building at night

Security Lighting

Dana Frentz, CHPA, PSP Security Assessment

This is the first in a series of videos that Protus3 will be doing on lighting, specifically, security lighting. Ideally, lighting should be designed so that a person feels as secure at night as they do during the day. Lighting is very subjective. It invokes feelings that in turn provide a choice. Lighting in and of itself does not stop …

safety and security

What’s the difference between safety and security?

Protus3 Security Assessment

I am Megan Keenan, the Business Development Manager here at Protus3. One of the first things I learned after I joined the team was the difference between safety and security. A lot of times, these two words are used interchangeably. People say safety when they really mean security. Both safety and security are concerned with keeping people from harm and …

article on door barricade devices

Effective Security Requires Thoughtful Decisions

Christine L. Peterson, CPP, ISP News, Security Assessment, Security Master Planning

In her Editor’s Note published in the January/February 2020 Campus Safety magazine, Robin Hattersley reminds us all of the power of seeking professional advice when lives are at stake. Would you go to a pharmaceutical company to advise you about health concerns that you have? Would you invest in health equipment based on a good sales pitch? Why should effective …

Technical Assessments - Standards

Technical Assessments – Standards

Dana Frentz, CHPA, PSP Security Assessment, Security Master Planning, Security System Lifespan Management

Our first post reviewed enclosure conditions and installation practices found in technical assessments.  We then discussed the importance of the appropriate installation and conditions of field devices. In this third installment, we are going to discuss one of the best ways to avoid the conditions previously discussed. It’s also how to begin cleaning up the messes that you do find. …

Field Devices

Technical Assessments – Field Devices

Dana Frentz, CHPA, PSP Security Assessment, Security System Lifespan Management

In this second installment, we will be looking at field devices. This information comes from practices we have found when conducting a technical assessment. Multiple hardware components make up a security system. The term “head-end” equipment often refers to the server-based computers, client monitoring stations, and security panels. The “head-end” hardware devices communicate with the “field devices” of a particular …

Technical Assessments – Installation and Maintenance Issues

Dana Frentz, CHPA, PSP Security Assessment, Security System Lifespan Management

This is the first of three blogs concerning the installation and maintenance practices we have found when conducting technical assessments. There are three principal parts of an integrated security plan: people, processes, and technology. As a result, each of these components serves to augment the effectiveness of the other. Looking at technology, there are dozens of electronic security management systems …

evaluation factors

Reflections on Virginia Beach

Protus3 News, Security Assessment, Training, Workplace Violence

Friday was a very sad day for the city of Virginia Beach as well as our country. Yet another senseless and tragic mass shooting has taken place and has left us with many questions. Why did this happen? How did this happen? Finally, what could have been done to prevent this from happening? Hearts are broken and loved ones have …

down the rabbit hole

Lighting at the End of the Rabbit Hole: How to Determine Appropriate Lighting Levels as Part of a Total Security Program

Dana Frentz, CHPA, PSP Security Assessment, Security Program Development

Beginning Down the Rabbit Hole We all know the use of lighting alone does not stop crime, but the effects of good lighting coupled with additional security measures have been shown to reduce the occurrence of crime. Lighting can elicit an emotional response, providing a level of confidence and the feeling of security. It can also provide a decrease in …

data center

Physical Security for Data Centers

Emily Schack Security Assessment, Security Program Development, Security System Bid Process and Evaluation, Security System Design Development, Security System Testing and Commissioning

It’s no surprise that data centers are popping up everywhere, considering the growing need for cloud computing. Data centers offer services that allow you to store data on their servers. IT spends a lot of time securing these high-volume installation networks from attacks. It is important to you that your data center’s network security stays secure. But how important is …

hospital

Behind the Scenes of the Recent IHSSF Crime Survey

Dana Frentz, CHPA, PSP Security Assessment, Security Program Development

In summer 2013, the International Healthcare Security and Safety Foundation (IHSSF) tasked a small group of members to develop a hospital Crime Survey based on a common metric regardless of the number of participants or size of the facility. The goal of the Crime Survey was to create measurable and trending data based on three different denominators – bed count, …