How to Determine the Level of Security Your Facility Needs

Protecting your facility from all the threats it may face requires a comprehensive security system. However, only the right security system will do, as your system needs to be tailored to your facility.

To create the perfect system and find the right technology for it, use this guide to determine the level of security your facility needs.

1. Determine Your Facility's Risk Level

Consider the following aspects of your facility to determine how likely a security threat is:

• Crime rate: Some areas typically see higher crime rates than others, so check the crime rate in your facility's location. Also factor in what types of crime are prevalent, as some will be more relevant to your security plans than others.
• Asset value: Consider the risk of your physical assets being stolen or damaged, plus how many employees, students, or customers are likely to be on the facility premises.
• Consequence of loss: Evaluate the long-term business impact if your facility security system fails. This could include loss of reputation, business secrets, and licenses, as well as downtime, lawsuits, and fines. 

2. Consider Your Facility Type

Your facility type will affect what level of security you need, and what form that security will take. 

Schools

Schools are high-risk facilities. However, instead of finances, the primary risk is to the safety and well-being of students and staff, with 45% of K-12 teachers and principals fearing for their students' safety. Unfortunately, that fear is well-founded — 10% of schools experienced gun violence in the last five years, demonstrating why security is needed for schools.

Schools can be best protected through:

• Access control systems, which prevent intruders from gaining entry to the premises.
• Video systems, which can monitor the premises and identify potential threats.
• Two-way radios, which can raise the alarm and coordinate an effective response.
• Security personnel, who can quickly respond to any threats. 

Banks

While banks will value the well-being of their staff and customers, it's their assets that make them such a high-risk facility. Despite only 9% of people preferring to bank in person at their local branch, physical banks are still a real target for criminals thanks to the large amounts of cash they often store on-site. Since their reputation hinges on their ability to protect their customers' savings, banks need security that's highly reliable and modern.

This system will likely involve some of the best security technology on the market, such as:

• Access control: This allows banks to control and monitor who accesses restricted areas.
• Video surveillance: A CCTV system can be used to deter crime and identify anyone who tries to rob the bank.
• Fire safety systems: These systems can protect the facility, its customers, and its contents from fires.

Event Venues

While venues may have some valuable assets on-site, from sound systems to cash registers, their priority will be to protect their customers and staff. Venues are particularly vulnerable to overcrowding, disorderly behavior, and violence. This means venues will need to control who enters the facility and ensure they have no weapons.

That's why the security needed for venues often involves a strong access control system, weapon detection systems, and professional security personnel. Without these safety measures, the venue could put its staff and customers at risk.

Businesses

Business facilities can vary depending on the company's size, nature, and location, but your business's security must protect the premises and the people on them. Business owners will also want the company to run as smoothly as possible, meaning they'll want an effective security system that doesn't impede business operations. 

The exact security system will depend on the facility's layout and the business. However, most businesses would benefit from video security solutions, access control, weapon detection, and a fast communication method between teams, such as a two-way radio system. 

3. Audit Your Facility's Existing Security

Identify any existing security measures in your facility, and assess any vulnerabilities they may have. This could include outdated technology or processes that haven't been revised in a long time. You should also:

• Carry out a perimeter check of your facility to ensure there are no unplanned access points. 
• Check that all windows, doors, and other potential access points are sealed from unauthorized visitors.
• Test all security technology to ensure it's fully functional.
• Review staff on their knowledge of the existing system and processes. 

4. Design and Implement Your Security System

Based on your assessment and your facility, decide exactly what your security system should look like. Consider what technology and personnel you need, what your processes will be, and when they'll need to be used. With this information and your budget in mind, you can design a security system for your facility. Your facility's security system could be classed as:

• Low level: Facilities that are low-threat and have little monetary value, such as an unmanned storage shed, may only require a simple access control solution.
• Medium level: For facilities that face some risk and have few valuable assets on-site, such as an office building or a bar, security might require mid-level access control, video surveillance, and a small team of security personnel with two-way communication systems.
• High level: High-risk facilities that regularly have many high-value assets or people on the premises, such as banks or schools, may need stringent access control solutions, an extensive and high-quality video surveillance system, and a large team of security personnel. All security personnel and staff should have reliable two-way radios, too. 

Next, implement your system. Install and test the security technology systems and train your staff to use them. 

5. Reassess and Revise Your Security System

Once your system is live, you can monitor its effectiveness and determine any potential improvements. Often, these improvements will become clear as your staff becomes familiar with the system. However, changes to your facility could also necessitate updates to your system. 

To ensure your system meets your facility's current needs, review your security system at least annually. 

How a Professional Security Consultant Can Help

A professional security consultant can remove any doubt from the process by:

• Using their expertise to accurately assess the security risk to your facility.
• Advising on your facility's unique needs.
• Designing a security system tailored to your facility.
• Implementing the system.
• Training your staff on how to use the technology and follow the security protocols.
• Revising and updating your system as needed.
• Providing reliable, industry-leading equipment.

A facility security guide can also help you stick to your budget without compromising on security.

Cutting-Edge Security Technology

There's no single security solution that can be applied to every facility. Each facility has its own nature and security threats, making a unique solution necessary.

Despite this, reliable technology is always vital. From advanced biometric scanners and weapon detection systems to vital two-way radio systems, the technology you choose for your system will impact how effectively you can protect your facility.

At Golden State Communications, our range of industry-leading security technology can help protect various facility types and sizes. Our technology includes access control systems, which restrict access to your facility to only authorized individuals, and video security systems that allow you to monitor the entire premises. Our specialty is on-site mobile communication solutions, which we've provided to over 5,000 organizations since 1992. 

To find out more about our range of security technology solutions and how you can use them in your facility, contact us today.