Newport Aquarium Uses Paxton Net2
GREENVILLE, SC – Newport Aquarium, located in Newport, Kentucky, is home to thousands of the world’s most exotic aquatic creatures, including playful penguins, rare white alligators, and smiling sharks and stingrays. To keep the animals, visitors, and staff safe, Newport Aquarium wanted to replace their old security system with an easy-to-use and high-security access control solution.
Sec-Tron, an experienced access control integrator, recommended Paxton’s flagship access control system Net2 to provide a simple and scalable security solution. Net2 is an advanced PC-based access control system that offers centralized administration. It is also designed to easily integrate with other access control systems, so site managers can enjoy more streamlined security for their building.
Tom Riegler, sales and project manager at Sec-Tron, said: “The whole aquarium is surrounded by pipes and tanks, some full of chemicals. They really needed access control at each area containing dangerous infrastructure to make sure only experienced employees could gain access and to prohibit visitors from accessing those sensitive areas.”
The IT team at Newport Aquarium also wanted a system that utilized access cards, allowing them to customize employee ID cards as access cards and increasing access convenience.
David Fortunato, senior regional IT manager at the Newport Aquarium, said: “Most of our doors used locks and keys, and some had swipe card readers. At the aquarium we have a lot of doors and a lot of employees who need to carry equipment up and down stairs, so looking for keys in front of a door is not ideal. We really wanted to have one system on our exterior and critical safety doors, and also make access convenient for our employees.”
When sourcing a security system, the Newport Aquarium needed durable hardware because of its unique environment.
Fortunato explains: “Even though the products are installed and secured in cases and locked rooms, being an aquarium, we have heavy amounts of moisture and salt in the air. It can chew up the products.”
Another factor that needed consideration when designing the installation was the possibility of integrating the aquarium’s existing wired infrastructure and security products with the new system.
Riegler said: “We did a Net2 product demonstration to Newport Aquarium’s IT team. We told them we could use all the existing cabling, readers, door handles and panels. We said we could retrofit the existing hardware with the Net2 door controllers and make it a clean installation.”
Riegler and his team at Sec-Tron installed Net2 at the aquarium. “The expandability of the new system was the customer’s main concern. They also liked Net2’s pricing structure,” he said.
The Net2 software can manage up to 1,000 doors and 50,000 users and requires no license fees, making it a cost-effective and scalable security solution.
The Newport Aquarium now uses employee ID cards as Net2’s access tokens. The employees scan their IDs at the staff entrance and go through physical screening to enter the aquarium. Once they are in the park, they need to present badges at each door to be given access for a certain number of hours, based on their role and duties.
Fortunato said: “With our old lock-and-key doors, it was hard to keep track of keys. It is one of the biggest benefits that Net2 has brought, that we could replace all those keys with badges and just keep a few keys for emergency. It provides better tracking, higher security, and greater convenience for our employees.”
He further explains how they maximize the features of Net2: “We use the timeline feature to tailor access hours and levels of each door. When it’s after the aquarium’s opening time, we lock the doors to prevent unauthorized access. Another feature we use a lot is the intruder alarm relay. If someone accidentally goes through our emergency exit, it will sound the horn through the relay and alert our staff to go check and make sure no one has gone to an area that they are not supposed to.”
Fortunato manages the security systems for three theme parks under Herschend Family Entertainment Corp, The other two are Kentucky Kingdom & Hurricane Bay and Adventure Aquarium. The Newport Aquarium is their first Net2 installation, and they have plans to expand Net2 to their other sites.
“We are doing the installation in phases. We started with 15 doors at the Newport Aquarium and now it’s fitted across 53 doors. We have a plan to put Net2 on every possible door as it is just much more convenient and safer than keys, and everything is documented. “We have also started putting Net2 in Kentucky Kingdom, which is currently at its phase 1 with around 20 doors. Our other Adventure Aquarium in Philadelphia, the existing security system doesn’t offer great access convenience while maintaining the security level that we require, so we have a plan to install Net2 there as well,” he said.
To learn more, visit www.paxton-access.com.
Genetec: Cybersecurity Concerns Rise among Physical Security Pros
MONTRÉAL— As October brings cybersecurity awareness month into the spotlight, new research conducted by Genetec Inc. reveals that cybersecurity remains a key concern for physical security experts. Based on insights from over 5,500 physical security leaders, the research shows that while organizations are putting in place new processes to protect themselves, the level of concern about potential cyber threats continues to increase.
Close to a third (31%) of end-user respondents indicated that their organization was targeted by cyber threat actors in 2023. Some sectors were far more affected than others. 73% of respondents in the intelligence and national security sector and 46% in the banking and finance sector said were the victims of cyber-attacks compared 21% in the retail sector.
Cybersecurity vulnerabilities were identified by 36% of end-user respondents as a top challenge facing their organizations in 2023. In the healthcare sector, cybersecurity vulnerabilities were identified by a higher percentage of respondents than any other challenge (43%). This is perhaps not surprising considering the high-profile cyber-attacks on healthcare providers in recent years.
Organizations are being more proactive than ever with 42% of end-user respondents indicating that their organizations are deploying cybersecurity-related tools in their physical security environments. This is a significant increase compared to last year when only 27% said they had put in place processes to protect themselves.
“It is reassuring to see growing awareness of the cybersecurity of physical security systems," says Mathieu Chevalier, Principal Security Architect at Genetec Inc. "As more organizations look to implement enhanced cybersecurity measures, they need to look for manufacturers who are committed to cybersecurity and building tools that help them streamline the maintenance and updates of their systems.”
A full State of Physical Security report will be issued in November 2023. For more information on cybersecurity best practices, visit the Genetec Trust Center.
i-PRO Cameras with AI Analytics Protect Monet Masterpieces
Tokyo, Japan– The Grimaldi Forum Monaco (GFM) has chosen i-PRO multi-sensor and Fisheye security cameras with advanced AI-based analytics to enhance visitor safety, protect priceless artworks, and ensure a seamless and secure experience during high-profile events.
Located in the city-state of Monaco, the Grimaldi Forum serves as a prominent venue for conferences, conventions, cultural events, and world-class art exhibitions. In the summer of 2023, the Grimaldi Forum showcased the prestigious "Monet in Full Light" exhibition, welcoming 120 000 visitors in two months and featuring nearly 100 of Claude Monet's masterpieces, including rare and previously unseen works.
When faced with the challenge of enhancing security infrastructure while supporting organizational processes, Philippe Martin, director of Safety, Fire, and Risk Prevention at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco, turned to Monaco-based system integrator MES I2S Security to install more than 100 i-PRO cameras, including fisheye and multi-sensors with advanced AI-based analytics.
“When the Forum re-opened its doors to the public after a shutdown period due to Covid, we were looking for a solution that would help us manage the number and flow of visitors while ensuring the security of the premises. At the time, we were also planning for the much-anticipated Monet exhibition, so we wanted to find the best possible technology to protect these unique masterpieces without interfering with the visitor experience or compromising with the venue’s aesthetic values,” says Martin.
i-PRO’s multi-sensor cameras allow the Grimaldi Forum security teams to monitor the activity across a large room while also enabling them to focus with great precision on a precise area of interest, any time of day or night. Grimaldi Forum was able to considerably reduce the number of cameras required, thereby saving money.
“If it wasn’t for the wide range of coverage offered by i-PRO’s multi-sensor cameras, we would have had to add another 77 cameras,” said Martin. Not only do they offer wider coverage capabilities with a larger tilt range than other multi-sensor cameras on the market, but they are small and discreet so they can blend into the design of our beautiful facility.”
Grimaldi Forum implemented i-PRO’s Scene Change Detection, an AI-based analytic application that alerts security teams to anomalies within the camera’s field of view. This technology safeguards artworks by identifying unusual behavior or unauthorized proximity to valuable pieces.
: Using the i-PRO Active Guard plug-in, the Grimaldi Forum security team can quickly conduct real-time searches during an incident or deep forensic analysis post-event. They no longer have to spend time looking at multiple screens for persons of interest or watch hours of recorded video to search for important events. Operators can identify specific attributes in their watch lists (for instance “male wearing a red shirt and blue pants”), and the plug-in will send them a real-time alarm whenever a match is identified, a feature that is unique to i-PRO.
i-PRO fisheye cameras were strategically positioned at entrances and major axes to monitor large areas. The advanced AI analytics in these cameras enable Grimaldi Forum to detect congestion, manage visitor traffic flow, and count the number of people in specific areas. Heat maps provide statistical insights into traffic flow.
Camden Door Controls Enters Latin American Market
Mississauga, Ontario — Camden Door Controls has announced its entry into the Latin American (LATAM) market. The new regional sales manager, William Mejia, will oversee sales of Camden products to the entire LATAM region, including Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. He will also be providing first-level customer support in both Spanish and English.
“We have had great success in North America,” said Dave Malen, CEO of the company. “Our vision now is to bring our innovative product lines to Latin America. William Mejia, with his experience and credentials, is the best person for the job. He adds a strong focus on building partnerships, in addition to having a passion and commitment to serving our customers and the region.”
Mejia brings to Camden a wealth of experience, including marketing, commercial management, sales, and advisory consulting for international companies.
Well known during his 28+ years in the industry, Mejia has developed markets in Latin America for many of the leading access control and CCTV manufacturers.
“I am thrilled to be joining such an esteemed company that prides itself on exceptional training and services,” added Mejia. “My career has been focused on building new markets for international companies, and I look forward to continuing that tradition by providing new and profitable growth opportunities to Camden and our future customers.”
Mejia may be emailed at [email protected]. For more information, visit www.camdencontrols.com
SIA Presents Lippert Award
SILVER SPRING, Md. – The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Dan Moceri as the 2023 recipient of the George R. Lippert Memorial Award, an honor presented annually to a distinguished individual for long-term, selfless service to the security industry and to SIA.
Moceri – a longtime SIA member and former SIA Board of Directors and Executive Committee member – is the co-founder and executive chairman of Convergint, a global systems integrator with a workforce of nearly 10,000 colleagues spread across more than 200 offices worldwide. He is also a partner in Moceri + Roszak, a Chicago-based real estate developer. Moceri graduated from Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and earned his master’s degree in management from Northwestern University.
“On behalf of nearly 10,000 Convergint colleagues, including my co-founder, Greg Lernihan, I am honored to accept the George Lippert Memorial Award. This recognition would not be possible without the outstanding efforts of all Convergint colleagues,” said Moceri. “Our mission at Convergint has always been to elevate the security industry, which holds such a critical role in our society. This award signifies Convergint’s enduring dedication to both the industry and to the Security Industry Association that has long supported it. Convergint looks forward to continuing its strong relationship with SIA, together growing and uplifting the community of this important profession.”
Moceri has been an active and involved member of the SIA Board of Directors, and while he is no longer on the board, he supports and encourages others at his company to participate in a variety of SIA activities and initiatives, including the Security Industry Compensation Study, the SIA Women in Security Forum, the Securing New Ground conference and SIA’s training programs. He has also been highly engaged in industry workforce development efforts.
“Dan Moceri has always been a key driver of the security industry,” said Scott Schafer, principal at SMS Advisors, former SIA Board of Directors chair and 2022 Lippert Award honoree. “He led strong efforts at Siemens USA before building Convergint into one of the top systems integrators in the world. His passion for customers, employees and partners has always been first rate.”
