The Benefits of Live Monitoring in Hospitals and Care Centers

centralized-vision-live-monitoring-patients-doctor Live monitoring of patients is quickly becoming an integral part of the health care industry. Though patient care is the primary concern of the staff at hospitals, nursing homes, and other care centers, there are many tasks that require staff members to take their attention elsewhere in the course of a day. Live monitoring systems are being implemented in novel ways to increase the quality of patient visits and assist the staff members dedicated to their care.

Protecting Patient Lives

The priority of hospitals and other care centers is, of course, the lives of their patients. Doctors, nurses, and other staff members must be vigilant at all times, especially when looking over multiple patients at one time. However, it’s unrealistic to expect one person to monitor several patients without dividing their attention, taking a moment to use the restroom, or performing other job tasks. That’s where the live monitoring services at Centralized Vision can help.

With trained technicians watching over the patients, it ensures that nothing is missed. Patients in need of immediate assistance may not always be able to communicate with their care-givers, but with someone watching, the message to help a particular patient can be sent immediately. For nursing homes and other care centers, dispatching EMT’s in a timely manner can be crucial. For patients already in the hospital, it’s simply a matter of alerting the staff members on duty. This article shows how one hospital was able to drastically reduce the amount of safety issues—including patients falling—with a live monitoring system.

General Security and Theft Deterrence

As with other places of business or residences, live monitoring is a great way to ensure the people and objects inside are secure. For a medical or care center, this can be doubly important, as the individuals inside are often sick or otherwise vulnerable. Proper placement of cameras on entrances and exits can ensure that anyone who isn’t a staff member, patient, or approved visitor cannot enter the facility and take advantage of someone who is unable to protect themselves.

In addition to the all-important patient lives that can be guarded with live-monitoring, there are valuable assets inside most care centers that need protection from criminals centralized-vision-live-monitoring-patients-medicine outside. Expensive equipment is often housed in these facilities, as well as surgical tools and precious oxygen tanks. These resources are not only crucial to the lives of the patients inside, but they could be dangerous if taken into the wrong hands. Expensive medicine is often kept in these facilities as well; it’s equally important to ensure that patients receive their prescriptions and those pharmaceuticals are not stolen for other purposes. Live monitoring in a security capacity can help to safeguard these resources and make sure they are used for their intended purpose.

Building Management

Protecting equipment is not only an issue of theft—powerful machines such as those used in hospitals have to be working correctly at all times. Live monitoring of equipment is a great way to avoid costly repairs or emergency situations. Just a few hours without power could make a huge difference for patients relying on machines, and a well-trained eye ensures that all vital systems are functioning correctly and can be fi centralized-vision-live-monitoring-patients-exit xed quickly.

Turning cameras outward can be crucial for care centers as well. As we’ve written about before, natural disasters can wreak havoc on any building if those inside are not alerted in a timely manner. This damage could be compounded in a hospital or care center, with a high volume of already at-risk individuals inside. These could include pregnant women, the elderly, or those with highly contagious diseases. Not to mention, it often takes more time to evacuate a building such as a hospital, due to the state of incapacitation that many of the patients are in. Every second counts in an emergency, and a trained eye can ensure storms, fires, and other emergencies don’t take the care center unaware.

Avoiding Malpractice

It’s useful for all employers to keep an eye on their employees—just check out our article on that topic—but when the job being performed involves the care of human lives, it can be crucial to have an eye on staff performance. This can mean deterring internal theft of the valuable assets we already discussed, watching for signs of intentional abuse from care-givers, or simply catching the unintended mistakes that could cost a patient their life.

That’s not to say that doctors, nurses, and other patient care-givers are not already highly trained. It’s more about ensuring that proper protocols are followed for the safety of everyone. A pilot program at one hospital recently found that live monitoring the operating room during procedures helped decrease common errors and improve hygiene during the operations. It’s this sort of result that shows a second pair of eyes always helps when handling the lives of patients.

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Video Surveillance: Keeping an Eye on Your Employees

Centralized Vision Keeping an Eye On Your Employees Video surveillance is used for a lot of purposes these days. It is used for everything from catching criminals in the act, to monitoring a building’s vital systems to ensure proper functioning at all times. Live monitored video surveillance can also protect you and your business by keeping an eye on your employees.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, Surveillance- is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people for the purpose of influencing, managing, directing, or protecting them. Live Video Monitoring of your employees can not only protect them by helping to ensure their safety, it can also ensure they are being productive and complying with company policies as well as making sure they are not misappropriating company funds and or property.

Employee Safety –

Centralized Vision Keeping an Eye on Your Employees Blog

When it comes to employee safety, there really is no such thing as being too careful. And keeping an eye on your employees is more important than ever. The dangers facing today’s employees are limitless; they lurk inside, as well as outside your building or job site.

Employees are asked to perform all sorts of dangerous tasks. These construction workers are working on a roof and need to be harnessed up and attached to the building for their safety. An added layer of protection can be added with live monitoring. They can be monitored to make certain that their harnesses are correctly hooked in and maintain their integrity as long as the workers are on the roof. In the event that a harness starts to become loose, unravel, or otherwise become compromised, our trained technicians can notify the workers immediately allowing them to fix or replace the harness system in question before an accident can occur.

Dangerous tasks are everywhere in the workplace but they are not the only safety hazards that face your employees today. In some cases, employees work very closely with the public which can be unpredictable. A waiter was recently viciously attacked by his customers for bringing them the wrong dinner.

When a dangerous and chaotic situation such as that occurs, our trained technicians remain calm and immediately jump into action to notify the proper authorities and management. We continuously monitor the situation and help to either identify or track the perpetrators until they can be apprehended. We can also guide employees and customers to a safe exit in the event that becomes necessary.

Employee Productivity –

Centralized Vision Keeping an Eye on Your Employees Blog Keeping an eye on your employees is imperative in today’s business environment. But keeping your employees safe is not the only benefit of a live monitored surveillance system. With the more relaxed atmosphere in a lot of offices today (think Google or Go Daddy) employers tend to have a harder time monitoring their employees’ productivity.

As businesses are designing more comfortable working environments, and employees are allowed to work from anywhere in the building or on the property, live monitoring can be used to ensure that workers are actually working and not taking a nap or otherwise wasting company time.

Your employees’ productivity is imperative to your business’ success, and live monitoring is a great way to ensure that they are being productive.

Employee Theft –

Centralized Vision Keeping an Eye on Your Employees Blog Wasting company time is not the only way that an employee can take advantage of their employer. According to the United States Chamber of Commerce, 75% of employees steal from their companies at least once and more than half of those people do it regularly.

Being able to keep an eye on your employees is of vital importance in any business. Whether in a retail, restaurant, warehouse, or office environment, you are inherently vulnerable to the whims and habits of your employees.

In a retail environment, outright theft by your employees is not the only risk you have to worry about. Whenever money and or merchandise changes hands, there is a way for a dishonest employee to gain the upper hand. But with live monitoring, these and many other opportunities for theft can be eliminated.

All point of sale locations should be closely monitored at all times. Every time an employee rings up a sale is an opportunity for them to steal. An imaginative but unethical mind will think of scenarios that you never imagined. Keeping an eye on your employees when they are dealing with money or merchandise is good business and it can be beneficial for both employer and employee. Sometimes all it takes is a camera, and knowing that someone is watching you, to keep an honest person honest. Thus it prevents not only loss of cash or merchandise from your company but the loss of an otherwise stellar employee.

Point of sale areas are important to keep your eye on but they are not the only areas you need to worry about. Every area in your building and on your property is a possible opportunity for theft and loss and the more remote or desolate the area, the more likely for it to be used for nefarious purposes.

Employee Compliance –

Safety, productivity, and employee theft are all perfect situations for live monitoring to be effective. The workplace can also be monitored to ensure company policies are being followed and that a harmonious environment exists among your employees. Harassment, bullying and untoward behaviors can all be avoided and eliminated when the workplace is being live monitored.

People inherently want to do a good job and follow the rules, but also need a little supervision sometimes. Knowing that someone is watching makes them more likely to do that good job and stay on the straight and narrow.

Live monitoring can be used for many purposes, and keeping an eye on your employees to ensure that they are safe, productive, and following company policies is one of the most important, if not the most important. Call us today to see how we can help you protect your business and your employees.

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The Advantages of a Digital Video Surveillance System

Centralized Vision Digital Video Surveillance System High Definition Camera Wide Angle Lens Video surveillance systems have come a long way. The early analog systems were very inefficient and required massive amounts of storage space. Today’s new digital video surveillance systems are more versatile and efficient and have superior image quality.

Characteristics of an Analog Video Surveillance System

What is an Analog video surveillance system? Simply put, an analog video surveillance system collects video and transmits it over a traditional base band format to a Digital video recorder of some kind or DVR. Once it reaches the DVR it is converted to a digital format so it can be compressed and stored on hard drives.

Analog video surveillance systems have been around since the first CCTV system was installed at a test stand in Peenemünde, Germany in 1942, for observing the launch of V-2 rockets. At the time, it was an innovative, state of the art system. However, they had no way to record the footage. Thus creating the need for the first live monitored video surveillance system.

Analog surveillance systems require that each camera has its own dedicated coaxial cable and usually must be expanded by either 4 or 16 cameras at a time. The installation of an analog system requires massive amounts of coaxial cables for video and may require specialized cables for audio capabilities as well.

The amount of cables involved in the installation and maintenance of an analog system can boggle the mind. Each camera not only needs its own dedicated coaxial cable for video and possibly another cable for audio, they each need their own power supply. The need for power to each camera is solved with a digital system since digital surveillance system cameras can use POE which is a way to get their power from the Ethernet cable.

Each analog camera on a video surveillance network must be connected directly to the digital video recording device. This limits the number of cameras you can add to the number of ports you have on your recording device. With a digital video surveillance system, there are multiple ways in which you can expand your network using switches and other equipment.

One major drawback of analog surveillance cameras is that they have extremely low resolution which provide grainy, blurry, and unclear images. The maximum resolution available in an analog camera is equivalent to approximately .4 megapixels. In comparison, today’s most advanced digital video surveillance cameras are available in up to 11 megapixels.

Low resolution is not the only cause of analog video surveillance camera’s production of such blurry images. Analog cameras use a process called interlacing. This interlacing is what creates the jagged video and blurry images. The way interlacing works is by dividing the images.

The Interlacing process involves dividing images into two sets of lines, odd and even. These lines are then refreshed alternately. This alternate refreshing is what causes moving objects to appear jagged and or blurry and creates distortion in the video.

The reason it is so blurry is that only half of the lines are recording at any one time while the other half wait to be refreshed. Once both images are received by the DVR and put back Centralized Vision Digital Video Surveillance System Analog together, the images have moved slightly, and therefore create a blurry image.

Analog cameras also do not have the same digital zooming capabilities as digital video surveillance cameras do. The grainy pictures produced by an analog camera only become grainier and blurrier when you zoom in. The poor resolution and grainy picture make it difficult or even impossible to identify people and see what exactly is happening at any time.

Another characteristic of analog video surveillance cameras is their narrow field of view. With traditional analog cameras you had to install several cameras in order to watch a large area. A digital surveillance camera can cover three to four times as much area than an analog camera can.

Possibly one of the largest drawbacks to an analog video surveillance system is the fact that they do not work well as a wireless system. Analog signals must follow several government guidelines and are prohibited from being encrypted and are extremely susceptible to interference. In addition to interference, your system will be vulnerable to hackers. Florescent lighting can also be very problematic for wireless analog networks.

Benefits of A Digital Video Surveillance System

There are many benefits of a digital video surveillance system. Digital surveillance systems are superior to analog in their ease of installation, their ease of use, their superior image quality, their data requisition and transmission processes, and many other ways.

The main difference between an analog and a digital video surveillance system is the way they collect and transmit the video signal. Analog systems convert the information into a digital format after it reaches the recording device. With a digital video surveillance system, the information is gathered in a digital format to begin with. Thereby eliminating the need to convert and compress the information at a later time. Centralized Vision Digital Video Surveillance System

Collecting the information digitally from the start makes the whole process much more efficient. Digital information can be transmitted more quickly than an analog signal due to the fact that the information is compressed prior to its transmission. Besides being faster, digital systems are superior because with a digital signal, there is no degradation of the image.

Since the video is collected digitally straight from the camera, there is more flexibility as to how and where you can record the video. In most cases, the DVR is replaced with an NVR (network video recorder), which can be simply software since the information does not need to be converted to a digital format.

As I mentioned earlier, digital video surveillance cameras have much higher image quality than their analog counter-parts. The most sophisticated analog cameras on the market today have a maximum of .4 megapixels. That is less than half of a megapixel. Even the cheapest digital cameras available today far exceed this in megapixels alone.

Sophisticated digital video surveillance systems have several capabilities other than transmitting video images. Today’s digital systems have the ability to control more than video. Apps can be downloaded to allow for remote access, access control systems, visitor management systems, and building management.

With remote access capabilities, it is far easier for a live video monitoring company such as Centralized Vision to monitor your property. With the right applications your video feed can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection which alleviates the need to have on-site monitors.

Access control systems allow you to remotely monitor and facilitate entry of guests to your facility. In addition to monitoring guests, you can set up alerts to inform you in the case of a door being left unlocked or propped open. With an analog system this would not be as easy to facilitate.

With a digital surveillance system, you can track your guests and visitors while they are on the property. In the event that a visitor is allowed only in certain areas of the building, you have the ability to control their flow. You can lock and unlock doors as needed to let them move freely about in authorized areas. Thus not leaving any access points open, unlocked or vulnerable to unauthorized access.

In addition to digital video surveillance systems having superior image quality and sophisticated app capabilities, another advantage is the ease of use when installing or adding to the system. When installing the system, it requires much less wiring than a traditional analog system.

Remember, an analog system requires separate coaxial cables, audio cables, and power cables. That is not necessary with the POE (Power over Ethernet) option available with a digital system. The cameras can get their power directly from the Ethernet cables.

A digital video surveillance system is easier to expand than a traditional analog system as well. With an analog system, you are required to expand your network in multiples of 4, 8, or 16. That is not the case with a digital network. With a digital video system, you can add a camera any time and almost anywhere that you want.

With the use of switches to connect your digital cameras to each other without wires. You can add many more cameras to a network than you can with an analog network. Digital cameras can even be installed without wires which makes it even easier. This gives you the ability to place your cameras almost anywhere.

Digital video surveillance systems are superior to analog systems in their ability to transmit wirelessly without interference and distortion. With a traditional analog system, there are several federal regulations that must be followed when transmitting wirelessly. The most problematic is the fact that you are not able to encrypt or protect the information.

With a digital system, there are not the same government regulations to abide by, and therefore your information can be transmitted with encryption and without the same distortion. You are able transmit your information quickly, safely, and with high quality.

Digital video surveillance systems have many advantages over analog systems. They are easier to use with far superior image quality and ease of installation. They are more sophisticated, have a multitude of capabilities, can easily grow with your needs, and are remotely accessible from anywhere. If you have any questions about digital video surveillance systems or how we can help protect what matters most to you, please contact us.

How Can Remote Security Services Help Protect Your Business?

Centralized Vision Remote Security Services Article Every business needs security of some type. On site security is useful, but remote security services can do more than your traditional on-site security guards. Virtually anything that can be done by on-site security can be handled remotely by a professional remote site monitoring company such as Centralized Vision as well as a plethora of other services.

There are many ways that remote security services can help protect your business. Remote security monitoring can solve many issues at the same time. With remote site monitoring, one technician is able to monitor several areas at once for any number of situations that might occur. Trained technicians are equipped with all the necessary skills and tools needed to protect you and your business, as well as your employees, tenants, and guests.

There are several services offered by remote security companies that cannot be provided by a traditional security company. No matter how remote or hostile your location may be, a remote security monitoring company will be on the job 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Remote monitoring and security services can help protect what matters most to you.

Remote Security Services Offer a Wide Variety of Services

The services offered by a remote security company reach far beyond preventing and stopping crimes with live monitored video surveillance. Everything from Intrusion and Access Control to Badge and Database Management as well as so much more can be performed remotely.

Live Video Camera Monitoring

When you think of live monitored video surveillance, you may think of crimes being caught on camera. Whereas catching criminals in the act and preventing crimes is an important part of live monitoring security cameras, there are a multitude of other services that can be performed using live video feeds.

HVAC Monitoring

One service besides crime fighting that can be provided by live video surveillance camera monitoring is Energy Management. Professionally trained technicians can monitor your HVAC system to ensure it is optimized and functioning properly.

Losing HVAC or other vital systems can be devastating to any business, and depending on the industry, the reliability of your HVAC systems can make all the difference in the world. In the case of a pharmaceutical company, vaccines and other specimens must be kept at certain temperatures to maintain their effectiveness.

Hospitals and Care Centers have unique HVAC requirements not found in other industries. They rely heavily on their HVAC systems in order to care for their patients and save lives. HVAC systems in hospitals can help defend against the spread of airborne diseases; they can also contribute to the spread if they are not properly monitored and maintained.

Hospital HVAC systems require specialized equipment like HEPA filters, re-circulating systems, filter fans, air mixing equipment and static cooling systems which provide cooling without moving any air. With remote monitoring, all these specialized pieces of equipment can be monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to guarantee the system will be functioning at the highest level possible at all times.

Building and Vital Systems Monitoring

Another valuable service that can be provided by a remote security monitoring company is monitoring the building, its structure, and all its vital systems. You rely on your building to keep your business running and with a professionally trained staff of technicians monitoring your systems, you can be assured that your building will continue functioning up to its full potential.

Trained technicians monitor for things like structural issues which can include anything from roof leaks to foundation issues. These issues can usually be repaired easily and for minimal cost if caught in the early stages of development. However, if the issues go unnoticed and are left in disrepair, they can cost more than money. A roof leak can quickly lead to a roof collapse which can cost you time, materials, and possibly employees if the business is to be closed long-term for repairs.

Inclement Weather Monitoring

Centralized Vision Remote Security Services Article 3 Remote security technicians can also monitor your business for weather related issues and developments. Many people are inured at work every year due to weather related problems and many of these could be avoided if the building occupants simply knew what was happening outside.

Earlier this year, a fitness center filled with unsuspecting patrons was hit by a tornado and the entire end of the building was sheared off. If the fitness center had had a remote security monitoring company in place, they could have been warned of the impending weather situation and evacuated the building.

Weather can be dangerous but it can also be a costly set back to your business if you are caught by surprise. A company that relies on its fleet of vehicles would be remiss to let their vehicles become snowed in. With cameras in the parking areas, trained technicians can notify the proper personnel in the event that the vehicles are in danger of becoming snowed in and who can then relocate the vehicles before the snow becomes an issue. The weather is becoming increasingly violent and difficult to predict. With security video surveillance live monitored by a professional company, you will never have to worry about being caught off guard by a pending weather situation.

Plumbing and Electrical Systems Monitoring

Plumbing and electrical systems are other vital areas that many of us don’t think about until there is a problem. Some problems develop in areas where people don’t usually go or cannot physically fit. These types of issues can become serious in a small amount of time. But with a remote security company keeping an eye on things, these types of potential problems never go unobserved.

A small plumbing leak in the wrong place or an electrical outlet that is sparking can easily escalate to a major problem if not discovered and rectified in a timely manner. With remote site monitoring, problems with your plumbing and electrical systems will not become an issue.

These are just a few of the services which can be provided remotely by a live video camera monitoring company.

Access Control

Access control is another area which can be handled with remote security services. Technicians can perform all the same duties as an in person concierge or receptionist plus a whole lot more. Not only can the doors be locked and unlocked remotely allowing access to authorized individuals at any time day or night, technicians can also alert you to forced entries.

One valuable service that can be provided by a remote concierge or access control system that cannot be easily offered by an in-person service is that all visitors, guests, vendors and service people can be monitored while they are on the property.

All areas that need to be accessed by vendors, maintenance or other persons can easily be unlocked remotely while keeping all others areas locked and off limits. Having someone watching will keep your property safe and sound.

Database Management and Visual Escort

Centralized Vision Remote Security Services Article 2 With badge and database management services, you no longer need to have someone manning the front desk 24 hours a day. With remote services in place, our trained technicians can not only check all visitors against the facilities’ database of approved people. Remote technicians can also activate a deactivate access cards as needed to maintain a secure facility.

With our innovative Visual Escort and scout ahead services, your clients, tenants, guests, and visitors will feel safe as long as they are on the property. Trained technicians can watch over your guests as they make their way to their vehicles; with just one easy call to our professional staff we will watch over your guests until they reach their vehicles safely.

Or, if preferable, we can scout out the area ahead of your guests departure to ensure their safety before they ever leave the building. With trained security technicians watching over your guests as they come and go from the property, you can ensure they will never doubt your sincerity when it comes to safety and security.

Dispatch and Investigative Services

When you employ a remote security company to monitor your property and keep an eye on what matters most to you, professionally trained technicians have the ability to dispatch the proper personnel to handle any situation that may arise.

Technicians can dispatch private security to check on open doors, suspicious activity and the like, as well as dispatching local authorities in the event that a crime or dangerous situation unfolds. Building representatives and maintenance personnel can also be contacted and dispatched to the location if needed.

Investigative services are another specialized service that can be provided by a remote security company. One of the many benefits of hiring a professional monitoring company to handle your security needs is that you gain the knowledge, experience, and expertise of their entire staff. That is something it would cost you tens of thousands of dollars and countless hours of training to achieve and it all comes with the service.

Anytime an incident occurs, recorded footage or still images of the unauthorized motion/presence or incident will be recorded and sent to you or stored for your review according to your preference. This is a time saver as it allows you to quickly and easily review all security incidents without having to scour hours of footage.

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Car Thieves Caught By Live Monitoring and Centralized Vision

Every day you can turn on the television and see videos of criminals caught in the act. Whether you are watching your local news, or a show like The Hunt with John Walsh, there is no shortage of videos of people committing crimes. More often than not, the story is that the authorities need your help to identify the perpetrators or your help in tracking them down.

When you have your video surveillance system live monitored by a professional company like Centralized Vision, crime caught on camera stories have much happier endings such as “Caught By Live Monitoring!”

Live monitoring of your camera system allows you the ability to have eyes on your property 24 hours a day and the ability to prevent or stop crimes and other situations. You can learn all about how video surveillance monitoring systems work in this recent article.

Would-Be Thief Caught By Live Monitoring –

During a recent overnight shift, one of our technicians was alerted to a potential trespasser on the lot of an auto auction. After an extensive search of the property with the cameras, our tech witnessed an individual poking his head out of one of the cars on the lot. Our technician immediately contacted the police and informed them that he had an unauthorized individual on a secured site.

After speaking with the police and while waiting for them to arrive, our technician maintained his visual control of the property utilizing the security surveillance system. He noticed a gray car being driven on the lot as well as 3 individuals who exited the gray car and began sweeping the area. They were seen combing through the cars on the lot. The perpetrators continued looking through the vehicles until the police arrived.

Within two minutes of first observing the intruder, the police were dispatched to the scene; they arrived less than three minutes later. When the police did arrive on scene, they surrounded the business in force and began searching the property. The thieves dropped everything and began sprinting towards the back of the property.

The police gave chase to the suspects and requested permission from the property management to employ K-9 officers to assist with the chase. After receiving the required permission, K-9 officers were released and joined the search. The officers were ultimately able to capture at least one of the suspects involved.

Our trained technician was able to maintain visual control of the property while waiting for the police to arrive, all while maintaining his own personal safety. Remote monitoring allows our technicians the ability to monitor any situation safely from our air conditioned control room. Whether it be harsh environmental conditions, hazardous industrial areas, or severe weather, we are able to maintain a 24/7 365 watch of your property to ensure its safety and security.

This is yet another story of how Live Video Monitoring works to take bad guys off the streets.

How Does Video Surveillance System Monitoring Work?

Centralized Vision Video Surveillance System Monitoring Blog Video surveillance systems seem to be everywhere these days. But video surveillance system monitoring is a relatively new field. In the old days, you would install a video surveillance system and hit record on a VCR which would record what the cameras saw. If anything ever happened, you were able to go back and watch the video recording to see watch the event after the fact. The video recording could be used to help identify a criminal and be used for their prosecution in the event that they were caught.

Today there is a better way, and it is known as Video Surveillance System Monitoring. It goes far and beyond your old standard surveillance system by having your cameras monitored by trained technicians, in real time, 24 hours a day. This allows you to react to an incident while it is happening and make a real difference in the outcome.

Videos surveillance system monitoring allows technicians to monitor for a variety of criminal activities. However, video camera surveillance monitoring is a multi-functional tool which can also be utilized to monitor any number of processes and situations.

What is a Video Surveillance System?

Centralized Vision Videe Surveillance System Monitoring Blog Video camera surveillance systems have come a long way. The first video surveillance system was designed by three German engineers and installed in 1942, it was used to monitor the launching of a rocket. The first video surveillance camera system was installed in the United States in the late 1940’s and as of 2014, over 245 million video cameras were in use worldwide.

The word surveillance means the act of carefully watching someone or something especially in order to prevent or detect a crime. Therefore, video surveillance systems are an electronic means of watching someone or something.

Video surveillance systems are a system of one or more video cameras on a network that send the captured video and audio information to a certain place. The images are not available to the public like television. They are live monitored or transmitted to a central location for recording and storage.

The basic equipment necessary for a video camera surveillance system includes cameras to capture the images and some sort of recording device or monitoring service; one and two-way audio speakers are also becoming more popular every day which adds yet another tool to the arsenal of a surveillance system monitoring company’s trained technicians. Cameras, possibly speakers and a recording device or monitoring capabilities is about all you will need besides the usual miscellaneous supplies used when installing any kind of A/V equipment.

When it comes to video surveillance cameras, there are two basic types of cameras but there are several different options you can choose from. The two types of surveillance cameras available are analogue and digital. The signal from an analogue camera can be recorded to a video tape recorder, it can be converted to a digital signal and stored on a computer, or it can be stored on a digital video recorder.

Digital cameras, on the other hand, are much more user friendly than analogue cameras. Digital video surveillance cameras use a digital signal to transmit the images so the need to convert them is eliminated. This makes it easier to store the information on a computer. A Digital camera has a higher resolution than an analogue camera. Digital images are available at up to 11 megapixels which make it possible to read license plates. Even with the best analogue camera, you could never read a license plate.

What is Video Surveillance System Monitoring and How Does It Work?

Centralized Vision Video Surveillance System Monitoring Blog Video surveillance system monitoring has been around since the very first surveillance system was installed in Peenemünde, Germany in 1942. When the first camera surveillance system was created, there was no way to record the images so the cameras had to be monitored in real-time.

It wasn’t until the 1970’s that the technology became available to easily record and store the images captured by the video camera surveillance systems. Once this technology became available, the use of video surveillance systems began to skyrocket. It seemed like all businesses had video cameras and were recording everything that happened.

Although recording video information for later use is a great way to provide the authorities with evidence after a crime has been committed or another event has happened, it can do nothing to change the outcome of the event. That is not true of video surveillance system monitoring. When your surveillance system is live monitored, trained technicians have the ability to step into a situation and change its outcome, thus preventing loss, damage, and bodily injury among other things.

Video camera surveillance system monitoring works by having the live feed from your video surveillance system monitored in real-time by in-house employees, or by a trained, professional company like Centralized Vision. The benefit of hiring a professional company is that the technicians are all fully trained to handle any situation that might arise with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. They also have all the necessary back-up and equipment to handle any scenario that may arise.

Video surveillance system monitoring is great for preventing crimes and stopping them in progress, but that is only the beginning of what you can do with a good surveillance system and a top-rate monitoring company like Centralized Vision. Trained technicians can use your video camera surveillance system to monitor everything from Energy Management, to your buildings vital systems like plumbing and electrical.

Uses for Video Surveillance System Monitoring

Centralized Vision Video Surveillance Monitoring System Blog There are many uses for video surveillance system monitoring besides watching for criminal activity. Trained technicians are prepared to handle any number of situations.

Industrial Processes –

There are many areas where live-monitoring of video surveillance systems can be utilized in industrial processes. When an area is too dangerous, or too hot, or too loud, etc. for an employee, a video camera can be placed there instead and monitored by a live person in real-time allowing them ability to step in at any moment to stop or correct the process if needed.

Energy Management –

Technicians can monitor energy systems to ensure everything is working properly. In some industries, temperatures and electrical power levels must be kept constant in order to maintain product integrity, deliver a viable product, and even save lives. A monitoring company can have their tech’s monitor your HVAC and electrical systems, including back-up generators to ensure there are not any interruptions. If there is ever a problem with your equipment, trained technicians can dispatch the proper repair personnel so there is never any down time.

Intrusion and Access Control Monitoring –

Using live-monitored video surveillance systems for intrusion and access control saves not only man-hours, it saves on equipment and energy as well. Having a monitoring company act as a virtual concierge eliminates your need to have the front desk manned 24 hours a day. It also eliminates the need for office equipment and furniture usually utilized by a receptionist. Technicians can monitor for unauthorized open doors, lock and unlock doors, alert you to forced entries as well as greet tenants and guests and sign in and track vendors.

Visual Employee Escort and Scout Ahead –

Visual employee escort is an extremely popular service being provided by surveillance systems monitoring companies. Whenever an employee is ready to leave and walk to their car, they can call a monitoring technician who can then either scout the area in advance and let them know if it is safe to go. The employee also can have the technician watch them as they make their way to their car. This service combined with Panic/Call Station monitoring makes for an extremely safe exterior and parking environment for your company and your employees.

Video Archiving and Dispatch –

Video archiving and dispatch capabilities are a few of the other services that can be provided by your video surveillance monitoring company. If you need extra space to store videos, your monitoring company can help you with that. Your monitoring company can store your videos on their server and provide you with copies or original files if requested. This frees up space on your own server as well as gives you the added security of having your videos stored off-site.

Dispatching capabilities means that your video camera surveillance system monitoring company can dispatch service personnel, building representatives, security, or local authorities when needed, giving you peace of mind knowing that no matter what type of emergency might come up, it will be taken care of immediately and with total privacy and professionalism.

“Video Surveillance System Monitoring Works by taking your investment in surveillance technology and placing it into the qualified hands of Centralized Vision which allows for real-time monitoring of the location to occur. There is a significant difference between reactive and proactive with the latter being quite fulfilling. The days of watching a crime after the fact are a thing of the past with real-time monitoring in place. This solution allows for preventative measures to be taken at that very moment to stop an undesirable situation from occurring, rather than having it happen, only to have it lead to costly losses. This solution becomes even more powerful with the simple addition of one-way audio speakers. Strategically placed speakers give our Operating Technician the ability to speak out live, who commands and changes behavior. Once you’ve changed behavior you’ve impacted the culture of the location. Which, in the world of security, is a true victory.”

Tom Vigilante -President – Centralized Vision

Video Camera Placement Can Make All the Difference

Centralized Vision Camera Placement Blog In the world of surveillance, camera placement can make all the difference. Properly positioned cameras will cover your entire business and keep it safe from damage and theft. Any area that is not covered by cameras is potentially vulnerable to thieves and vandals.

Ideally, every inch of your property should be covered by at least one camera. For best results, an overlap is recommended to ensure you can capture all the angles you need in order to see what is going on.

Camera Placement Tips

There are many important factors to setting up a successful surveillance network. Camera placement is one of the most important things to consider, and should not be decided haphazardly. When deciding where to place your security cameras, keeping the following tips in mind will ensure your home or business will be covered.

Make sure all doors and other points of entry are covered –

Doors and windows are an easy access point for criminals. More than 30% of burglaries happen via the front door. There are several options when it comes to covering a door with a video camera. You can use an outdoor camera that faces the door which allows you to see not only who is coming and going, you can also see if anyone props the door open or otherwise tampers with it.

Another option is to have an outdoor camera that faces away from the door so you can not only see the faces of people approaching, you have a larger field of view which allows you to keep an eye on the sidewalk and/or parking area. This type of location is effective for catching package thieves and vandals as they approach, giving you more time to react and stop them before they can cause any mischief.

Windows are another important egress point that absolutely must be covered by your cameras for proper security of your home or business. All it takes is a heavy object to break a window and the bad guys are in. It can be difficult to cover all windows from outside so do not hesitate to incorporate both interior and exterior cameras where needed. A well placed interior camera is just as valuable in deterring criminals as exterior cameras are.

Make sure key assets are covered –

Having cameras covering your key assets is paramount in protecting your business. Not only do you have to worry about strangers stealing from you, unfortunately you also have to watch your own employees to make sure they are being honest and not stealing from you as well.

If your business is retail, having your warehouse, sales floor, and all points of sale covered would be of utmost importance. Along with your offices and cash room, these are your most valuable assets. If you have a car dealership. You would want to make sure that all your vehicles, tools, and parts are under surveillance at all times. It only takes an experienced crook a few seconds to cost you big money. No matter what type of business you have, keeping your key assets covered is extremely important.

Make sure exterior areas, parking and storage are covered –

Covering your doors, windows, and key assets is important when it comes to your video camera surveillance system, but you also need to cover your exterior areas. Cameras that cover your perimeter keep an eye on who is coming and going at all times. Knowing who is on your property and where they are will keep your business safe from loss due to theft and property damage. Exterior perimeter cameras also alert you to any developing situations such as weather or fire emergencies.

There are many things to remember when deciding where to place your video surveillance cameras but the most important thing to remember is to ensure that your entire property can be seen from the cameras. All areas should be covered by at least one camera with important locations covered by multiple cameras if possible.

Centralized Vision Services Keep Your Property Safe

Centralized Vision Services Keep Your Property Safe Blog Intrusion and access control monitoring along with badge and data base management can keep your property safe from unwanted visitors. With our trained techs on the job, we can manage access to all entrances as well as take care of a variety of other tasks.

Our technicians can handle all aspects of access control from opening doors and managing unauthorized door props, to assisting tenants, visitors, and vendors that wish to enter your property. We can check visitors against a database as well as activate or deactivate an employee or vendor badge if needed.

In the past, your entry management options consisted of hiring someone to physically monitor all entrances and manage visitors. With today’s technology, you do not have to hire expensive security guards or door greeters to monitor the entries and exits.

Keep Your Property Safe

Our live monitored video surveillance along with two-way audio capabilities allows us to provide you with all the same services you would expect to receive from an on-site employee. When tenants arrive we can unlock or open doors for them as well as provide a number of other concierge type services.

We can manage vendors and repair people as well. When vendors or maintenance arrive at the premises we can check them against an expected visitor list and allow them access. If they are not on the list, we can take care of that as well.

Besides monitoring vendors and other guests, our technicians have been trained to respond in the case of unwanted guests as well. In the event of an unauthorized entry we will immediately notify on-site security or the proper authorities and continue monitoring the situation until it is resolved.

With audio capabilities we can call out to the guest to identify themselves. Our technicians will ask the visitor to identify both themselves and the purpose for their visit. The visitor can then respond by using the two-way audio call box or by making a phone call to our office.

With access control and badge management services in place, you may no longer need a receptionist to manage your guests, visitors, vendors, and repair persons. Our trained technicians can take care of everything remotely.

When guests arrive, our techs take care of them. We can check them in, direct them to where they are going as well as control and monitor their movements by unlocking and locking doors as well as surveying them on camera.

When vendors or service persons arrive, we can make sure they stay where they are supposed to be working by locking down all areas except those they are authorized to be in. This can eliminate several problems such as theft and property damage. You will not have to worry about visitors with Centralized Vision on the job.

From live video surveillance camera monitoring, to intrusion and access control, we have many services that can protect your property.

Metal Thief Captured by Centralized Vision and Police

Trespassing is not a victimless crime, it very often leads to mischief or malice. It is very serious and must be dealt with accordingly. It can cost your business millions of dollars in damage and loss of property every year. With 24/7 live monitored video surveillance, your business won’t be a victim.

Every day criminals walk the streets looking for an opportunity to strike. They wait and they watch for any weakness or opportunity. Trespassing starts as soon as someone crosses your property line. But with our trained technicians monitoring your property, you can rest assured that you will not be victimized.

Recently, one of our technicians observed an unauthorized truck and trailer approaching a private area of a metal recycling plant. A man and a woman were then seen exiting the vehicle and looking over the railing of the shipping dock. The perpetrators then proceeded to jump the railing and disappear out of sight of the cameras.

Our technician immediately notified the police who were dispatched to the scene. While our tech was still on the phone with the dispatcher, he observed the male suspect re-enter the truck and leave the property. He informed the officer that the SUV was leaving and he was able to provide the police with a description of the vehicle as well as the direction of travel.

The police caught up to the vehicle just a short distance from the scene and were able to pull it over without incident. They informed our dispatcher that they had apprehended both the male and female subjects and that there had actually been two additional females inside the truck.

The male suspect was taken into custody and the females were all charged with trespassing. Thanks to the trained eye and quick action of our professional technician, one more bad guy is off the streets!

Live Video Surveillance Monitoring – More Than Stopping Criminals

Live monitored video surveillance is great for stopping criminals and preventing crime. But it is good for more than just catching bad guys. With 24/7 live monitoring, technicians can not only contact security personnel and police in case of a crime, they can also contact other emergency personnel, building management, or building maintenance.

Contacting Security and Police

Having surveillance video live monitored by trained technicians can help stop and even prevent crime from happening. In the case of a crime in progress or a suspicious character on your property, technicians can immediately summon on-site security or the police. Having an extra set of eyes watching your property can give you peace of mind knowing that if anything does happen, there will not only be someone reacting to the situation in real time, there will be a recording and a written report as well as the ability to keep the authorities aware of the suspects whereabouts minute-by-minute.

Emergency Personnel

Having live monitored video cameras is great for securing your property from criminals. It is also great for things like recognizing emergency situations as they are happening and summoning the proper emergency responders like the Fire Department or Emergency Medical personnel. Every business is at risk of fire from one source or another. Many businesses are lost to fire due to faulty equipment or problems nobody was aware of because no one was watching. With Centralized Vision on the job, fires can be detected even before they start, and the fire department can be summoned immediately if needed.

In the case of a medical emergency, live monitored video surveillance can potentially save lives. There was a case recently where a young man fell off the back railing of a cruise ship and drowned before anyone knew he had fallen over. The entire thing was recorded, but since no one was monitoring the video at the time of the incident, the recording ended up being too little too late. Live trained technicians watching the cameras could have notified the ship’s captain and sent rescue personnel after the young man.

Live monitored video is also great for helping your employees, if they ever fall ill and need emergency medical help. In the case of a medical emergency in the work place, our trained technicians will call the EMT’s and give them a detailed account of the incident as well as instructions on how to reach the patient.

Building Management and Maintenance

A video surveillance system that is monitored 24/7 is good for many things. A roof or plumbing leak can be catastrophic if not caught in the beginning, but they often go undetected for months. However, if your surveillance system is live monitored, the leak will be noticed when it first begins, minimizing any damage that might occur. At the first sign of a leak or any other issue with your buildings vital systems our technicians will notify building management of the situation.

With the unpredictable weather we are having these days, having your surveillance cameras monitored by live technicians can help protect your customers and employees in the case of bad weather. With exterior cameras in place, technicians can keep you informed of weather situations. They can notify you if you have dangerous ice build-up on the roof or heavy snow piling up in the parking lot while your employees are working.

Technicians can also notify you of dangerous weather heading your way. Bad storms can pop up without warning and wreak havoc on people and property. During a recent thunderstorm in Louisiana, a tornado broke out headed for a populated area. It ripped the wall off of a fitness center while the staff and customers were all inside, unaware of the approaching storm. With technicians keeping an eye on things outside, they could have notified the business and allowed everyone to get out before the twister arrived.

There are many ways live monitored video surveillance can help you and your business. Technicians can not only keep an eye out for criminals, they can also monitor your buildings vitals systems and help protect your customers and employees.

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Protecting Patient Lives

General Security and Theft Deterrence

Building Management

Avoiding Malpractice

Employee Safety –

Employee Productivity –

Employee Theft –

Employee Compliance –

Characteristics of an Analog Video Surveillance System

Benefits of A Digital Video Surveillance System

Remote Security Services Offer a Wide Variety of Services

Live Video Camera Monitoring

HVAC Monitoring

Building and Vital Systems Monitoring

Inclement Weather Monitoring

Plumbing and Electrical Systems Monitoring

Access Control

Database Management and Visual Escort

Dispatch and Investigative Services

Would-Be Thief Caught By Live Monitoring –

What is a Video Surveillance System?

What is Video Surveillance System Monitoring and How Does It Work?

Uses for Video Surveillance System Monitoring

Industrial Processes –

Energy Management –

Intrusion and Access Control Monitoring –

Visual Employee Escort and Scout Ahead –

Video Archiving and Dispatch –

Camera Placement Tips

Make sure all doors and other points of entry are covered –

Make sure key assets are covered –

Make sure exterior areas, parking and storage are covered –

Keep Your Property Safe

Contacting Security and Police

Emergency Personnel

Building Management and Maintenance

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