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CCTV Security Solution for RNLI
01 Sep 2005
A security system for the new £11m Lifeboat Crew Training College at the RNLI headquarters in Poole UK was planned and built from<$>the outset, with local security specialists Meggitt Marsh Guardian Systems acting first as security consultants specifying requirements<$>then acting as installer having won installation and maintenance contract in a competitive tender.
As well as the training facilities, a number of expensive lifeboats are moored at the College so the security system had to address all elements. Four main issues were identified in the system requirement, threat of attack and theft from both sea and land, protection of all assets from theft, vandalism and arson, the health and safety of all persons on site, especially in the training tank, and traffic control at road access points and within the site. To address these requirements, an integrated CCTV and Access Control system supplied by Norbain was installed, centred in a 24 hour control room built like a ship’s bridge with panoramic views of the site entrance.<$>Control room staff view eight Vista monitors that display images from more than 50 cameras throughout the site.
Recording is provided by four Vista Triplex Columbus digital video recorders (DVRs). The cameras capture and record onto the DVRs identification quality images of everyone entering a building on the site.
Vista medium resolution colour cameras were selected for the internal locations and maintain surveillance of entry doors and all internal facilities. External surveillance is undertaken by very visible high resolution Vista cameras with PTZ control.
Access control throughout the site is provided by TDSi equipment, including barriers, proximity readers and door controllers, with all external doors and many internal doors coded to manage and restrict access to different parts of the site.
The cameras in the wave tank are the most innovative part of the installation. The requirement, largely for Health & Safety reasons, is to monitor the safety of trainees as they work in full kit in the water. This includes capsizing their boats, operating the radio by diving under a capsized boat, righting the boat and restarting the engines, which are usually filled with water. Throughout these exercises, with numerous people in the water at all times, there is inevitably a high level of danger. To minimise this, images from four cameras in the wall of the tank are displayed via a Vista VSCQe quad on a monitor in the observation area one floor above the water level.
The cameras are housed in waterproof tubes in the side of the tank, similar to those used for the underwater lights, so although the installation was fairly straightforward, the selection of amera set-up required careful thought. Capturing images through water is not easy due to its density and potential reflection of underwater light sources. However, the Watec high resolution colour cameras selected for the task combined with careful positioning to provide excellent picture quality and clarity for safety monitoring.
MJ Information No: 21001
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