Protecting your campus when school's out
Protecting your campus when school’s out
With Term Four approaching, now is a smart time to start assessing your school’s security needs for the summer holidays. Selecting a guarding and patrol service you can trust can make all the difference.
The annual reality is that schools become an attractive target for criminal activity during the summer holidays, but simple measures can go a long way to deterring arsonists, thieves, vandals and anti-social behaviour.
Gareth Bacon, Strategic Technical Manager at First Security, suggests a good first step is to check that your school’s electronic security measures are in good working order. These include any CCTV, access control and alarm systems.
“Ensure that your security cameras’ recording system is working properly and that all external security lighting is operational,” Gareth says. “It’s also worthwhile to do a walk-around and confirm that your perimeter fencing is secure and well maintained.”
Importantly, it’s also a good time to review your school’s security plan. The Ministry of Education website contains information on security management for schools, including a security audit tool.
Alternatively, licensed security consultants and campus security specialists, such as First Security, can advise you on effective security controls to address the security risks specific to your school
The challenge for school security over the holiday period is ultimately around how to ensure your security systems and lighting continue to work, your gates, doors and windows remain locked, vulnerable points remain secure, campus is reliably patrolled, and alarms immediately responded to throughout the summer vacation.
That’s where a trusted security guarding and patrol partner, like First Security, comes in.
Celebrating its 21st anniversary, First Security has a long-held commitment to protecting the values New Zealanders’ hold true, says CEO Tim Covic.
“Our philosophy of protecting people first and fostering genuine client relationships has seen First Security evolve into a partner rather than simply a service provider.”
Each member of its 2000-strong staff embodies the same values, operating 24/7, including over 120 patrol vehicles, 365 days a year, in communities across the length and breadth of New Zealand.
Tim believes that it is this extensive coverage and commitment to providing the services that businesses both large and small need that has seen First Security go from strength to strength over the past 21 years.
Having developed considerable expertise across virtually every key sector, First Security’s human resources and state-of-the-art systems and equipment enable the security leader to provide protection for organisations over multiple levels.
The company offers randomised mobile patrols, alarm response, permanent and ad hoc static guarding, electronic surveillance, regulatory enforcement and event security in addition to consultation and education. Its clientele include central and local Government, district health boards, shopping centres, and organisations across all sectors of the economy.
Education is a sector in which the company has developed significant expertise, having protected many of New Zealand’s universities and polytechnics and dozens of schools across the country.
Importantly, as an audited member of the New Zealand Security Association, First Security adheres to strict industry Codes of Ethics and Codes of Practice. As a licensed operator, its security officers undergo robust vetting processes, and as an employer of choice it attracts security officers committed to what they do.
First Security’s mobile patrols are backed up by a 24/7 national operations centre, and are monitored via the latest GPS tracking technology.
With these processes and systems in place comes peace of mind that the randomised mobile patrols, campus security checks and alarm responses that you’ve requested are delivered to the highest standards every time. That’s the First Security difference.
During the current COVID pandemic, despite its size, First Security has remained agile to changing customer needs and market requirements.
“Through the various levels of COVID-19, our ability to respond rapidly redeploying staff to deliver customer needs that were constantly changing made us the preferred security choice with new and existing customers. Our customer-facing concierge and crowd control/queue management officers became popular with the New Zealand public and we’re seeing these roles become part of the new normal,” says Tim.
“We know that behind the best protection, is intelligence. The more we know about our customers unique needs, the better we can protect what matters to them most. It's our commitment to personalised service over the past 21 years that sees thousands of customers choose us to protect their wellbeing and livelihood every day.”
