues matching your predetermined threshold selections.
These alerts make it easier for you to respond quickly and effectively to matters that require your immediate attention. For example, if you’re dealing with issues related to theft or intruders, you’ll capture the video in real-time so you can assess the situation safely and securely and involve law enforcement as needed.
Remote and Mobile Access
Whether you’re choosing security cameras for your business or for a school or government agency, the best solution will allow any verified user to connect regardless of physical location, network, or device type. Approved users, regardless of where they may be physically located, would have access to the system.
For example, your point of contact at the local police department, the IT director for your law firm, or the superintendent at the district administration building should be able to access your video surveillance system if you would like to grant them permission rights.
Each of these approved users should also have the ability to use a mobile device, laptop, or workstation PC to access the system. And as a system administrator, you can permit or restrict the different levels of access assigned to each user.
The result is video surveillance that’s accessible wherever verified users may need it.
Manageability, Traceability, and Security
World-class video surveillance systems are those that allow for multiple user types and roles, and Single Sign-On (SSO) integration. These systems also provide the opportunity to manage users so that system security is easily maintained.
This is especially helpful if you’re hoping to have the best business surveillance systemin place. One that will empower you to assign certain staff or team members with access to your system or to certain portions of the system. This puts you in control of the roles and capabilities they’ll have when accessing your video surveillance solution.
In addition, you’ll want to be sure that you have the ability to define the cameras that can be viewable per user, and allow for logging of usage to ensure the system is secure and not being used in a way that puts you or your data at risk.
Visual Mapping
Visually mapping the layout of your video surveillance cameras to their physical locations on a floor plan is an excellent approach – one that we highly recommend. It can help provide a better sense of where your cameras are located and offer insight into their field of view. This can help you assess potential needs for additional cameras, especially if you conduct any building renovations or revamp your floor plan.
It’s also an important functionality to have when your system covers a lot of ground and is composed of a large number of cameras. This can come in handy for users who are not familiar with the location like emergency responders, making this an even greater asset when every second counts.
Enjoy the Peace of Mind Brought on by Optimal Video Surveillance System Security with Eastern DataComm
In our previous blog, we’ve addressed funding for the removal and replacement of non-compliant video surveillance cameras. Today we’re exploring the details on why these cameras are no longer considered compliant. Additionally, we’re offering guidance on video surveillance best practices, and what to look for in a surveillance solution and service provider. Read on for full details.
Why Non-Compliant Video Surveillance Cameras Must Be Removed And Replaced
These video surveillance camera systems must be replaced because they are considered to be a threat to security, not just on a local level. This is now a national concern. It was discovered that these chipsets have malicious “back doors”, which essentially allow the manufacturer or their affiliates (in this case the Chinese government), to view and collect data from the cameras and other devices that contain these specific chipsets. This particular ban is for a select group of Silicon manufacturers that produce the chipsets, all of which are located within China.
IP cameras, like most electronics, have an onboard computer or “chipset” that processes video and manages networking connectivity to clients such as the NVR recorder. The chipsets have full control over the IP camera. In this case, the banned manufacturers use this control to provide the Chinese Government with connectivity and access to the camera without authentication.
There are many reasons why it is vital to remove these cameras. First, it is imperative to remove cameras that do not meet the NDAA requirements in order for surveillance systems to be in compliance with section 889(a)(1)(A) and (a)(1)(B) of this new law. This is especially true if these projects were funded by the government (inclusive of federal grant money) or if the buildings or grounds that are using this equipment received government funding.
Second, removing and replacing non-compliant surveillance camera equipment ensures the privacy of the people within a location. Replacing the banned cameras with those that meet NDAA requirements restores security and privacy.
And finally, replacing these cameras prevents unintended sharing of confidential and proprietary material. Banks, research facilities, and hospitals all handle such information, and come to mind immediately when there are concerns regarding information privacy. Schools may not always be top-of-mind when considering data breach risks. But, when you begin to examine what information can be gained from tapping into a camera system that watches the daily goings on of a campus filled with our youth and those charged with shaping their minds, the risks of non-compliant equipment loom more ominously as a real threat.
What You Should Know About Removing These Cameras And Chips
There are a few primary manufacturers to be wary of when looking to avoid compliance and security issues. Those include Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company and Dahua Technology Company. Many subsidiary or affiliate IP camera manufacturers have rebranded models that physically look different, but internally contain the same chipsets.
As of 2019, about 20% of the IP camera market belonged to manufacturers that are now on a banned list. Unfortunately, there is a significant probability that many locations have non-NDAA-compliant cameras, as awareness of this threat is still lacking to this day. Non-NDAA-compliant cameras are typically less expensive, costing about a quarter the price of the competitors that are NDAA-compliant, which has made them a very palatable choice, especially for extremely budget-minded customers.
Yet amidst an unsettling narrative that resulted in the need for this legislation, there is good news to report. Manufacturers have unearthed and acknowledged this issue. They are responding to schools, government agencies, and businesses’ demands for compliant solutions. And as of 2023, only about 3.5% of IP cameras sold in the US were non-NDAA compliant. That said, because non-compliant devices remain on the market for purchase and because they’re sometimes crafted by subsidiaries, working with a trusted vendor partner who can discern the difference is still the best way to avoid unknowingly buying and installing such devices.
What To Look For In Your Replacement Video Surveillance Solutions
When it comes to selecting a NDAA-compliant video surveillance solution, you’ll want a system that provides clear and smooth coverage of areas like:
Heavily trafficked public spaces like your lobby, or main hallways and corridors
Secure/controlled areas containing proprietary information not for mass consumption (i.e., personnel files or student records)
Known problematic nooks where students may commonly sequester themselves for activities they’re hoping to conceal from authority figures
It’s also important to recognize that not every camera provides a “one size fits all” solution. This means you may need to make use of specialty cameras with specific features. This will allow you to fit these particular areas with equipment that captures meaningful and relevant information.
Next, you’ll want to consider ease of use. Accessing your new system should be frictionless, secure, traceable, and when needed, quickly shareable to law enforcement or those who are responsible for building safety and security.
Your new system should be modern in terms of its functionality. So, consider whether you can extract data from the cameras using artificial intelligence (AI). AI empowers the user to generate proactive alerts based on the video data. Actions and events such as loitering, crowding, or line crossing can be detected in real time.
When applied in real-life situations, this functionality helps to reduce false alerts. The amount of time it takes to find specific things in recorded video becomes a breeze when leveraging AI. The user can search for attributes such as the clothing or vehicle color, reverse search a specific face, or receive an alert when a specific car or individual is seen on any camera. All of these capabilities save time and help to improve the security profile of your campus.
Enhancing Video Surveillance Compliance, Safety, And Security
Enhancing your safety, physical security, and compliance is an ongoing process.
Make sure all security systems going forward are NDAA-compliant. This extends beyond IP cameras. In fact, this extends to physical cameras, NVR/recording server hardware, access control equipment, and the software that controls these systems.
In addition, be sure to secure and maintain remote access to your physical security system, regardless of device type or geographical location. As an additional precaution, it’s also recommended to allocate system functionalities based on role and monitor each user’s activity.
When you’re renewing systems, make sure to use high-resolution cameras (4MP) and above for larger spaces. And utilize new AI video analytics to go beyond motion alerts. Create proactive alerts and responses based on these analytics to prevent issues from starting or reoccurring.
Best Practices For Video Surveillance In Schools
There are some best practices to consider when planning and implementing video surveillance systems in your organization.
First, consult with a safety expert and conduct a physical walkthrough of your buildings and grounds. These experts have the knowledge and experience to give you insight into camera placement. These advisors can address your concerns and answer any questions you may have about issues you may be trying to resolve.
As you move through this process, be sure to document your current and future camera locations on copies of your floor plans, blueprints, fire evacuation maps, and the like (VMS software, for example). Staying organized in this way will make the installation process significantly easier, from both a budgetary and time commitment perspective. Having this documentation provides a valuable reference tool not just for your video surveillance service provider but also for emergency services and first responders who may need access to recorded or real-time footage.
Next, be sure to research and understand the main difference between on-prem, cloud, or hybrid solutions. The choice that is right for your campus depends entirely on your unique needs. If you need support in conducting this research, contact a trusted vendor partner like Eastern DataComm. Leveraging the expertise of a knowledgeable partner will help to answer your questions. You’ll be able to walk through the potential benefits and why one solution might be better than another, specific to the challenges you want to address most.
Next, and of great importance, be sure you are utilizing a multimodal approach to alerts. This means using multiple mediums, like email and SMS to convey important messages. For instance, if a camera is tampered with or goes offline.
Finally, configure video pop-ups for actively alerting cameras on the security team’s viewing monitors for immediate response. This will ensure everyone remains on the same page when it matters most.
What To Look For In Your Replacement Cameras And Surveillance Systems
As you remove the prohibited video surveillance cameras and devices and install new devices, you’ll want to ensure that what you are using now has better image quality than your previous solution. Increasing the resolution, having a larger field of view, and improving the camera network infrastructure (including replacing old analog wiring) are all ways that lead to giving you greater visual detail.
It’s also vital that any new and/or replacement system be NDAA-compliant end to end. This means that everything from the cameras to the network switches, and the main NVR server(s), must be manufactured by those who follow NDAA compliance requirements.
Another important caveat to be aware of when selecting your surveillance technology as a whole: The new system’s NDAA compliance extends to not only the cameras themselves, but also the chips within any and all parts or components of the cameras. Those chips and components must be NDAA compliant as well.
Lastly, it is a necessity to ensure the new solution is an “Open System”, or ONVIF-ready, so that it can be easily integrated with future solutions and products. ONVIF stands for Open Network Video Interface Forum. Its goal is to “provide and promote standardized interfaces for effective interoperability of IP-based physical security products.”
For more details on ONVIF, we recommend you familiarize yourself with information found on this site: https://www.onvif.org.
When you’re unsure about how to navigate these processes, working with an experienced vendor partner like Eastern DataComm can be a great way to facilitate a smooth transition to a fully compliant video surveillance system.
NDAA-Compliant Cameras To Consider: i-Pro and Verkada
The i-Pro, formally Panasonic, manufactures the most feature-rich and secure IP cameras that are NDAA-compliant as well as FIPS 140-2 level 3 certified secure. This is the highest level of security available, and certainly an option worth considering.
Another great video surveillance option is from Verkada. Verkada has a cloud-accessible IP camera solution. Their full line of products is NDAA compliant giving schools a variety of cameras to choose from to fit a multitude of uses.
A Note On The Importance of A Knowledgeable Vendor Partner
There are many advantages to working with a vendor partner to secure a cutting-edge video surveillance solution. Working with a trusted partner who is well-versed in this subject ensures that you benefit from their experience designing solutions that remove vulnerabilities, ones that you may not have even been aware existed on your campus. The right vendor partnership will allow you to continuously keep up with your security needs, having the solutions you need at your fingertips. Be mindful of who you select and put their knowledge to the test.
Keep Your Video Surveillance System Compliant Now And In The Future With Eastern DataComm
At Eastern DataComm, we’re passionate about keeping your school communities connected and protected. As your vendor partner, we’re no strangers to the reality that the physical security technology solutions that make that safety possible require financial investments and strategic budgeting.
That’s why this month we’re highlighting available grant opportunities to address your safety and physical security challenges. Importantly, one such funding source issued by the United States government addresses an emerging threat: non-compliant video surveillance technology. Read on to learn more about grant opportunities for which your organization may qualify.
Revisiting Eastern DataComm Articles Regarding School Safety and Communication Funding Resources
Before we introduce the latest safety and security challenges facing schools and other organizations across the country, we wanted to remind you that each year, Eastern DataComm shares resources regarding funding opportunities to help you make your school’s next communications or security solution project possible. Here are two of our most recent blogs on the topic, including what you can expect to find by reviewing the pieces themselves.
Ten 2023–2024 Funding Opportunities & Educational Resources for School Safety & Communications Technologies
We also include a link to the nationally available grant finder tool that schools across the U.S. can use to search for financial support that may be applicable to the projects they’d like to make possible in their learning communities. This grant finder tool is easily accessible, simple to navigate, and even allows users to discern how much time they have to dedicate to completing a grant application. Even if you do not yet have a grant writer on your staff or on contract, you can begin to apply for grants at your convenience.
This article is proof positive that sourcing funding for improvements to physical and technology infrastructure to provide for school safety improvements is possible.
5 Can’t-Miss Grant Opportunities to Fund School Safety Improvements
In 5 Can’t-Miss Grant Opportunities to Fund School Safety Improvements, we not only share grant opportunities that can help you fund your school safety improvements if you live in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, but also how to go about applying for these opportunities in those states.
The purpose of sharing these opportunities alongside the steps to apply for them is to facilitate an easier application process. Eastern DataComm believes that funding should not be an obstacle to creating safer, more secure, and more connected school communities. Not only can our team help point you to the right grant opportunities, but through our network of industry partners, we can also refer you to expert grant writers who can help you navigate and complete the grant application process.
We believe that more secure learning communities with clear and effective communication are better prepared for emergencies and better able to facilitate daily learning. When we work with our school and district partners, we do our best to help them find the funding they need for the projects that will best address their needs, keeping their communities connected and protected.
Keeping our finger on the pulse of the challenges our school, business, and government agency customers face, we feel it necessary and important to share with our readers a recent security and compliance challenge that is still evolving.
In an effort to keep all of our customers informed as we do our part to ensure their communications and safety solutions, we’ve consolidated the details below to help you assess whether or not your community may be at risk for a non-compliance issue that can have a significant impact on the safety of your organization.
As more information regarding the technology issues, compliance requirements, and funding opportunities becomes available, we will continue to share with our audience relevant insight that leads to proactive correction. Read on to learn more about this increasingly pressing issue.
A Critical Video Surveillance Safety Challenge in 2024
The United States government has prohibited specific telecommunications equipment produced by particular companies. Namely, Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation, HiSilicon Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, Dahua Technology Company, or any subsidiary of these organizations. The equipment is prohibited from being used for public safety, government facility security, physical security surveillance of critical infrastructure, or as covered equipment under Section 889.
The inclusion of HiSilicon is of vital importance as this means that the prohibition includes not only video surveillance cameras and recorders, but also the Systems on a Chip (SOC) which are the core or ‘brain’ of the camera itself.
The ban covers new, old, and existing contracts. In sum, the government’s ban covers a multitude of devices and video surveillance solutions, making their swift and immediate removal mandatory.
Funding to Rip & Replace Non-Compliant Video Surveillance Technology
This safety challenge is a relatively recent discovery. The full understanding of the reach and magnitude of this threat is still evolving. But the good news, funding sources to rip and replace non-compliant technology are now becoming available. The first major federal funding to address this issue is from FEMA.
As the issue is so widespread, the process of addressing, removing, revamping, and replacing video surveillance systems across the nation will take quite some time. It will, no doubt, occur over years. To accomplish the planning, selection of compliant equipment, completion of a labor-intensive removal of non-compliant technology, and installation of an approved surveillance system requires a systematic approach. And so, FEMA’s plan places priority on high-risk locations to provide the greatest level of safety and security possible for communities facing this threat.
This non-compliance issue is incredibly layered. There are also a myriad of considerations beyond physical security, including data and cybersecurity: the safety of critical infrastructure and online information that could fall into the wrong hands.
Through a process of planning, funding, and action, the replacement of these video surveillance systems will provide for greater security. The funding provided by FEMA will help schools and other organizations make that process possible.
Want to Learn More? Schedule Your Complimentary Consultation Today
In next month’s blog, we’ll share more details on the regulations, best practices, and challenges that Hikvision and related video surveillance systems present to schools, businesses, and government organizations regarding their safety and security.
In the meantime, we invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your best course of action in addressing your organization’s physical security and communications projects.
Our team is uniquely qualified to refer to independent consultants and grant writers to assist with securing funding projects. We’ll work with you to ensure that you and all those you are charged with protecting remain safe and secure.
…Because when it comes to safety, we’re all in this together. Contact us today.
