Fidelity Security Services, the largest security provider in South Africa, is rolling out the ActiveGuard routing and monitoring solution nationwide to its 52 branches, in a project that will promote real-time 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-field then prompted the decision to roll out the system countrywide.”
He explains: “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 real-time. 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 can then return the call. This eliminates the potential for cellphone abuse, while still enabling the guards with two-way communications in real-time. The remote panic button is a definite plus, and has increased the level of safety for the guards.
Other features include the ability of the baton to send SMS “call me” and “panic” messages to a number of predefined cell numbers, including the control room, the security manager, and perhaps event client management. This ensures that everyone is notified immediately should any emergency occur, enabling a rapid response and minimising negative consequences.
Says Whateley: “The fact that we can get real-time 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 three-button device.
Although the ActiveGuard system is supplied with its own Kronos control room software, Fidelity will be integrating the signals from the system into its in-house developed ExecuGuard control room software, to provide a solution that is totally integrated into all its other control room functions.
“The backup and support on a technology installation such as this is critical, and the partnership with Trinity has really worked for us. They have the technical skills to be able to assist us with the training, as well as the customising of the solution to meet our particular requirements,” says Whateley.
Fidelity's customers will benefit significantly from the ActiveGuard roll out, through guaranteed active patrolling. If there is no real-time monitoring system in place, there is no way to ensure that the guards are patrolling at any point in time. The ActiveGuard solution drives proactive guarding, and also provides regular statistics and reports to Fidelity's management and to the customer, so trends can be monitored and information provided for improved guard and routing management.
“We have over 35 000 guards, and once the roll-out is complete, we will be able to monitor our guards countrywide through any number of our 52 branches,” says Whateley.
“Once the integration is complete, the ActiveGuard solution will add a new dimension to the way we report on our guard patrolling. With better statistics, we can provide value added services to our customers. We are ahead of the market, and so anticipate that this will give us a significant competitive advantage into the future.”
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