Tallahassee Regional Airport
Tallahassee Regional Airport may be small but it’s big on security.
The airport was recently honored with the “2005 Excellence in Airport
Security” award from Air Safety Week, an aviation security publication.
The award is granted to the airport with the highest rating for airport security
advances, security effectiveness, security management, leadership, balancing
of security programs and operations, and maintaining public confidence in air
travel.
Located in Florida’s capital city, the Tallahassee Regional Airport
supports commercial airlines, corporate aviation, commuter and charter services,
as well as a variety of private aviation activities. The airport recently installed
American Dynamics surveillance cameras and Intellex® digital video management
systems along with the Software House C•CURE® 800 access control
system, all from Tyco Fire & Security, for a more efficient passenger security
process. They also installed Software House card readers and control panels
to restrict access to doors and gate access points throughout the facility.
The fully integrated system keeps security personnel keenly aware of activities
inside and around the perimeter of the facility.
The solution was instrumental during a recent security violation when a passenger
tried to bypass a security access point. Within minutes, security personnel
accessed the video footage on Intellex —pinpointing the identity of the
suspect. They produced the footage to law enforcement officials, who searched
and cleared the aircraft to prevent a potential incident. “The system
truly works for us,” said David Pollard, superintendent of Operations
at Tallahassee Regional Airport. “It’s very user-friendly. Operators
can easily acknowledge alarms, pull up cameras, and investigate access histories,
all at the click of a button.”
Siemens AG and consulting firm Counter Technology Inc. played an instrumental
role in the success of the project. Counter Technology advised the security
team on the necessary specifications for a scalable system while Siemens managed
the installation and integration of new security equipment. Siemens was also
on hand to help the airport relocate its operations center to better support
its surveillance needs. The company played a key role in the project.
Working in close collaboration with airport personnel, Siemens ensured a
seamless transition for all monitors, video systems, and other equipment.
“We wanted to partner with a company that could grow with us,” Pollard
explained. “We laid out what we wanted and Counter Technology provides
us with a great value. They were a steady hand through the whole process. Likewise,
Siemens was very knowledgeable about resolving technical challenges and understanding
our unique needs. It was a very positive experience.”
Well-regarded airport security technology
Counter Technologies evaluated available options and recommended a full integrated
security system to include more than 50 American Dynamics surveillance cameras
and Intellex digital video management systems, plus Software House card readers
and a combination of iSTAR™ and apC® control panels. All of the security
devices are centrally managed through the Software House C•CURE 800
access control system. “The integration between these products is outstanding,” said
Barry Hunt, sales executive for Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
With the new security system in place, airport personnel have far greater
and immediate awareness of situations occurring at the site. “We can
link video and alarms so that when doors are held open it automatically pulls
the camera up to that specific location so our system operators can view where
an alarm has been activated or suspicious activity is occurring,” Pollard
said. “All of this is captured on our Intellex system so we have a live
view of what’s happening, as well as a recorded view should it be needed
as evidence in a future criminal proceeding. “
The staff is also pleased with the new card system. “With our previous
system we had to call support for help with the simplest changes,” said
Pollard. “We wanted greater flexibility. With the new Software House
system in place, we’ve even improved our badging. For example, we now
color code all of our badges by clearance area, so that security officers doing
spot checks can easily identify if someone was not authorized to be in a particular
area.
A long-term partnership
Pollard is now considering a transition to Software House Multi-Technology
Readers so the airport will be poised to meet emerging federal requirements. “We’ll
move easily to proximity readers, and be set up if we need to use smart card
technology in the future” said Pollard.
“We’re no longer working in isolation. Software House and American
Dynamics continually work on new programs, features, and system upgrades based
on input from other airports, and we’ll be able to take advantage of
these upgrades. It’s a great value to us to know that we’re with
a leading provider that’s kept us at the forefront of security and listens
to the needs of their customers.”
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