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Panic Buttons Protect You Against Modern Threats

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If you’ve been keeping up with our blog, we’ve had a lot of recent posts about the evolution of security systems. We even related the archaeological periods to security since the first tools that were used for self-protection were created during this time. Then, we jumped to more modern times and provided a brief history of business security systems.

We now live in an era where our safety is seemingly at risk everywhere we go. The average full-time employee in America reports working 34.4 hours a week, which is the most out of several of the largest economies.

While that doesn’t sound like a lot, it should be put into the context that not every full-time employee works the standard 9-5 and many places of employment like Kroger, Walmart, and gas stations operate 24 hours a day. This means that workplace threats can happen anywhere at any time.

Panic Buttons Protect You Against Modern Threats
Sourced from CNN Money

Panic Buttons Create Safer, Less-Stressful Work Environments

No matter how many hours an employee works a week, everyone has the right to feel safe at work and employers have the responsibility of ensuring their safety. If employees are concerned about safety, the fastest way to gain their trust back is to install a panic button they can quickly and discretely press in the event of an emergency. Read our blog, panic buttons to the rescue, to see how they work and to read about how one of our buttons ensured the safety of a mini-mart employee.

Panic buttons aren’t restricted to use in security threats only. Any emergencies, including medical, call for the use of a panic button. Our security surveillance technicians are one press away in the case of an emergency. They will be alerted and can immediately send help your way to prevent the situation from becoming more dangerous.

Panic buttons are ideal to install in schools, healthcare facilities, government organizations, as well as charities and any other organizations where staff interacts with members of the public. If there’s a need for better security, panic buttons are the perfect solution. They can easily be integrated into your current security system as well. Contact us to learn more.

Panic Buttons To The Rescue

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We talk a lot about our integrated business security solutions, but something we haven’t mentioned in a while is our panic button. While having a security system is great for surveilling everything when you’re away, a panic button is a great option for emergencies that could happen when you’re present.

As a reminder from our earlier blog, How can you benefit from a panic button, “Panic buttons exist to protect people from personal harm. They can provide an instant alert to the monitoring company when the user feels they are in danger and need immediate emergency assistance.” Below, we elaborate on the “who, where, when, and how” of panic buttons.

Panic Buttons To The Rescue

Who Should Have A Panic Button Installed?

Unfortunately, it seems like there isn’t a place that is completely safe from danger, so a panic button can be applied in almost any space. As every business owner wants to provide a safe workplace where employees thrive, a panic button can create trust in your employees when they know where the button is and its use. Check out our blog on how facility managers can reduce workplace stress for more ways to create a safe work environment.

Schools are beginning to drastically increase their security measures with the uptick in devastating school shootings. As soon as the school receptionist senses danger, hears, or sees danger, they can press the button and increase response time and minimize potential fatalities.

Buttons are being installed in a wide variety of organizations and are even featured in the Uber App as they’re trying to beef up their security measures and create a better reputation.

Where Should A Panic Button Be Installed?

Panic buttons are best used when they are strategically placed, which is usually in a hidden place where employees can quickly reach it and discretely press the button.

This place will vary for different organizations, but a great rule of thumb is to install them in areas that are considered the front line of your business. Any customer service area, reception area, and main entrance areas should be equipped with a panic button. Some companies may also consider installing buttons in the back offices where managers might be able to see threats as well and can alert local authorities.

How Does A Panic Button Work?

When a panic button is pressed, an alert goes to one of our monitoring centers where the threat is verified. Once verified, our monitoring center safety experts alert local authorities.

Sonitrol customers receive quicker response times as our security solutions are verifiable through our unique audio and video technology. More on that can be read below, but before that, here is a true story about our panic button helping in a critical situation that ensured the safety of a mini-mart clerk:

Early one Monday morning, one of our Central Station Dispatchers received an activation coming from the panic button at a local mini-mart. Being able to hear confrontation, she immediately dispatched the Kern County Sheriff.

The sheriff arrived on scene just 4 minutes later and arrested one suspect that physically assaulted the clerk. Our customer was very pleased with the quick response time that our system was able to provide.

It is easy to integrate a panic button into your Sonitrol security package. When you pair a panic button with audio detection and video surveillance, it can help verify the threat, prevent further loss, and ensure the quickest response time. For more information, read our previous blog to find out how a panic button can benefit your office, home, or school. Then contact us to see about adding on a panic button at your organization.

How Business Security Systems Have Evolved

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Last week, we discussed ancient security tactics of the stone, iron, and bronze age. Towards the end of the post, we briefly mentioned different periods, and the technologies those brought, that all lead up to present day. This week, we want to take a look back again, but focus our conversation on how business security systems have transformed since they were first created.

How Business Security Systems Have Evolved

A Brief History Of Business Security Systems

So often, commercial security follows closely along with residential security. In the early 1700’s an English invertor, Tildesley, is credited with creating the first intrusion alarm, which worked by mechanically linking a set of chimes to the door lock. When a thief attempted to pick the lock, the chimes would ring and alert the residents to the threat.

In the 1700 and 1800’s, locks were the first defense to keeping peoples property safe. It wasn’t until 1853 that the first electric alarm was created by Augusts R. Pope in Boston, Massachusettes. However, it was expensive and Pope never actually implemented the technology.

In 1858, Edwin Holmes bought the patent from Pope and installed the very first electric burglar alarm and can be credited with creating a modern security industry. Watch the short video below from CBS’s Sunday Morning to see how this has now become a 22 billion dollar industry.

Francis Robbins Upton created the first smoke detectors in 1890 and Marie Van Brittan Brown produced the first monitoring cameras for home security. These pioneers have led the way in security systems for both homes and businesses.

Now, the modern business security system comes with 21st-century technology including access control, video monitoring, fire detectors, and audio detection. The advancements of business security options have enabled security companies to build solutions that fit your organization’s specific needs. Contact us to see how Sonitrol can create a custom business security system for you.

How The Archaeological Periods Relate To Security

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Threats have always existed and therefore so has the concept of safety, which is defined as being free from danger. Have you ever stopped to think about what threats our very distant relatives faced in the Stone Age, Bronze Age, or Iron Age?

They had little to protect themselves with, but through innovation and evolution, the human race has been preserved. Now we face 21st-century threats like identity theft and data hacks. But let’s take a look at the evolution of security from the beginning.

How The Archaeological Periods Relate To Security Safety Instincts Have Always Been Around

At its most basic level, personal security can be argued as beginning in the stone age, which began some 2.5 million years ago in Africa when our distant relatives began creating tools and weapons out of stone and organic material including wood, leather, and bone. The stone age is a time when small tribes of people and whatever weapons they had at their disposal were the only sources of security when the unexpected might happen. Arrows, spearheads, and knives were some of the most common tools created during the stone age.

The stone age lasted more than 90% of human existence and ended around 3,000 BC when the Bronze Age started. This period lasted from 3,000-1,000 BC and replaced the stone age when bronze (a mixture of copper and tin) was used in place of stone, wood, leather etc to make tools and weapons. Bronze swords, daggers, and axes replaced stone weapons and brought about a significant cultural shift.

The bronze age ended around 1,000 BC when the Iron Age began, which brought more significant cultural changes as well, the most significant change being weaponry. Two-horse iron chariots changed the game in battles when heavily armored soldiers needed to get in and out of the battlefield quickly. Javelins, spears, small swords and daggers were the weapons of choice in the early Iron Age.

Present Day Security Threats And Solutions

After the Iron Age, many periods follow including the Roman era, medieval era, and more which all lead up to present day, 21st century. All of these different eras had one thing in common though: they each presented new technologies that brought about a cultural shift. We are currently in the midst of such a shift as we see Artificial Intelligence (AI) disrupting every industry, including security.

We’re optimistic about the future of business security, but we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – there will always be a need to protect your people and your property. We look forward to seeing the effects of AI applications in the security industry in the coming years, but in the meantime, how about tried and true security solutions?

Our system can be built upon and customized with access control, audio detection, fire detection, and video monitoring. Don’t know where to start? Register for a free business security assessment.

Funny Failed Break-In Attempts

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Break-ins are nothing to take lightly. When successful, they can cause physical and emotional damage that is hard to repair, but sometimes, they can go wrong. And sometimes failed break-in attempts are caught on camera. When no one is seriously injured (except for injuries to pride), they can create funny moments and lessons learned for all parties. This week, we take a look at the funniest failed break-in attempts we could find on the internet.

Funny Failed Break-In Attempts

Break-In Attempts Gone Wrong

Bricks, rocks, and hammers are some of the most popular tools to try to smash a window or entry point with. Sometimes burglars throw these at windows unsuccessfully.

Sometimes they even go viral for accidentally knocking out their literal partner-in-crime with a brick.

Sometimes burglars get trapped and start to panic.

Some thieves even try to steal animals.

Do you notice anything in common in all of these videos? Just that, they’re all caught on camera. Video surveillance is the number 1 protection you can invest in to protect your property, especially in successful attempts. While it can cause a good laugh to see unsuccessful tips, you will be thankful to have a surveillance system in place to catch everything to see who broke in, what they stole, and all other identifying factors like cars and license plates as well.

Don’t wait to invest in a camera surveillance system before it’s too late or you could end up in a situation similar to what one of our vendors found themselves in. Find out more about our system and contact us to begin a partnership towards creating a safer, happier work environment.