Putting Video To The Test

May 1, 2008 12:00 PM

           

Video has long played an essential security role as the Fort Smith Public Schools (FSPS), Fort Smith, Ark., cope with incidents such as vandalism, theft and student problems. It has also helped the district prepare for crisis management in the event of an emergency such as an armed intrusion or natural disaster. This long-standing use of video surveillance resulted in burdensome “legacy” systems, causing administration to pursue updated surveillance solutions.

Today, with the help of Wren Network Video Solutions, Jefferson City, Mo., the FSPS information technology (IT) department is modernizing the district's video surveillance systems — systems that are fundamental to creating a safe learning environment for the district's more than 13,000 students. Ultimately, Wren Network Video Systems will be installed at all 30 district locations, encompassing all school and administrative buildings.

Providing safe school environments for students to help ensure academic and personal success has been a focus of FSPS for more than 130 years. The abundance of analog cameras scattered in schools across the district attests to just how seriously administration has viewed security. However, the web of video surveillance systems, with the various brands of cameras, DVRs and software purchased and installed by different integrators, became difficult to maintain. Each occurrence of a problem required a different procedure to be followed and/or a different person to be contacted to address the issue. In addition, the quality of each system depended upon each integrator's level of experience, knowledge of the school's objectives and technical capabilities.

FSPS' IT team consists of six technical professionals with different areas of expertise in wiring, network administration, video and infrastructure — a relatively small team to support all IT functions for 30 campuses, with multiple buildings per campus. Arnol Shaw, director of IT, recognized the importance of investing in a video solution that was manageable within the district without completely draining IT resources.

Existing analog cameras at FSPS locations were a drain on limited resources. With nobody to man pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras round-the-clock, it was left to chance whether the cameras recorded the needed video. Savvy students could avoid the cameras by simply staying out of the field-of-view. Additionally, the cameras' motors were not designed to run constantly, and they soon wore out, leaving schools with no footage at all. Other systems only had the capability to store video for three or four days.

Going with IP video

A 38-year veteran of education, Shaw had been investigating the possibilities for IP video for several years, and the FSPS technology team recognized that IP was the technology of the future. Consistency of applied technologies, equipment and a single point of contact for support were priorities in considering a system that would meet present and future needs while using existing resources. The process could be streamlined by having network cameras operate from the existing IT network, with the capability of adding cameras as needed.

A task force from FSPS toured other Arkansas school districts to gather ideas and talk with administrators and IT staff about their experiences with network video. During this fact-gathering tour, the task force identified Bentonville as a leader in using video surveillance. Bentonville High School was running all IP video off the network, and the video management system they had in use made it easy to retrieve, view and store video. The school had upgraded existing analog cameras with encoders so that they worked seamlessly with the new IP cameras. Their new system: Wren VMS Software.

It became apparent, in talking with other school districts, that Wren had the hardware, software and services to create the system they wanted. Moreover, the system could subsequently be maintained and managed in-house and Wren could help upgrade analog cameras, saving replacement costs. Since Bentonville was pleased with their system and since the Wren system seemed to meet FSPS needs, the recommendation was made to the FSPS Crisis Committee to install an IP-based networked video surveillance system by Wren.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

SUBSCRIBE

Select an Issue April 1, 2008 March 1, 2008 February 1, 2008 January 1, 2008 December 1, 2007 November 1, 2007 October 1, 2007 September 1, 2007 August 1, 2007 July 1, 2007 June 1, 2007 IP Security Supplement May 1, 2007 April 1, 2007 March 1, 2007 February 1, 2007 January 1, 2007 School Security December 1, 2006 November 1, 2006 October 1, 2006 September 1, 2006 August 1, 2006 July 1, 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 1, 2006 March 1, 2006 February 1, 2006 January 1, 2006 December 1, 2005 November 1, 2005 October 1, 2005 September 1, 2005 August 1, 2005 July 1, 2005 June 1, 2005 May 1, 2005 April 1, 2005 March 1, 2005 February 1, 2005 January 1, 2005 December 1, 2004 November 1, 2004 October 1, 2004 September 1, 2004 August 1, 2004 July 1, 2004 July 1, 2004 June 1, 2004 May 1, 2004 April 1, 2004 March 1, 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 October 1, 1997 September 1, 1997 August 1, 1997 July 1, 1997 June 1, 1997 May 1, 1997 April 1, 1997 March 1, 1997 February 1, 1997 January 1, 1997

This month in Access Control

• Opening Up About Door Closers
• An Enterprise Approach
• The Framework For Open Systems
• On A Higher Plane
• More from April's issue