THE HERO OF THE DAY: How Access Control Is Saving Lives

Did you know that modern technology has the capability to help save lives? In fact, a recent USA Today report found that “one million people” die each year in emergencies that could have been prevented through automatic lifesaving tools provided by modern, sophisticated security systems. The ability to grant access to some while denying access to others has become vital to the safety and security of businesses around the country.

The United States Department of Justice released research they conducted and found that violent victimizations have declined by 79.8 from the 1970s to 2022. With the invention of automated emergency systems like access controls, tools that synchronize automatic police calls, and business lockdowns in the event of a break-in, crimes that result in people being killed or injured have dropped proportionately.

How Automated Emergency Systems Make a Difference

Security feature systems can determine whether a person lives or dies in a worst-case scenario. Automated emergency systems vary in type, but they have a similar impact on the outcome of preventing worst-case endings in emergency settings. Access controls are what they sound like, tools to control which people have access to your facility as well as monitor the coming and going of facility visitors to report suspicious activities.

What is Access Control?

Access control is a security feature that allows system moderators to manage who or what can view a company’s resources, Tech Target explained. Moderators use computer code called authentication to determine who can use what in a computer or telecom system. There are, according to Microsoft, distinct types of access control. These include discretionary access control (DAC), role-based access control (RBAC), mandatory access control (MAC), and attribute-based access control (ABAC).

Let us break the various kinds of access control models down a bit further.

• DAC: In this version of access control, every object in a computer system has an owner.

• RBAC: In this version of access control, access rights are granted on defined business roles.

• MAC: Here, users are given access based on clearance levels.

• ABAC: Finally, in this mode of access control, the user is granted access on a flexible basis.

How Access Control Saves Lives

When we say access control systems save lives, this goes beyond a metaphor. Sure, access control systems have the power to bring lifesaving ease, not to mention, pack a punch, when sophisticating your security system. They have value in cyberspace, protecting your assets with authentication controls. However, access control systems have the real-time power to save lives from physical threats, including fires and other natural disasters, to prevent violent crimes.

• Safe and Sound with Access Card Systems: An access control system provides a PIN Code and an access token to the registered employees, authorizing them with appropriate access to floors and business facilities while locking out unauthorized personnel.

• Photo Screening Features Prevent Burglaries: Some burglaries can be prevented by automated access control systems that call the police during a facility breach. However, even when a thief damages the facility, photo screening tools can positively identify the burglar or other vandalizing criminal, reducing the cost of insurance claims when prevention measures prove the business is not at fault to the business liability insurance provider.

• Live Video Surveillance and ID Features: Live video call and ID features on access control systems can identify visitors at the door, allowing you to see the difference between a mail carrier and a potential safety threat. The combined force of video management software, or VMS, aids law enforcement in preventing crime by being in places where law enforcement may not be physically available.

• Streamlined Entry and Exit Protocols: Access controls streamline the process by which building navigation systems, such as elevators, can be entered and exited, protecting your business’ building or individual floor of shared office space from unauthorized visitors.
  

Choosing Access Control Could Make a Difference

Access control is a vital component of a business structure, and because of that, it is imperative to make an optimized decision. Knowing that not all access control systems are alike is the first thing to define before going into a selection process. Define what your business needs and what will be the most meaningful and productive for your team and your physical facility before you choose.

Ready to Save a Life? You’re Ready for ElectroMedia

When lives are on the line, seconds count, and a single false move could result in a disaster. That is why it’s critical to choose the access controls that act as the monitor and safety valve for these split-second security decisions.

ElectroMedia provides savvy and sophisticated installation services to ramp up your security, helping you make the best safety selection for your business needs. If you are ready to bulletproof your organization against outsider threats, insider threats, and unforeseeable events, then you are ready for ElectroMedia. Contact us today to learn more about how we can take the access control components of your security system to the next level.