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Prepare your CCTV system for Autumn & Winter

While there’s no shame in forgetting to tend to your CCTV, it remains the case that your system is likely to suffer without regular checks. In anticipation of the shortening days, lengthening nights and cooling temperatures, Secured by Design member company Professional Surveillance Management (PSM) have a few tips to help you minimise the false alarms and keep your cameras and detectors operating smoothly throughout the Autumn and Winter months.

  • Don’t wait: Give yourself peace of mind and take care of things before it gets too cold 
  • Lighting: Check all lights are working.  Operators can identify activity and detect threats much easier when the site is properly illuminated
  • Camera images: Ensure camera lenses are free from cobwebs, condensation and other obstructions
  • Loose debris / litter: Wind and rain can cause excessive activations by disturbing debris, litter, unsecure parasols or tarps, loose coverings and more. Proper housekeeping can lessen the number of false alarms, so please secure anything that might come loose
  • Detector / beam equipment: Ensure the detectors and beams are free of leaves, dirt, etc, as these can cause excessive false alarms

Kerry Jones, Professional Surveillance Management said, “It is worth remembering that the more your system is subjected to false alarms, the more your security is compromised, hence the importance of these simple checks.

“Just like a car or boiler, remotely monitored CCTV systems require regular servicing. We suggest contacting your installer to arrange a service visit every 12 months as a minimum. If you do not have a regular installer, please contact us and we would be more than happy to introduce you to one of our approved companies".

PSM autumn winter cctv WEB
PSM offer remote monitoring CCTV solutions and a diverse range of surveillance services, with their monitoring system ensuring that when an intruder breaches a restricted area of a premises by triggering motion sensors, an immediate alarm containing CCTV images is transmitted to PSM’s NSI Gold fully accredited 24 hour Remote Video Receiving Centre.

PSM’s trained operators visually verify the cause of alarm and take necessary and immediate action – including issuing audio warnings - to deter potential criminals, tell them they are being monitored and warn them that the emergency services are on their way.  The accomplished team of senior operators each have over 20 years’ experience working in a control room environment and responding to alarm activations, with the team preventing numerous break ins during the last year alone.

PSM’s entire operations, including alarm receiving software, is created, developed and controlled in-house, allowing a bespoke and tailored monitoring service.  Software can be adapted to suit individual client and installer needs, rather than them having to fit into the limitations of ‘off the shelf’ software.

You can find out more about PSM, the first remote monitoring CCTV company to have achieved Secured by Design’s Police Preferred Specification, and their SBD accreditation here: https://www.securedbydesign.com/member-companies/sbd-members?view=companydetail&account=0011i00000Jpw4XAAR