10 minute read
SOLUTIONS SHOWCASE
SOLUTIONS SHOWCASE BASS SECURITY
Your Fire Alarm System Can Do More Than Just Detect Fires
By Todd Domer, SET, Technical Director, Fire Alarm and Intrusion, Bass Security
All too often, a fire alarm system is looked at as a necessary evil. After all, it spends the majority of its time hanging on the wall in silence. You interact daily with the security system, access-control system, and CCTV system, but the fire alarm panel just quietly stands by. The reality is that you must meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Furthermore, the fire alarm system is a very important part Todd Domer of your risk management and often times only the most basic systems are installed to simply “meet code.”
When you have multiple sites across several states, there is a sizeable chance that there are authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ) that will require you to install more than just a minimal code compliant system. The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code NFPA 72 requires fire alarm systems to be tested by certified individuals. It also gives the requirements for strobe candela ratings and horn sound levels to help you meet ADA requirements. Once you have installed more than just a minimally compliant code system in one store, the case could be made that you should bring all stores up to that same level of coverage. This is one instance where risk mitigation comes into play—are you giving the same level of safety consistently across all of your sites?
Integrating a Carbon Monoxide Detector with your Fire Alarm System
In addition to making sure all of your sites have the same level of safety for fire and alarm systems, it is important to look at another risk mitigation device. The CO (carbon monoxide) detector has not previously been thought of as being integral to a fire alarm system. However, that is quickly changing given the potential danger of CO poisoning. Anywhere that you have gas-fired appliances, such as HVAC units and water heaters, you have the possibility of CO poisoning.
More cities and states are passing legislation to require CO detectors in commercial establishments. As recently as February of this year, a restaurant manager in a New York mall was killed by CO poisoning. Twenty-seven people were taken to the hospital including seven fire department personnel.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, “Carbon monoxide (the ‘silent killer’) sends 15,000 people to the hospital every year, and it kills an average of 500 U.S. citizens annually.” Information contained within the report is intended to increase awareness. It might even save your life or the lives of friends or family members. Awareness is the key.
I believe this is where your fire alarm panel can do more for you. Several fire alarm manufacturers have developed combination photo smoke/CO detectors. By code you are required to have a smoke detector above your fire alarm control panel, and now you can add a CO detector for very little additional cost. An additional bonus is that this CO detector would give a distinct signal at the premises and would be monitored so the fire department would be called immediately to evacuate the site.
Future technology will be able to use video to monitor fire and smoke detection. Today, more manufacturers are integrating the fire, security, CCTV, access control, and EAS systems to use the technology to decrease the risk. Bass Security Services is the one-touch solution that can offer all of these technologies.
I suggest it is time to let the fire alarm panel and the CO detector do more than just hang quietly by. Let it do more to help you mitigate risk.
For more information please visit bass-security.com or call 888-774-3400.
SOLUTIONS SHOWCASE CHECKPOINT
Why EAS Helps Food Retailers Deliver a Superior Customer Experience
Shopping for groceries and other food-related items is one of the most standard consumer activities in the world. But shopping in grocery stores and supermarkets is hardly a static activity. Food retailing has been greatly influenced by such factors as the rise of private-label brands; diversification of food categories, such as organic produce, premium meat, and seafood; prepared foods; and the increase in grocery items carried by mass merchants, deep discount, and convenience stores. As the grocery environment continues to evolve, consumers have a wider assortment of products to choose from, and more options on where to do their weekly shopping. Supermarkets are shifting strategies to continue to serve their customers and keep them coming back.
Shrink management has been a major focus for food retailers over the years. Losses due to theft, spoilage, and product waste continue to impact margins and profits. The Global Retail Theft Barometer revealed that shrink accounted for 1.3 percent of retail sales in food retail outlets with certain high-risk items, such as cheese, meats, seafood, and baby formula, often experiencing shrink rates more than double the average rate.
Now, as retailers provide more premium grocery options and prepared foods, managing product freshness and quality becomes even more critical. In addition, as retailers expand their merchandise assortments into higher-margin health, beauty, and in-store pharmacy items, even at average-shrink levels the losses negatively impact the bottom line at a higher disproportionate level.
As a result food retailers are looking for innovative ways to combat shrink while delivering a modern, welcoming customer experience. Although many grocery store chains and food supermarkets have installed electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems, many of them haven’t upgraded their technology or kept up with their programs in favor of customer service initiatives. This can be counter-productive, since EAS reduces theft, which in turn reduces out-of-stocks, resulting in a better shopping experience.
EAS can have a positive impact on the customer experience in three ways: 1. Deterrence—Supermarkets have found that when EAS is visible within a store (labels on product packaging, pedestals at store entrances), it deters casual theft, resulting in lower shrink, and by result, lower out-of-stock situations on key merchandise. 2. Deactivation—Intelligent deactivation systems can enhance the shopping experience by shortening checkout lines and enabling mobile and self-checkout options. In addition, consistent and
reliable deactivation of EAS labels virtually eliminates false alarms and damaging embarrassment of honest shoppers at the store exit. 3. Detection—Today’s EAS antennas and tags offer advanced detection, even with most creative tactics used by organized retail crime (ORC) gangs. Combined with the reliability of intelligent deactivation, your store associates now can have the confidence that an EAS alarm actually means a shoplifting attempt—not a potential false alarm of an honest shopper—and can respond accordingly to their store policies.
A comprehensive EAS program also supports open merchandising, enabling shoppers to handle and conveniently purchase items without the assistance of store personnel. EAS solutions secure high-risk items, without the need for locked cabinets to protect merchandise. Category-specific protection includes enhanced performance clear labels for small cosmetic items, tamper-proof labels for over-the-counter medication, keepers for razor blades, and bottle locks for alcoholic beverages among many other type of applications.
Finally, EAS technology has achieved consistent improvements in accuracy, reliability, functionality, and aesthetics, including the ability to display customized, high-quality promotional graphics on sleek EAS antenna pedestals, or clear antennas that can be installed at each checkout lane without obscuring the view of the cashier.
Many retailers undergoing new store openings or periodic store remodeling projects have found that is also an ideal time to upgrade their visible EAS infrastructure in order to align with new store designs. Recent enhancements in EAS technology and development of financial ROI tools make it possible to measure the impact a comprehensive EAS system might have on a supermarket bottom line.
Grocery stores and supermarkets are under more pressure than ever to improve profit margins, continue shopper loyalty, diversify their merchandise mix, and ensure a positive customer experience. EAS solutions can be an effective way to achieve those goals and make their stores more efficient in the process.
For more information about modern EAS solutions for grocery stores, supermarkets, and other food retailers, please visit: checkpointsystems.com/industry-solutions/ supermarket-hypermarket.aspx.
SOLUTIONS SHOWCASE DIEBOLD SECURITY
By Jeremy Brecher, Vice President, Technology, Diebold Security
In the world of loss prevention, visibility is key. Extending far beyond traditional surveillance, retailers need fast, easy access to security video and information, as well as the ability to conveniently administer alarm, access, incident, and asset management systems. Visibility of these systems is often fragmented by a vast array of platforms, all with different interfaces. Finding the most relevant information and managing these varied platforms can be laborious and inefficient.
Diebold’s SecureStat delivers the unified visibility retailers need to provide actionable data to protect and manage their operations—all from one platform. This centralized, web-based security management portal provides a single interface for real-time information and administration of all security-related systems. It delivers a single customizable dashboard to improve the visibility—and simplify the management—of every connected system across your entire retail footprint. With its accessibility from any web browser on any device, SecureStat delivers real-time visibility with actionable data to effectively manage the security operations of your stores, warehouses, and offices from wherever you are.
Jeremy Brecher SecureStat operates on all major web browsers, desktop computers, tablets, and mobile devices ensuring access from anywhere, anytime.
Manage Any Security System from Anywhere, from Any Device
SecureStat is a product-agnostic solution, allowing seamless integration of your existing hardware, software, monitoring, and other managed services into the platform regardless of the manufacturer. Since SecureStat was built from the ground up as a stand-alone solution, its flexibility allows you to implement the equipment of your choice without limiting your options.
SecureStat also operates on all major browsers, desktop computers, tablets, and mobile devices, ensuring you can access the system anytime from any location. This capability supports today’s bring-your-own-device (BYOD) trend, without requiring specialized software. Anywhere, anytime access allows you to share visibility and control with your individual locations, increasing the mobility of security systems by consolidating relevant field information and tasks into one mobile view.
Immediate access to resources via SecureStat’s online interface enhances the visibility of your security operations. For example, you can access SecureStat from your smartphone to verify an alarm as it’s happening or place a location on test. You can gain immediate access to monitoring history, site information, documents, hardware inventory, and other system data. In addition, you can perform tasks such as updating user codes and access cards in real time.
Customize Your Security Operations
Beyond choosing your preferred hardware, software, and services, SecureStat enables you to incorporate custom-built functionalities and integrations to suit your unique security needs. SecureStat features the security industry’s first Development Zone Portal. Through the portal, you can access numerous application program interfaces (APIs) that allow you to extend functionality and integrate systems, hardware, and information, enabling collaboration across departments, stores, and organizations. The portal allows Diebold, its customers, and partners to quickly innovate, deploy new technologies, and share information at an application level. Any new functionality you deploy expands SecureStat’s capabilities and can boost the visibility of security across your retail outlets, warehouses, distribution facilities, and administrative offices.
Expand at Any Time
SecureStat’s flexible web services architecture gives you room to grow as your security needs evolve. The solution enables rapid migration to future technologies, as well as the application of new data analytics across multiple information sources. In addition, SecureStat is scalable, allowing you to easily expand the number of sites, security systems, and services covered—adding even greater visibility for your loss prevention operations. Access to SecureStat is free to Diebold monitoring and service customers.
Learn how SecureStat can help your company enhance the visibility and management of your retail security operations by contacting Diebold at 855-331-0359 or visiting Diebold.com/SecureStat.
