Security helps Ecology……..how?
- Written by Jack Harvey
So, here we are almost halfway through 2010, the economy is providing many headaches to businesses and everyone thinks those of us in the Security Industry are making money ‘hand over fist’! Unfortunately (for me anyway) not so! Every company regardless of their activities is concentrating on survival and my Company even more so as we embarked on a serious growth programme promoting security awareness and the introduction of advanced security technology to meet the challenges of the criminal increases here in the Algarve just prior to the financial ‘meltdown!
We had an absolute plethora of criminal associated activity in the latter part of last year and the early part of this one - and then (relative) calm….. In my considered opinion there were some significant – yet un-sung results by our local police force, whereby they ‘nailed’ at least two or three very active criminal teams and also seemed to ‘block’ the lads from Lisbon and the North (probably the threat of Toll Gates on the Via do Infante!). Keeping the Harvey ‘20/80’ theorem, if they knocked out a minimum of 20% of the active burglars, then there would be a reduction of at least 80% of break-ins.
Another significant move - this time by the Security providers – is the growing use of the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) remote alarm signalling device (easier to install and program than write!), which is not affected by telephone line cuts or failures and certainly stops pre emptive line cuts prior to burglaries.….and finally, the ‘Great Alarm Contract Client Base War’ between the major security companies now sees a great wad of promotional low cost alarm installations (not only here in the Algarve – but nationally as well) complete with a monitoring and maintenance contract, which must have impacted on an already weakened criminal fraternity.
However, do not become complacent Dear Reader and keep alert (everybody should keep at least one ‘lert’!). Crime statistics throughout Europe have always shown that when one activity is knocked down – bit like the lump in the carpet – it inevitably moves to another more vulnerable area (and another lump pops up)!
So, what happens to people like me who try to make a living in the security trade? Simple – we find a day job! When I returned to this Land of Opportunity and Frustration I did not want to do Security Systems (over 30 years is enough for most people!) so I focused on Property monitoring systems. Same principal as the humble alarm, however in addition to security I wanted to monitor other hazards such as electricity failure, water leaks, gas leaks, pool and irrigation plant failures and so on….
Unfortunately I got carried away with my own ideas and moved into the realms of Intelligent Homes where the anti was upped to remotely turning things on and off, security, lighting and heating systems and the like until I moved into futuristic stuff which was an extremely specialised - market arena and was probably ahead of its time some 10 years ago. So – what’s changed? Primarily there is tremendous emphasis on Energy Management which adds Efficiency to the original brief of Security, Comfort and Entertainment plus the emergence of forward thinking Developers and Service Providers here in The Algarve already building skills in this particular technology. Just as an aside – not you Jack! – but perhaps to show a glimpse of where this is all going (or perhaps coming from) there is in progress a thing called the Kyoto Agreement which (in the simplest possible terms) is committed to reducing World pollution. The best way forward to this is alternative energy sources and better efficiency in using what we’ve got - ergo, the Intelligent installation is the next step.
The terminology Intelligent Home can embrace everything from the humble ‘TeasMaid’ (remember those – the challenge was to keep the milk fresh overnight!) which woke you up to a mind numbing buzz as it poured an early morning cup of tea, through to the Analytical Toilet Bowl that can check your waste deposits and e-mail a physician the results, so that either a prescription for remedial medication or the local undertaker appears on your door step the following week!! A more formal description goes along the lines of ‘…computerised microprocessor products and systems that control and monitor environmental devices such as lighting, heating and air conditioning integrated into the building, comprising of a central user interface, communications and data acquisition/ddc controllers’ (Strewthh!! - Astro Physics or what…).
As the Ecology and Environmental Bandwagon follows us into the 21st Century – and the economy of our mineral resources – remember the planet will have trouble supporting itself in a couple of million decades – prompts the call for prudence, our domestic and business lives will be dominated by efficiency - but - let us get it into context. For starters, to install an Intelligent System into our home can save upwards of 12% on the running costs as well as providing security, comfort, convenience and entertainment plus the facility to monitor the house activities and summon assistance if the need arises.
It is not beyond any of the basic intelligent home systems to be able to connect to a Laptop or Mobile GSM phone or a 24/7 Specialised Monitoring Centre via The Internet to access the programming of the house and make preparations for the owners return should their schedules change. It also seems sense to bring all services, such as temperature/ambient control, lighting, entertainment, swimming pool, (‘TeasMaid’ and ‘Smart Toilet?), irrigation, security and fire into a single controlling processor. …..and penultimately, always keeps in focus that the Intelligent System is there to serve you. It’s no good having a bucket of lovely ‘gizmo’s and stuff installed in your house if you don’t know how to use it.
To Infinity and Beyond……… now, where did I put the instruction book for me ’TeasMaid’………………? Come back Intruders – all is forgiven – Only Joking!!
Jack has local and international experience in electronic surveillance and security systems and can be contacted via e-mail on jack@ibcsecurity.com.
