Weston in Space

There are many challenges for integration business these days and while it may be difficult to prioritize proposed regulations that seem like somebody else’s problem, integrators should be very aware that there is a trend toward regulations sweeping across the country that can absolutely limit their ability to do business. NSCA has worked for years  fighting against legislation  that might limit integrator’s impact to work. It’s a difficult challenge, as each state has the ability to implement its own restrictions and regulations, forcing a fight on multiple fronts to keep integrators able to install systems. In an upcoming webinar on  April 6 at 12:00 ET , SSI sister publication Commercial Integrator , NSCA , and the Connected Technologies Consortium  will get together to discuss  pertinent legislation and information integrators need to be aware of. Topics will include: Licensing restrictions and other regulations that could prevent “low voltage” integrators from working on sys

ATLANTA — Salto Systems, a manufacturer of electronic access control solutions, has appointed Paul Cannon to the position of Vertical Business Leader-North America for Healthcare. “I’m very excited to join the talented team of professionals at Salto,” says Cannon. “It’s the combination of forward thinking, next-generation technologies, and an ever-present focus on bringing the most advanced solutions to the market that makes Salto a great place to work.” Steve Burk, North America director of marketing & vertical business, comments that Cannon is a great addition to the vertical team. “The healthcare vertical has always been important to Salto and Paul will help bring us to the next level,” Burk says. “Healthcare offers unique opportunities for access control solutions and Salto provides the security and convenience today’s medical industry needs,” adds Burk. “We’re happy to bring Paul’s expertise to the team. He will be instrumental in furthering Salto’s reach into the North Ame

CARLSBAD, Calif. — Nortek Control has released an extensive assortment of new integration drivers for Elan whole-house control solutions. The new drivers continue to expand Elan system capabilities for dealers who are delivering premium-level home and business entertainment, security and control systems. The broad array of new drivers demonstrates the results of an ongoing program of close support and collaboration between Nortek Control engineers and third-party integration developers, according to the announcement. “We are excited to take this program to the next level in 2021 as we continue to work across product sectors, other manufacturers and developers to ensure ideal integration between Elan products and other distinguished brands,” says Richard Pugnier, vice president of marketing at Nortek Control. “This allows us to approve, track and share drivers that have been developed by our company as well as third-party companies and to further support our dealers in bringing compe

PITTSFORD, N.Y — LenelS2 announces the release of its Elements system, a Cloud-based, purpose-built access control and video management system delivered as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution. The Elements system is designed to be easily installed and simple to use with a mobile-first, intuitive user interface, according to the company. Information is available at any time and accessible from anywhere on any device. By leveraging the power of the Cloud, LenelS2 says businesses benefit from automated updates, reduced on-site maintenance, predictable monthly billing and minimized training requirements. Several LenelS2 Value-Added Resellers (VARs) participated in a pilot program to gain feedback for product development, including Superior Alarm Systems, whose Senior Manager of Integrated Solutions David Ellis says, “Our customer wanted a Cloud-based unified access control and video surveillance system. The Elements system was easy to deploy and used the customer’s existing system

NEWARK, Calif. — ShotSpotter (Nasdaq: SSTI ), based here, announces the introduction of a new gunfire detection solution for retail chains and malls. ShotSpotter SiteSecure for Retail is said to alert retail security personnel within seconds of a shooting incident around their stores and parking lots, thereby protecting retail shoppers and associates by enabling faster response by security, law enforcement and medical personnel. Fatalities and violent incidents in retail spiked to an all-time high in 2020, increasing 40% since 2016, according to the latest D&D Daily retail crime report cited in the announcement. The findings revealed that 88% of the fatalities were from gunfire and that parking lots experienced the highest retail violence, followed closely by stores and malls. Related: Shotspotter: Gunshot Rates Increased 48% Across U.S. in 2020 ShotSpotter said its own gunfire data also showed a significant increase in retail area shootings, rising 42% from 2019 to 202

After nearly a year of COVID-dominated headlines, March continues February’s trend of the most popular stories consisting of M&A and industry hot topics (unrelated to the pandemic). The month’s most popular story is one that has been unraveling over the course of the last 6 months. On Oct. 9 of last year, Allied Universal expressed interest in acquiring rival G4S. Later that month, G4S would reject an offer of $4.3 billion, saying it “significantly undervalues G4S and its prospects.” Allied would end up getting into a bidding war with Canada-based GardaWorld. After a few more offers and further examination , Allied’s takeover bid was finally approved in mid-March for $5.28 billion. Another story that has been brewing for a while is the increased scrutiny of China-based technology companies. In August 2019, an interim rule that prohibited federal agencies from purchasing or obtaining telecommunications and  video surveillance equipment from a list of Chinese companies went into

WASHGINGTON, D.C. — President Biden on Tuesday signed a two-month extension of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which offers loans for small businesses to help keep their workforce employed while grappling with economic upheaval caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The application deadline for the program was extended to May 31 with H.R. 1799, or the “PPP Extension Act of 2021.” The bill also extends the PPP authorization through June 30 to provide the Small Business Administration (SBA) additional time to process applications received by the application deadline. The House approved the extension on a 415-to-3 vote earlier this month, and the Senate on March 25 cleared the legislation on a 92-7 margin. The federal relief loan program was first established in the $2.2 trillion stimulus law passed last March under President Trump. In December, Congress restarted the program and added more funding. Around 3.5 million borrowers have received forgivable loans this year, taking the

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Altronix announces the launch of an enhanced line of eFlow power supply/charger kits that provide 12 and 24VDC simultaneously for locking devices and peripherals. These new solutions are equipped with fused, or PTC protected outputs that are individually selectable to provide necessary power for a wide range of access control panels, door locks, ancillary devices and more, according to the company. Models also feature bi-color LEDs for instant visual voltage verification and embedded LINQ network power management technology, allowing users to control, monitor and report power over individual outputs. “Our new eFlow dual voltage kits provide greater system flexibility when deploying devices with different power requirements, creating additional RMR opportunities for systems integrators,” says Ronnie Pennington, director of sales, Americas for Altronix Corp. “With nine new eFlow kits available, system designers and installers can select the configuration that best m

ST. LOUIS — Potter Electric Signal Co. has acquired SureCall’s emergency responder communication enhancement systems (ERCES) business, which provides in-building public safety radio communications for first responders. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. SureCall is the performance leading supplier of cell phone signal boosters. Potter is expanding its portfolio of life safety and fire protection systems by adding to its 2020 acquisition of TowerIQ , a manufacturer of wireless life-safety communication and smart building technologies. The combination of SureCall’s Guardian product range with TowerIQ’s technology provides the broadest ERCES offering in the market, according to an announcement. To support this platform, Potter says it provides business partners, emergency services personnel and building owners with full-service applications design services, including Cloud-based monitoring and engineering tools. “We have partnered with SureCall over the last few years and ha

A lot has been written recently about alarm equipment and how some of it has not tested reliably under adverse conditions. There is no question that testing equipment for its ability to act as intended when a situation occurs is very important. But what about the entire system — meaning: equipment, wiring and signal transmission — and whether the system of these interconnecting devices has been tested together? It is a discussion that needs to be had. Most equipment manufacturers have their equipment tested by a National Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) such as UL, FM or ETL. The NRTL tests the equipment for both how the piece of equipment itself works as well as how it works with other equipment/wiring that would be used to make a system. Whether it’s a fire alarm system or a burglar alarm system, the devices need to be tested together to make sure the system operates as intended. Meeting the Appropriate Standard For instance, products manufactured by Honeywell, DMP and Bosch

DRAPER, Utah — ProdataKey (PDK) announces today the release of an integration with Rhombus Systems, a provider of Cloud-based video surveillance and asset tracking systems. In joining forces, the two companies bring to market the industry’s easiest-to-implement, easiest-to-use, comprehensive access control and AI-assisted video management solution, according to the company. The PDK/Rhombus integration allows users of a Pdk io access control system to associate readers with Rhombus cameras, facilitating automated processes that are said to simplify monitoring while enhancing security. Video clips for all entry events are captured and indexed, and may be filtered and searched for easy investigation. PDK credentials, combined with Rhombus facial recognition algorithms, allow for highly accurate AI-powered entry verification that matches faces to credentials, according to the company. Real-time alerts for unauthorized access, tailgating, and persons-of-interest may be sent to system a

CARMEL, Ind. — Allegion U.S., together with CBORD, a leading higher education technology solutions provider, announces they have expanded their offerings and now provide on-campus mobile credential solutions on Android phones. Students, faculty and staff on participating campuses can now use their Android phones to conveniently, safely and securely access campus buildings and make purchases through Google Pay, while the universities benefit from operational efficiencies, according to the company. Allegion and CBORD first launched contactless mobile IDs for campuses in August 2019, for Apple devices. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, University of Vermont and University of San Francisco were among the first schools to leverage the solution. The solution was said to be well-received and will be extended to Android phones on more campuses throughout this year to reach an even larger population. Related: Univ. of Tennessee Deploys Allegion, CBORD Contactless Mobile IDs “CO

LOS ANGELES — Elite Interactive Solutions, a provider of remote guarding services to properties of all types, has incorporated new software using artificial intelligence (AI) to automatically monitor and detect surveillance camera complications beyond simple connection issues. The AI-software from Las Vegas-based Ai-RGUS replaces time-consuming manual camera-view verification, alerting the Elite Interactive team to incorrect camera tilt, blurry or blocked images, inadequate lighting and other device health issues. Elite Interactive COO says the new software is another example of the company’s dedication to innovative technologies that enhance customer service and help achieve zero false alarms reported to law enforcement organizations. Elite Interactive is using the software on more than 5,000 cameras installed nationwide. “We are always looking for ways to serve our customers better,” he says. “Manually monitoring each camera is a logistical nightmare. The Ai-RGUS software automat

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — DMP announces the addition of Scott Mellecker to the East Sales team as dealer development manager for New England. Dealers in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut can look to Mellecker for ongoing service and support. Before joining DMP , Mellecker got his start in the industry with one of its national integrations partners. After an intensive 12-week training course, he was soon moved into a territory and promoted to commercial account executive for metro west Boston, according to the company. In this role, DMP says Mellecker found success focusing on healthcare, education and cannabis vertical markets, being the first in his company to sell a fully integrated security system to a cannabis facility. Related: DMP Launches Cloud-Based X1 Access Control System “I am incredibly excited to join the DMP family after three years with an industry leader on the integration side. I admire the professionalism and credibility at D

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — UL, based here, is partnering with SafeTraces, a provider of DNA-based technology solutions, to bring to market a comprehensive program for indoor air quality, ventilation and filtration verification and infection control for K-12 schools. The collaboration combines UL’s indoor environmental quality verification services expertise with SafeTraces’ veriDART solution, which is said to be the first aerosol-based diagnostic solution for verifying ventilation and filtration efficacy for infection control. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 , is a highly infectious virus that is primarily transmitted via respiratory droplets and aerosols. UL and SafeTraces are working to address this transmission risk with a program specifically to assess and mitigate health and safety risk in K-12 schools, according to an announcement. The veriDART solution leverages patented DNA-tagged tracer particles th

FREMONT, Calif. — Identiv (NASDAQ:  INVE ) announces the launch of its Primis access control readers, which the company says are designed to get any organization’s entry-level access control up and running in under 10 minutes. The entry-level Primis access control readers are based on the Wiegand protocol, and said to bring the latest technology to traditional access control systems by supporting both smart card and proximity-based access control credentials, including low-frequency (125 kHz) proximity credentials, tags, and fobs, and high-frequency (13.56 MHz) credentials, including MIFARE and DESFire. The readers are designed to work in the government or commercial space and are well-suited for schools, banks, apartment complexes, retail establishments, or any environment that: Uses multiple credential populations (i.e., proximity and smart card) Needs to migrate from one credential technology to another Requires support for single-site, multi-tenant access control systems P

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — SnapAV is now carrying core Ring products, including the pro-focused X Line, on its website and in branch locations for U.S.-based SnapAV partners. The addition of the Ring X Line highlights the distributor’s focus on providing the best, most in-demand products from both in-house SnapAV brands and third-party manufacturers, according to an announcement. “The vision of SnapAV is to provide our pros choices whenever and wherever they need it,” says Jason Winchester, SnapAV’s vice president of product management. “If they need a product like Ring for a same-day installation, our Local Pro Stores are ready to serve with in-stock availability. If they need to outfit an entire smart home , everything they need can be ordered at SnapAV.com or procured at the local stores.” He continues, “Offering leading third-party solutions like Ring makes sense to us because our job is to support installation partners and their clients with the products they want when they want them.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — All Safe Technologies, based in Gulf Breeze, Fla., with a branch in Gulfport, Miss., has opened its third location here in Mississippi’s southern region. “It is a natural progression for our company. We are in a growth mode and we have a lot of business in this area so it was a perfect fit as we move northward in our expansion,” says Alain Jamet, vice president of All Safe. All Safe was founded in 2000 by Don Williams (former owner of Phillips Doby Security, which he sold to Interface Security) and David Avritt, founder and former CEO of SentryNet . Avritt was never active at All Safe, but devoted his energies into growing the wholesale monitoring business for SentryNet. Avritt originally started in the security business by founding Infipro in 1976 in Greenville, Miss., and later Memphis, Tenn. Avritt sold Infipro to Interface Security in 2000. Related: Solving Security Labor Crisis FAST Tracked by Industry Associations Fast forward to 2015, Avritt sold Se

SAN JOSE, Calif. —  Vivotek , a global provider of IP surveillance solutions, announces the launch of the CC9380-HV day/night surveillance camera with Trend Micro IoT Security. The CC9380-HV is an update of Vivotek’s CC8370-HV, now available in 5MP with H.265 compression. “The CC9380-HV is a true 24-hour camera, with a removable IR-cut filter and supreme night visibility,” explains David Liu, president of Vivotek USA. “Through the use of a single fisheye lens set to a 180° horizontal panoramic view, the seamless image provides a very large vertical field of view. This allows for amazing close range surveillance coverage in a low profile design.” To meet the demands of any harsh outdoor application, the CC9380-HV is also armed with IP66-rated housing to help the camera body withstand rain, dust and high pressure water jets from any direction, while its IK10-rated housing provides protection against acts of vandalism, according to the company. Related: Vivotek Adds New Features

MUNICH — Security & Safety Things (S&ST), a start-up founded by Bosch in November 2017, announces the launch of its second App Challenge to spur additional creative development in video analytic applications. Through April 26, participating developers can submit proposals for apps to address specific security, safety and business optimization use cases in the retail, transportation, stadiums and entertainment, and healthcare verticals. The apps will be designed to run on smart cameras using the S&ST open camera operating system and S&ST open IoT platform, which enables cameras to run a variety of applications simultaneously to perform different functions. The camera OS is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). “While many vertical markets share a core set of operational needs, individual organizations also have unique requirements based on the nuances of their location, customer base or other circumstances,” says Adam Wynne, head of the S&ST Innovation

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Cybersecurity firm PC Matic has released its second annual report analyzing trends between cybersecurity and employees who are working from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a follow up to research released by the firm in 2020, the 11-page report presents the results of a nationally distributed survey that attracted nearly 6,000 respondents. The findings, gathered in March, indicate that nearly one year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 35% of Americans are still working from home. This, all while ransomware attacks, many of which were successfully executed by targeting remote workers, saw a near 435% increase last year. Key findings from the report include: Nearly half of employers continue to fall short on providing remote workers with technical assistance. In 2020, 47% of respondents indicated they were not receiving technical assistance from their employer. In 2021, this number ticked up slightly to 49% of remote workers responding that th

TULSA, Okla. —  Alert 360 , a home security system and smart home automation company, has appointed three regional vice presidents to support its growing branch network. These positions will increase focus on local security system operations and the company’s expanding home-business-commercial security and smart home product offerings, according to an announcement. The following security industry veterans have been named to the new positions effective immediately: Chad Dawald has been named regional vice president, leading the company’s Austin, Texas; Dallas; Fort Worth, Texas; Oklahoma City; Sarasota/Tampa, Fla.; and Tulsa, Okla. branches. Related: How Alert 360 Positioned Itself as a Pacesetter in Home Automation & IoT Dawald most recently served as the company’s general manager of the Dallas and Fort Worth branches. He has 35 years of experience in the security industry. Prior to Alert 360, Dawald served as vice president and general manager for ASG Security. He began

In this week’s Top Su rveillance Videos… Police body cameras catch some wild footage — from animal encounters to scenes out of an action movie . This week’s featured video is the latter. Body cam footage from Florida shows two police officers in a race against time as they runs towards a car that is submerging in a body of water. The video then cuts to one of them opening a rear door and telling the elderly driver to climb out. The woman fumbles with her purse as the vehicle quickly fills with water and the officer tells her to leave it. The officers are able to remove her in time and by the time they reach land, the car is completely submerged. Also this week… A car crashed into a Charlotte, N.C. karate studio while a class was in session. Surveillance video shows the car smash through the front of the building and narrowly miss several of the instructors. The studio’s owner said the driver attempted to flee but was stopped by the staff. Make sure to check out the rest of thi

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. — BCDVideo , a provider of IP video storage solutions, on Thursday debuted its A&E Security Specifiers program. Administered via an online portal, the new program is said offer abundant technical resources, ongoing education and technical support. The company has assembled an A&E taskforce to provide consultants direct access to BCD technology specialists who can provide the most up-to-date product specifications and extended guidance. Consultants can also access tools for designing custom engineered solutions, leveraging the company’s video surveillance solutions to create an optimal security system and client satisfaction, according to an announcement. The program is available to security specifiers internationally. The online portal gives 24/7 access to technical documentation and resources, including CSI MasterFormat 2020 specifications, system designs, product images and data sheets, calculators and MSRP pricing. This ensures that consultants can fin