If you don't live or work in a part of the country with extreme weather conditions - and let's face it, in Canada that tends to mean 'a lot of snow' or 'really, really cold temperatures' - you may not realize just how tricky it can be to design, implement and maintain security systems in these environments.
From a recent issue of SDM magazine: "In the less populated northern regions of Saskatchewan, summer temperatures can reach 38 degrees Celsius. Winters at the north end of the province may mean highs not breaking more than -17 degrees Celsius for weeks at a time with lows reaching -45 degrees Celsius or even colder. In locations like these throughout Canada with extreme temperatures, weather conditions such as tornadoes or high winds, and remote environments, implementing a viable outdoor security plan that can run continuously, 365 days a year, is a difficult achievement.
“Winter is our biggest challenge out here,” says Helen Perry-Raycraft, marketing and sales coordinator at Brigadier Security Systems Ltd., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. “Technology is continually getting better, but when temperatures drop to -40 or -50 [degrees C], there is an understanding that outdoor security solutions may not function. One of the most important things to focus on is the maintenance of the system so that you’re clear everything is replaced and in working order before the cold weather comes.”
Despite the challenges, Brigadier Security Systems has been successful with a number of outdoor security solutions, including cameras, fencing, wireless Videofied products and SecurTek monitoring solutions. Perry-Raycraft adds that, especially with extreme temperatures, the brands and types of products used become very important. “We definitely continue to see more requests for things like solar power or remote video capabilities. Battery-powered systems are also a big one, but with our cold winters we have to make sure that we use the best available products to make it through those times because some are much better than others,” she acknowledges.
Our own Bart Balanowski is quoted in the piece: "One technology that is tried and true, according to Bart Balanowski of Profile Security Integrated Services Inc., is buried cable. Though it’s been available for several years, the technology continues to improve and Senstar, the brand that Profile Security uses, claims that its probability of detection is greater than 99 percent, with a confidence level of 95 percent."
To read the full article, click here .