Find news and information for the executive corporate security director, CSO, facility manager and assets protection manager on issues of policy, products, incidents, risk management, threat assessments and preparedness.
Issue link: http://sdi.epubxp.com/i/172392
SPECIAL FOCUS K-12 SECURITY there, but not all schools have the necessary budget in place to get what they want. Fairbanks: The schools want to offer their students and staff a safe environment. The challenge is dealing with limited funding and agreeing on the most appropriate solution for the overall organization. Who does an integrator usually work with on a job — is it Security, Facilities Management, someone else? Olivares: Our experience in some of the local community college projects we have "Schools want a total solution that is easy to use and administer. End-users are looking for ways to secure the building, control ingress and identify who is at the door. They need to slow down aggressors and let responders know what they are going to encounter." — Robert Beck, R.J. Beck Protective Systems Inc. done is that we deal with the directors/managers of physical security. They understand how things work. We also work with their IT staff. Fairbanks: The most successful deployments include the Facilities, IT, Student Services, HR, Procurement, Safety and Compliance Reporting functional representatives. Beck: It depends on the school district or university, who is in charge of the project and what type of project it is. Are there special kinds of equipment/technology for education as opposed to business offices, for example? systems, audible alarms throughout the campus, emergency phone call stations in parking lots, etc. Beck: Not really — you will use a commercial grade system which is the same for all buildings. Fairbanks: Agreed — the same technology is deployed in both markets. How do you test the waters to see if your market actually wants the service? Fairbanks: Meeting with the organization and uncovering their current and future plans. Olivares: We are constantly looking for bid opportunities on the web from school district and college websites for their needs. Beck: Letters, cold calling, references — but it depends on the project. What are some dos and donts for the newbie? Beck: Do design a good system. Don't bring the project in so low that you cannot complete it or lose money on it. Do provide a good solid system with a good warranty. Do keep it simple and makes sure it works. Be comfortable and do not take on projects that are out of your comfort zone. Beware of bids or projects designed by people who do not understand our business. It is better to walk away from a potential project that is poorly designed or will not work. Olivares: Like any other market, do not get your customer upset. If you want to continue to do business in the market and move on to larger higher education systems, you will need specific market experience with project references under your belt. Fairbanks: Do invest time in understanding the organization's culture, structure, needs and risk. ❚ Olivares: Most of the equipment/systems in the education environment are similar to those used in the business office environment. Some more common items in the education environment are door lockdown 28 www.SecurityInfoWatch.com | SD&I; | September 2013 Curt Harler is a technology writer and regular contributor to SD&I; magazine. Reach him at curt@curtharler.com.