Sonitrol Security

Sonitrol Commercial Security Blog ... by Joe Wilson

 

  

Arson is a Real Threat to Your Religious Facility: How to Prevent it

Posted by Joe Wilson

Oct 20, 2022 9:08:31 AM

arson bThis past July, a Downtown Eastside church in Vancouver, British Columbia burned down. The fire also took down the adjacent convenience store and came close to burning down a nearby hotel. 

In September, police announced that the fire was being investigated as a suspected arson. They have three suspects. 

The good news is that nobody was injured, but the church and store were completely gutted. Police also believe that the suspects knew of the fire and had time to either put it out or call for help, but instead left the fire to burn.

Nearby cameras show one suspect lighting the fire in a nearby alleyway then leaving. The remaining two suspects both see the fire. One leaves, then returns before walking away a second time. The other lights a cigarette before following suit and walking away. In the background you can see the fire getting bigger. 

While it is good that police have footage of the suspects, the camera appears to be a traditional CCTV system that records crimes as they occur. The problem is this type of system does nothing to alert anybody of the crime until after the fact when the video is reviewed. This means that the damage is already done, as was the case in this particular situation. 

In addition, there have been no updates regarding whether the suspects have been questioned or arrested. 

Whatever the motive behind lighting this fire was, one thing is for sure. A church and a business have burned down, and the emotional and physical damage has been done.

So how could a situation like this be prevented? 

There are several ways for places of worship to help protect their property but the most critical is verified security. This is especially true for organizations in high-risk areas with more criminal activity. 

With verified security, operators can hear and see what is happening in your organization. Once the source of the alarm is verified, they can then get the police to attend the scene. Because the alarms are verified, the police will head out immediately, arriving at the scene on average in just 3.5 minutes, versus the 45 minutes or more with traditional CCTV systems. 

Police also use real-time information provided by the operators to increase apprehension rates.  

As an added level of security, Sonitrol systems can be easily integrated with fire detection, intrusion alarms and managed access control to ensure your religious organization is safe from any threat. 

In addition, we also ensure that your property has 100 percent coverage inside and out. This means that back-alley entrances will be just as secure as the inside of your place of worship.

Your organization does tremendous good for the community you serve. A fire, a burglary or even a false accusation could seriously threaten your ability to carry out your mission. At Sonitrol, we want to keep your organization safe to ensure you can continue to fulfill your mission. 

Interested in learning more about how you can enhance your security? Get a free security audit with Sontitrol’s team of specialists today

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Topics: Verified Security Alarms

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Joe Wilson, Owner of Sonitrol Western Canada

We provide our customers with the best commercial security solutions and quality service backed by our unique Guarantee and Commitment to Service. It's something unverified conventional alarm companies simply cannot guarantee!


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