If you’ve recently received a grant to improve your school’s security, or are looking for ways to improve your school’s security camera system in the future, know that you have many options. If it’s been a while since your school first installed security cameras, there are a number of new technologies available making security easier, more affordable, and more effective for school districts. Here are just a few technologies to consider including in your new school security camera system:
Scalable, Unified School Security Camera Systems
Many school districts run into problems implementing video surveillance across the district. It may seem easier to implement video surveillance on a school-by-school basis, but that can lead to confusion across the district. Installing a school security camera system that is compatible across the district, and that is easily scaled as your schools grow and change, is an easier, and more affordable long-term solution.
For example, when you’re functioning with a school surveillance system that is different for every school in the district, you’re going to run into hassles every time the system needs maintenance or a new camera installed. Every school in your district could be working with a different provider, and have different needs based on the type of camera, how it stores recorded footage, and more. Another disadvantage of having unique systems in each school is that all footage is stored on separate servers. This can make it difficult for your security team to access footage, and it also puts that security footage at risk, since it’s only stored on-site.
Investing in a scaleable, unified school security camera system is a great way to remove much of the headache that comes with coordinating maintenance, retrieving footage, and scaling your security system across the district. Systems like the Axis Comm IP Surveillance offer the scalability your district needs at an affordable investment cost. With a school security camera system like this, expanding your surveillance system is as easy as adding another camera, and the system provides remote accessibility along with superior image quality.
School Security Cameras That Meet Your Needs
Determining a system that can be managed across the district is the first step to a manageable, secure school surveillance system. The next step is implementing the cameras that make the most sense for your schools and district as a whole.
You’ll need security cameras for both inside and outside each school to monitor hallways and classrooms as well as the parking lot, playground, and other outdoor areas on the school premises. Most schools need to get the very most out of their investment. For that purpose, we recommend 180° and 360° school security cameras. With a greater surveillance range, you can minimize how many cameras your schools need, without sacrificing on security.
At Vanguard Fire & Security, we recommend Arecont’s SurroundVideo cameras for schools looking for high-quality, affordable video surveillance. These cameras are a great all-in-one solution offering exceptional resolution and panoramic surveillance. They easily connect to an IP surveillance system, ensuring that setup is easy and that they can connect seamlessly to the rest of your school’s security system.
School Security Camera Systems Benefit from Cloud Managed Recording & Storage
Finally, recording and storage is a key consideration for any school or school district to make. Storing the recommended 30 days of school security camera footage takes up quite a bit of space. While schools have traditionally stored footage on local servers, cloud-managed recording and storage is a better option.
Cloud-managed recording allows your security team to sign on and connect to school security footage from any web browser or mobile app with a secure password. This means all school security footage in your district can be easily retrieved and viewed, at any time.
Cloud storage also offers faster, more reliable surveillance footage storage. Cloud storage is also easily expanded to accommodate a growing school district. If you’re worried about what happens if the internet goes down, a system like OpenEye Cloud Managed Recorders is a great solution.
OpenEye offers cloud-managed recording and storage, but also keeps footage local so you can record even when the internet connection is down. When the internet reconnects, the OpenEye system can back up any footage to the cloud, where it is centrally managed and can be accessed by anyone on your security team with the correct permissions.
School security camera systems aren’t always the district’s first priority — especially given the tight budgets that most districts are working with — but when implemented with new technology, they can offer greater security, at a lower investment cost. Cloud-managed solutions and scalable security camera systems make it easier for you to build a comprehensive system over time, as your district’s budget allows, without sacrificing accessibility or quality.
If your school or school district is looking into implementing or upgrading your school security camera technology, don’t hesitate to reach out to the experts at Vanguard Fire & Security Systems. We offer video surveillance systems to suit any requirements, from 360° cameras to scalable and cloud-managed solutions. Just let us know how we can help.
