Places of Worship Security

Access control is a growing trend in physical Ssecurity and is an ideal solution for safeguarding churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship, as well as their annexes and outbuildings.

While the entrance to a house of worship may be monitored by a staff member, this provides little defense if an intended shooter gets past this initial entrance point. Access control enables a facility to go into lockdown mode and secure vulnerable access points, creating a barrier that can stop an intruder from gaining easy access to congregants.

PM Alarms provides IP-based access control solutions that allow places of worship to restrict access during services, community events and off hours. A robust access control solution provides your staff members with card-based credentials that are required to enter and exit the building. Doors can only be opened during certain times, and only by authorized personnel. For anyone else to gain access, staff members must physically use their access badge to let them in or out.

An access control system also can be used to segment your facility and create lockdown for various zones or the entire facility. Restricting access and creating barriers buys time during a crisis, and protects occupants until emergency responders are able to arrive. First responders can be granted access with a designated proxy card through a designated lockdown door, so they can secure and clear the area and establish a safe evacuation route.

For larger places of worship, PM Alarms offers multi-building solutions that provide 24/7 protection of building interiors, common areas, grounds, and parking garages.

PM Alarms provides customized, remote viewable video security systems designed for worship environments of all sizes, to improve safety and simplify systems management for administrators.

Having a comprehensive video security solution that includes multi megapixel video security cameras, security DVRs to record video evidence, and posted signage provides church officials with 24/7 live and recorded surveillance, real-time alerts, and the ability to react and protect the congregation from a crisis situation.

And if your place of worship uses a vehicle fleet, PM Alarms provides mobile surveillance solutions that enable your facility administrators to monitor church vehicles to ensure driver safety and protect passengers in transit.

Integrating video surveillance with access control provides a multi-layered approach to church security, maximizing visibility to entry/exit points and areas where people are concentrated. Desired areas can be secured and monitored remotely in real-time to ensure safety, help prevent unwanted incidents, and provide video evidence if an incident were to occur.

There are many aspects that impact the results that your video security system will deliver. Here are a few of the main things to consider:

• Camera Resolution – High quality, multi megapixel resolution cameras that can capture crystal clear images are essential to protecting your place of worship, and are surprisingly affordable. Instead of settling for cheaply made cameras that produce grainy images, PM Alarms can help you select cameras that provide crisp, detailed color video footage, anytime day or night.
• Camera Technology – The two types of technology behind today’s video security cameras are HD-TVI and network IP. HD-TVI is best for retrofitting existing analog camera systems with higher resolution cameras, without the need to run new cabling. Network IP provides the highest resolution for the best forensic detail. Both technologies offer resolution of up to 8.0 megapixels (4K).
• Camera Form Factor – Video security cameras are available in many form factors: dome cameras, bullet cameras, turret cameras, pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, fisheye cameras, vandalproof cameras, and more. Depending on the type of surveillance coverage you need and the physical environment in which your cameras will be placed, particular camera form factors will be appropriate. Our installation team can recommend the right mix of camera types to meet your church security needs.
• Camera Placement – Whether they cover entrances, building perimeters, parking structures, main areas, or auxiliary facilities, each camera in your video security system must be located and mounted precisely in order to provide the optimal results. At PM Alarms, our expert technicians are trained in optimizing camera placement to ensure maximum coverage and crystal clear video footage, even in low light or nighttime conditions.
• Weather Rating – A significant component of your church’s overall security solution is the use of outdoor cameras, to cover your buildings’ perimeter, access points, and parking areas. PM Alarms offers cameras with IP67 weather rated enclosures, IK10 impact resistant enclosures, and built in heaters and fans, to withstand all types of environmental conditions.
• Covert Cameras – Depending upon your needs, it may make sense to install hidden cameras in certain locations. Today's covert cameras are disguised to look like smoke detectors, clocks, and other ordinary objects. They're excellent for running routine surveillance, or for special surveillance applications like determining the source of recurring theft.
• Recording Devices – Whether you decide upon HD-TVI or network IP cameras, there is a wide array of recording devices to choose from, depending on your camera count, bandwidth and data storage needs. Security DVRs and NVRs can be equipped with as few as 4 channels, or as many as 128. All recorders offered by PM Alarms offer the latest H.265 compression technology, to maximize your storage space. No matter what size your house of worship, our expert installers can recommend a security recorder that fits your needs now, and can grow with you as your needs expand.
• Remote Monitoring – Remote viewing is another significant benefit of today's professional video security systems. Using your mobile device or laptop, you can check in on your church buildings from anywhere you happen to be. Attending a convention or retreat on the other side of the country? You can still load up your live feed and see what's going on – anytime.
• 24/7 Alerts – Video security systems provided by PM Alarms will link your church to a 24/7 live monitoring facility. For a nominal monthly fee, these security professionals keep a constant watch over your system, alerting you immediately if there is ever an issue. If a break-in, fire, or other emergency occurs, they immediately dispatch first responders to your property to keep you and your business safe.

PM Alarms is committed to offering the highest level of security to houses of worship in the greater area. We can create a church security solution that meets your unique needs and specifications, while remaining within your budget. 
Our expert team has many years’ experience working with houses of worship, providing:

• Professional access control and video security system design, to ensure that your facility’s entire footprint is fully protected
• Professional installation that is structured and scheduled to minimize any impact on your worship services or other community activities
• A custom-designed security plan, and detailed instructions on how to operate and get the maximum benefit from each component of your access control and video security systems
• Ongoing support for the life of your security systems; our expert team will answer all your questions, and work with you to maintain and upgrade your systems as needed
  Get the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your house of worship and congregants are protected. Call us today for a customized, no obligation security assessment!