EMERgency24 - Experts & Thought Leaders

Emergency24, a pioneer in the alarm monitoring and security industry since 1967, announces it has hired Tom McNeil as the new Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Tom brings more than 20 years of experience and knowledge of the monitoring sector to Emergency24. With his depth and breadth of experience in various sales leadership roles with multiple central stations, Tom’s proven track record in sales and marketing and personal approach to helping alarm companies is anticipated to elevate Emergency24’s growth and awareness at a national level. He will be based in Chicago overseeing the national sales team to launch new integrated marketing initiatives. Multiple central stations “I am truly excited to join this great team. I have known Emergency24 as the best kept secret in the industry for some time.” said Tom McNeill. I have known Emergency24 as the best kept secret in the industry for some time" He adds, “They not only have incredible depth of knowledge and capability, their proprietary solutions enable unique RMR opportunities for alarm companies. Plus, they are family owned so they provide that personal level of service not seen with large corporations. Emergency24’s powerful solutions and continuous innovation will empower my team to demonstrate to dealers, what’s possible by partnering with us.” Recruiting alarm companies McNeil and his team will be focused on recruiting alarm companies and integrators, showing them the new technical capabilities that can earn them new business. He will report directly to Steve Mayer, Emergency24’s Vice President of Administration and Operations. “The Emergency24 team is very happy to welcome Tom with his high level of energy and depth of knowledge of our industry,” said Steve Mayer, adding “His competitive approach and friendly professionalism is a great fit for who we are and where we are headed.”

The Aiphone IX Series IP emergency stations with embedded video intercom systems provide an easily recognisable island of safety on any campus. “The stations protect students, giving them a sense that if there is an emergency, they can push one button and immediately get help,” said Robert Martinez, Owner & CEO, RJR Communications Technologies. Protecting students and staff Protecting thousands of students, staff and visitors in buildings on large college or university campuses is a daunting task. Maintaining their safety as they cross hundreds of acres of outdoor open space is an even greater challenge. The challenge is to protect the outdoor spaces of a large college or university campus, making sure students, staff and visitors are secure outside dorms, on exercise paths or in remote parking facilities. Aiphone IX Series IP-based emergency stations The station’s video and audio capabilities provide the important information that dispatchers need The Aiphone IX Series IP-based emergency stations with embedded video intercom systems provide an easily recognisable safety system on any campus. With a touch of a button, a distressed person can immediately speak with campus police. The station’s video and audio capabilities provide the important information that dispatchers need to determine an effective response. Administrators work diligently to make their campuses safer and they have been largely successful. Federal statistics show, during the past decade, overall campus crime has decreased nationwide. Still, cases of assault, robbery, theft and other crimes routinely occur on many campuses. The tools used to protect the indoor environment, locks, access control and burglar alarm systems, provide little to no value outdoors. Outdoor security requires different solutions This is where Aiphone IX Series IP emergency stations and blue light towers literally shine as a conduit between distressed people and campus police. Bright lights atop each Aiphone tower station make it easy to locate at night or during inclement weather. One button on the station’s embedded video intercom immediately links a person to police dispatchers. Once the station is activated, the tower lights flash to draw additional attention to the site. Enhancing campus security Aiphone emergency stations are ideal for all campus areas, such as parking lots and garages open spaces and running trails. They also provide comfort and safety in and around dorms, libraries, stairwells, recreation centres and near elevators. Stations should be placed so that at least two towers are within view, allowing a distressed person the option of choosing the closest unit. Information, both visual and audio, takes on added importance outdoors. Real-time audio and video aid dispatchers Dispatchers immediately know the IX Series station’s precise location, helping to reduce response time First responders need all the input that they can get from emergency sites, located hundreds of yards away from the nearest dispatch centre. Real-time audio and video help dispatchers quickly assess situations, in order to provide the appropriate response. As calls arrive, dispatchers immediately know the IX Series station’s precise location, helping to reduce response time. For campus police officers on regular patrol around campus, an Aiphone app is available to turn smartphones and tablets into roaming control centres. White illumination LED for quality night video Each video station’s wide angle camera captures clear, identifying views of people and their surroundings. A white illumination LED provides quality night video. Campus police can also use the cameras to monitor potential trouble spots, before an emergency occurs. But cameras are only as good as the monitors displaying the live video. Aiphone IX Series master stations are equipped with 3.5-inch direct-view TFT colour LCD displays. TFT technology for high resolution imaging The TFT technology provides the brightest and best resolution of all flat-panel techniques, helping to improve image resolution and addressability. And Aiphone has not forgotten the audio, making sure two-way conversations are clearly understood on both ends. Audio also helps humanise the security function. During an emergency, a human voice can be far more reassuring than security cameras, fencing and bollards. Two-way communication  Two-way communication over the intercom can be helpful in calming the victim, while trying to collect more detailed information about the ongoing situation. The built-in station-mounted speakers also allow broadcasting of live or recorded voice communication during an emergency. Other advantages of Aiphone IX Series emergency stations include: They are always available, day and night. A second call button facilitates non-emergency communications, such as visitors seeking directions to an administrative office or classroom building. Both the towers and wall-mount stations are made of steel, making them weather and vandal resistant. Stations provide peace of mind to pedestrians and act as a deterrent to criminals. Importance of multiple security layers One constant between securing indoor and outdoor security is the need for multiple security layers One constant between securing indoor and outdoor security is the need for multiple security layers. Again, the IX Series shines as a single master station that can control hundreds of emergency stations and non-emergency classroom, and office stations, as well as act as a hub for security platforms, such as those from Lenel, EMERgency 24, KapLogic and more. The system also easily integrates with surveillance cameras to provide a broader view of emergency locations. With the Aiphone IX Series, campuses can start small and increase the number of emergency and non-emergency stations as the needs change. Aiphone IX Series for maximum flexibility Each campus has its own needs, so the IX Series is designed for maximum flexibility. The emergency towers offer two- or three-module designs available in a variety of heights to suit any location. The wall-mounted emergency boxes are ideal for placement on or inside buildings. Braille signage and adjustable call button heights allow them to comply with ADA standards. Towers are available in five standard colors in addition to a variety of custom paints to match school colours. IP-based IX Series stations Aiphone’s IP-based IX Series stations connect to a campus network and draw Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) using CAT-5e/6 cable, keeping dispatch/ phone lines open. The IX Series eliminates the need and expense of traditional phone lines. The stations are upgradable to future proof an investment for years to come Previously installed Aiphone two-wire audio only intercoms can also easily be upgraded to the IP-based system with an Aiphone network adaptor. The stations are upgradable to future proof investments for years to come. If a school already has towers installed around campus, Aiphone’s tower adaptor plate allows these existing towers to be re-used, while modernising communication infrastructure to the latest IP-based communication solution. Superior customer support and service Customer support representatives and the company’s QuikSpec website tool ensure that the campus integrator or on-site installation team will accurately design the right system for any site. Campus security has never been more important. Federal law mandates administrators report crimes against the people who live, work and visit campus each day. Those reports are important factors when parents help their children select a college or university. With Aiphone, security isn’t a niche, it is a necessity. That is why the IX Series emergency stations are designed and built with the same attention to detail and exacting standards dealers, integrators and campus users have come to expect from the world leader in intercom technology.

PSA partnership with Videofied opens untapped markets for its members RSI Video Technologies, Inc. recently announced it has entered into a partnership with PSA Security Network to distribute Videofied’s next generation of wireless outdoor battery-powered cameras along with the rest of Videofied’s wireless video alarm systems. PSA Security Network is the world’s largest electronic security cooperative, owned by the most progressive security integrators throughout North America who are responsible for over $2 billion annually in security, fire and life safety installations. The partnership “Our partnership with Videofied opens untapped markets for our members,” said Bill Bozeman, president and CEO of PSA Security Network. “The new ‘filtered monitoring’ feature which helps to weed out false alarms dramatically lowers the total system cost and drives additional value for our members looking for outdoor video alarm system solutions.” “Videofied’s next generation of battery-powered outdoor cameras and filtered monitoring revolutionise outdoor security with significantly improved performance and new monitoring options,” said Keith Jentoft, president of Videofied. “Videofied secures outdoor and remote assets with no cables or wires at a fraction of the cost of traditional CCTV cameras.” Videofied - truly wireless Videofied is unique because it’s “truly wireless,” the only infrastructure needed is a cell signal – no power or Ethernet cables because the entire system runs on batteries. Videofied cameras can run for years on batteries and have a proven record securing critical infrastructure in harsh environments; from oil rigs in Canadian winters to electrical substations in Arizona summers. The new cameras are a cost effective solution to prevent copper theft or secure construction sites. Videofied is professionally monitored to deliver priority response in the event of a real crime, immediately sending the video clip of the intruder to a central station for review and police dispatch. Filtered monitoring opens even more cost-sensitive applications, according to Patrick Devereaux, vice president of Emergency24. Devereau states, “Filtered monitoring is the most affordable approach to outdoor security because it allows the customer to filter any false alarms and only send actual crimes to the central station for dispatch and police response.”

EMERgency 24 developed the Incident Command and Control platform to deliver faster and more succinct data to first responders and others At ISC West 2015 in Las Vegas, EMERgency24 introduced a groundbreaking web-based software platform called Incident Command and Control Service, which allows system owners to generate alerts for situations such as lockdown, severe weather or HAZMAT (hazardous materials) situations and enables instant communication to pre-defined contact groups via text message, email or voice-to-phone messages. Exclusive offerings boost RMR “Incident Command and Control, once initiated by the building occupants, enables first responders to monitor and control a situation easily from a secure, online portal,” says Kevin Lehan, manager of public relations for EMERgency24. “It helps dealers provide a valuable service to customers and increases their recurring monthly revenue (RMR). Because this is exclusively offered by EMERgency24, dealers can set themselves apart from the competition and even brand the portal with their own company name,” he adds. Lehan says security companies at ISC West overwhelmingly welcomed the launch of the service. Schools, for example, are looking for solutions to better protect students and provide quicker response to active-shooter events. BluePoint Alert, Elgin, Ill., fobs and pull stations as well as gunshot-detection sensors can be used to sound the alarm and initiate the Incident Command and Control process. Incident Command and Control Incident Command and Control disseminates detailed information about alarm events and provides a means for two-way communication. For example, pre-defined contact groups such as first responders, school administrators/teachers, students, superintendents and politicians, receive an immediate alert of the incident; emergency procedure documents; visual point identification of alarm event origin overlaid on a building floor plan; and secure Internet links to access Incident Command Portal, floor plans and video feeds. “Because this (Incident Command and Control platform) is exclusively offered by EMERgency24, dealers can set themselves apart from the competition and even brand the portal with their own company name”, says Kevin Lehan, manager of public relations for EMERgency24 Helping to determine priorities “By facilitating a means for two-way communication, first responders receive specific information and descriptors of the alarm incident so they can better prioritise response and where they need to go. Intelligent filtering software identifies the most common terms from the two-way communication between authorities and building occupants. For example, responses from building occupants may say, ‘need help in room 101,’” continues Lehan. “Responders on site can also receive pictures or videos from the Incident Command and Control portal,” he adds. This system also enables follow-up messages for ongoing situational awareness and communication updates throughout the incident. EMERgency 24 developed the platform to deliver faster and more succinct data to many distinct groups of people. “We know that on average, a shooting event ends within 12 minutes, and the average response time is 18 minutes,” Lehan says. “Incident Command and Control Services brings new, time-saving awareness to a host of scenarios.” Dealers will be able to target existing customers and new sales with a standalone solution that boosts RMR. First responders have access to the software at no cost, and it’s automatically updated on the portal because it’s web-based. Dealers are charged based on the number of notifications the end-user requires, and they can mark up the service according to their client’s requirements. Dealers will be able to target existing customers and new sales with a standalone solution that boosts RMR Filtered-response monitoring service Established in 1967, EMERgency24, Des Plaines, Ill., continues to streamline the monitoring process and add new services. Another new EMERgency24 service to help alarm dealers increase their recurring monthly revenue (RMR) is filtered-response monitoring service. It is designed to greatly reduce false-alarm dispatches to authority agencies by improving communications between the subscriber and the central station. An internal or external (perimeter) video alarm is initiated from the premises. The signal goes to the subscriber’s smart device and to EMERgency24 at the same time. The subscriber then, at the press of an icon on the smart device screen, instructs EMERgency24 to dispatch (a real alarm) or disregard (a false alarm) on the signal. The subscriber also has the option to disarm the system as well. EMERgency24 continues to focus on adding value with new services that dealers and their customers can use to provide the highest level of targeted response coupled with professional monitoring.