Why You Need Physical Security Information Management

Written by KOVA Corp

Every business recognizes the importance of physical security. Whether you use something as complex as a full system of surveillance cameras and a cadre of security guards, or just a simple alarm system, security is something that no organization can do without.

But what about Physical Security Information Management (PSIM)? Put simply, PSIM is a type of software that allows for greater collaboration among security staff, as well as for integration of various types of information across the system. PSIM software is part of KOVA’s Public Safety software solutions.

With PSIM, different people in different locations can both share and view data from intrusion alarm, video, radar, and other communication systems and databases. The point is to improve the ability to see an overall picture, or common operating picture, of what is happening at your organization.

PSIM improves situational awareness

For example, let’s say an intruder attempted to enter an energy facility and started a small fire. The fire alarm would go off, and the intrusion alarm would go off—but the two systems wouldn’t be communicating, and the employees would have to decide which to respond to first.

With PSIM, on the other hand, the users who are operating the software receive a continuous flow of information throughout the course of the incident. That data is also prioritized, so that an alarm that is more important—the fire alarm, perhaps—is placed above others that may be less important. This way, operators get a full view of the situation at hand and are better equipped to handle it appropriately.

PSIM improves situational management

With PSIM, protocols can be automated so that the exact same thing happens in a given situation no matter what employees are working, how experienced or inexperienced they are, or whether they’re at the start of a 12-hour shift or the final half hour of one. The response is always the same.

This not only ensures that situations are handled in the most effective, efficient manner possible, but also decreases liability for both employees and the organization as a whole.

PSIM also makes it easy for users to communicate and share data, and is able to keep people in sync without flooding them with information. This prevents mistakes that happen as a result of breakdown in communication—using the above example, that could be something like a security door not being closed because an operator doesn’t realize that there’s an intruder in addition to a fire.

PSIM improves situational reconstruction

After an incident like the intruder-fire situation, detailed reconstruction is not just expected but required by most large organizations.

When traditional security systems are in use, this means that staff have to piece together what happened on their own, combing through any data from surveillance cameras or audio recordings to find relevant information, then combining that with information from the alarm systems. You’d also need dates and times that emergency personnel were called, along with recordings of the phone calls made.

There could even be photos or recordings that employees took that are related to the incident. Without PSIM, leaders would have to rely on the employee coming forward with that evidence in a timely manner—something that is likely, but not certain.

With PSIM, however, employees who see something suspicious and take a picture or video can do so through a PSIM app. Then, that photo or video is catalogued by date, time, and even GPS location, which allows the system to recognize it as part of the incident being investigated. It’s pulled into with the rest of the data without anyone having to dig for information.

With PSIM, data is not just integrated, but contextualized.

Is your organization ready to dramatically improve its physical security procedures? If you’d like to talk, contact us at KOVA—we offer the Nextiva PSIM platform, which can be integrated into existing systems, making it a cost-effective security solution. Call us at 1-800-204-5200, or you can fill out this form to request more information on our Physical Security Information Management solutions.

 

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