Remote monitoring in Swimming pools is the next step in video surveillance. CCTV solutions and remote monitoring surveillance system helps to protect the public parks, swimming pools and other areas of the Canadian capital city Ottawa, from the safety and security issues caused by vandalism, drug use, drinking, graffiti and other inappropriate activities.
Top reasons to use remote monitoring in Swimming pools and other public parks:
Remote monitoring is effective in documenting the chain of events surrounding any questionable situation.
Bob Gauvreau, Manager of the Corporate Security Division, City of Ottawa says, “We decided to start with the city’s outdoor public pools as swimming pools are particularly vulnerable to misbehaviour”.
The glass from just one broken beer bottle can shut down a pool for a day. All pool water must be drained and replaced if any harmful substance gets into it. Over the years, people have thrown everything from paint to transmission fluid into the pools.
There is also a serious liability and public safety issue wherever people can hop a fence and lose their life by drowning.
Proactive audio and video:
Gauvreau oversees a division of seven staffers who administer an integrated security management system for the city. Working cooperatively with the city’s systems integrator, Sunotech Canada, Inc., Gauvreau’s team developed a Proactive Audio-Video (PAV) system using motion-sensitive day/night dome cameras programmed to activate when an area is closed to the public. Any movement within a defined area triggers the motion detector, sending an alarm to the 24-hour Security Operations Centre, activating a loudspeaker, and starting a DVR recording.
A real-time video feed to the city’s 24-hour operations centre enables security operators to assess the situation and verify the alarm before diverting first response personnel to take action. A loudspeaker system allows security to call the site and direct the person(s) to leave the area, informing them that they are under surveillance.
“Some have called this system the `Voice of God,’ and you can just imagine the surprise when we tell perpetrators that they are under observation and describe their actions to them,” says Gauvreau. “We say the magic words, `the police have been called,’ and they quickly flee the area.”
PAV systems were installed at all 16 outdoor swimming pools and reduced vandalism costs by $700,000 in one year. The program was so successful at eliminating graffiti and other problems that the city decided to install PAV systems in a handful of parks and national historic sites that were the scenes of illegal or undesirable night-time activities.
Remote monitoring includes the recording of video for insurance purposes, to prove that there was no negligence on the part of the pool operator, or the staff (e.g. evidence of horseplay, drunkenness, etc., leading up to an incident).
These systems are primarily limited to documenting the course of events for later review due to the difficulties of adapting to Active Monitoring usage.
for higher education and K-12 school districts.