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Case Study No. 12
Church Campus Combines Security and Access in their Monitored System
It’s sad but true that even churches have to worry about burglaries and vandalism. Aside from the threat of theft, Redeemer Lutheran Church also had to contend with the more routine problem of controlling the comings and goings of the over 1,000 people who use the church’s facilities for various activities in an average week.
The separate security and access control systems they originally installed were a step in the right direction, but they soon grew tired of the need to manage the separate systems. As an alternative, Atlas Security Service suggested an integrated system able to provide total protection for all buildings at both church campuses. To monitor and manage those systems, Atlas selected Entré CS Access & Security Management System Software for Central Stations.
Management Hassles
Josh Wanner, the church’s Technology Director, had his hands full trying to protect the facilities located in Springfield and Nixa, Missouri. In addition to the actual church buildings, Redeemer Lutheran also had classrooms and gymnasiums. All of the facilities got a lot of use.
"There’s something going on every single day and almost every night," according to Wanner. "There’s bell practice, volleyball and basketball, board meetings, ministries, plus teachers who are in and out at all times throughout the day. We were running into a lot of problems. Doors were being propped open and left unlocked."
Adding to the problems was the large number of people with keys to buildings.
"We had who knows how many keys floating around out there among members," Wanner said. "We could never monitor who had keys or when the keyholders were coming and going. And no one was really accountable for security when they left the building. How can you secure your buildings in a situation like that?"
The Two-System Solution
Their first solution was to install a standalone access control system and a security system at their Springfield campus. Both systems performed as expected, but managing them turned out to be more work than Wanner had bargained for.
"I had to take care of everything," Wanner said. "I was getting the calls to let people in and out, I had to change user accounts and manage the schedules, I was monitoring the security and I was in charge of creating security badges."
"Josh got pretty tired of doing user codes, badges and database changes," explained Jon Adams, Atlas Security Service’s Customer Operations Center Manager. "All of those chores were keeping him pretty busy, but none of them really fell under his job description."
When the church later considered a system for the Nixa campus, Wanner talked to Atlas Security and decided that an integrated system could provide both security and access control while solving Wanner’s management issues. As they considered their total security need, Wanner also decided that the Springfield campus should take the same approach as with Nixa. That would make it possible to monitor and manage all locations together.
To take care of Redeemer Lutheran’s need, Atlas installed Entré CS Access & Security Management System Software for Central Stations from DMP.
"We manage and monitor the entire system using Entré software installed here in our facility," Adams explained. "In
"Entre CS does everything we need it to do, and it’s the easiest software I've ever seen for updating schedules and loading cards in separate panels."
Jon Adams
Customer Operations Center Manager
Atlas Security Service
the past we would typically load software on the customer’s computer, but when that computer breaks or they get a new one, we have to send a tech to get the access control software working again. Customers don’t want to pay for those calls. That can get expensive."
Schedule Relief
One of immediate and most welcome changes with the new system was the fact that Wanner no longer had to devote hours of time each week to managing schedules and users.
"We have over 130 people with access credentials, and a total of 15 different schedules that are updated on a weekly basis," Wanner said. "With the new system, every Friday morning I fill out a schedule of the next week’s activities and email it to Atlas. They get it all scheduled and programmed."
When someone has a problem or a last-minute need to get into one of the buildings, Wanner says he just picks up the phone and has Atlas take care of it.
"I don’t have to worry about getting phone calls and either trying to find a computer somewhere to log in to the system and make the changes, or to physically show up at the door and let someone in or lock a door," Wanner said.
Issuing credentials is also a lot easier. "Instead of keys or badges, we have fobs," Wanner said. "They are about the size of your keyless car entry, but have no buttons. I have a few of them in my desk, each identified with a unique number. If I need to give someone access, I give them a fob and advise Atlas what access rights to grant to that fob. It is so much better than managing keys."
"They really like the fact that they are able to just e-mail us changes to their system rather than doing it themselves," Adams said. "If someone forgot that they had an event one night and need to be let in, they can call us and we can disarm the system or unlock a door while they are on the phone. They use that feature quite a bit."
Now on the Web
Redeemer Lutheran recently began using the Entré Web Client. "That lets them log into our server and view their account via the Internet," Adams explained. "They can login to look at their schedules, and even make changes from anywhere they can log on."
While Wanner chooses not to make changes to his schedules, he greatly enjoys the ability to check them.
"I go in late Friday or Saturday morning to double check the schedule for the week," Wanner said. "I can also send the schedule to someone else so they can double check to make sure it’s right. That’s a good safeguard."
Money Matters
"For us, Entré is great because it allows us to charge a monthly fee to manage the church’s access control user accounts in addition to monitoring their alarms," said Adams. "But the church also comes out ahead, because the cost of our service is significantly less than what they had to pay a person at their location to take care of these changes.
"And now, if an employee quits, is fired, or if there’s an issue with someone who has access to the building, Josh doesn't need to worry about getting keys back or that the employee may have made copies of keys. We simply deactivate their fob from here in our Central Station."
"We are getting great value for what we pay for," Wanner agreed. "When you look at the total time spent, we are probably saving 15 hours a week. Along with those savings comes the confidence that our facilities are secure. We don’t have to stress about whether doors have been locked and our buildings are secured. We know it’s it locked up. It’s good. It’s done … and I sleep a lot better."
A Safer Place of Worship
Adams at Atlas Security Services is pleased with the capabilities provided by the Entré CS software.
"It gives us the ability to really manage our clients’ security and access control. There are so many features and functions available. The software really does a lot for us, and lets us do a lot for our customers."
Wanner at Redeemer Lutheran Church is very happy with the integrated, remotely monitored and managed system.
"Especially for an organization like ours, you need to understand that there are lots of people coming and going. They don’t always let you know in advance when they need in and they are not always careful about locking up when they leave. But with the system installed and monitored by Atlas, we have the confidence of knowing that everything is taken care of and that help is always just a phone call away."
LT-1091 © 2009 Digital Monitoring Products, Inc.
11/09
Equipment List
• Entré Access Control Software
• XR500 Series Access, Burglary and Fire Command Processor™ panel
• Model 734 Wiegand Interface Module
Intrusion • fire • Access • Networks
Made in the USA