Amulet - Experts & Thought Leaders

Fire and Security Apprenticeship Specialist, Skills for Security proudly marks the success of an inaugural Careers Fair, taking place near its Walsall training branch at The Bescot Stadium Locker Room. The event, designed to introduce local school leavers to career opportunities in the fire and security industry, welcomed an enthusiastic turnout of students, educators, and industry professionals. Fire and security sector The event provided a unique platform for students aged 14 to 18 to explore potential career paths As the first careers fair of its kind dedicated solely to the fire and security sector, the event provided a unique platform for students aged 14 to 18 to explore potential career paths. Says David Scott, Managing Director of Skills for Security: "We asked, and the industry responded. With the support of our sponsors, the overwhelming response, as the first careers fair dedicated to fire and security highlights the enthusiasm and curiosity of young people when presented with clear career pathways." Fire and security apprenticeships Scott added: “The industry offers rewarding and long-term opportunities, and the event has provided a vital local platform to showcase the many ways students can build a successful future in the sector. Seeing so many students, teachers, and employers come together to engage in meaningful conversations has been truly inspiring." Organised by Skills for Security, the UK’s pioneering provider of fire and security apprenticeships, the fair aimed to bridge the industry’s skills gap by offering hands-on insights into apprenticeship pathways, career opportunities and real-world industry engagement. Latest technological developments Attendees had the option to interact with keynote speakers and explore live apprenticeship vacancies Featuring industry-pioneering sponsors, including a dedicated speech from Steve Riley, Division Director at Comelit-PAC on inclusivity in the workplace, exhibitors included Ajax, CSL, Fenix Monitoring, HKC, Orisec, RISCO, Pyronix, HID Global, Honeywell, Cento, AddSecure, Deep Alert, Smoke Screen, Videcon, Yuasa Battery, Obsequio, Protec, Marlowe, EDSB, Amulet and the Skills for Security Talent Acquisition team.  Each was on hand to offer career guidance, CV-building support, and insight into the latest technological developments in the sector. Attendees also had the opportunity to interact with industry keynote speakers and explore live apprenticeship vacancies. Networking opportunities The event successfully connected students with potential employers, offering valuable networking opportunities and first-hand insights into the fire and security profession. Teachers and career advisors also benefited from the event, gaining a deeper understanding of the industry’s career prospects to better guide their students. Next generation with the skills and knowledge David concluded: “Following the success of this event, we are already planning future careers fairs to continue supporting young people in their career journeys." "We remain committed to raising awareness of the exciting opportunities within the fire and security sector and equipping the next generation with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive.”

Amulet, the specialist security arm of The Churchill Group, launches a new Temp & Vacant service. The nationwide service will provide 24/7, 365 security solutions and has been launched to support businesses that have temporary and vacant properties – an existing problem that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. When the first work from home order was given in March 2020, thousands of properties became vacant overnight. Last June commercial office space had a vacancy rate of 4.5 percent, and a centre for London report found that one in seven shops were unoccupied at the end of 2020. Vacant property security These figures may fluctuate as restrictions ease, but it’s highly likely with a new way of work that many properties that were formerly occupied will remain vacant or only be used on a temporary basis. Amulet’s new service will address the security challenges posed by temporarily occupied and vacant space. Some of the key risks are vandalism, burglary, and fires. The range of Amulet solutions includes: On-site security provided by highly trained professionals Canine services for an additional layer of security and strong visual deterrent Mobile patrol visits for random checks and rapid response Vacant property security and inspections Perimeter protection, such as emergency fencing and razor wire Standalone video verification alarm systems that don’t require a power supply Rapid deployment CCTV solutions Temporary fire alarm systems Steel doors and screens for secure boarding Anti-loitering sound devices to prevent loitering Emergency lighting Security landscaping Eviction support The entire range of solutions can be provided on a short-term or ad hoc basis, at any location Amulet will also offer emergency deep cleaning and pest control for when a vacant property needs to be reoccupied at short notice. The entire range of solutions can be provided on a short-term or ad hoc basis, at any location, and can integrate seamlessly with client timescales. Intelligent monitoring and reporting The service will be backed by Amulet’s Command, Control and Intelligence Centre (CCIC). Key features of the CCIC include intelligent monitoring and reporting, a 24/7 major incident response capability, lone worker protection and twin-layer backup resilience. A holistic solution like this is why Amulet is one of the UK’s most highly regarded security providers. Darren Read, Managing Director at Amulet, said: “Temporarily occupied and vacant buildings present a different set of security challenges to a typical building. We have created a service that addresses those challenges, is flexible, and can be rolled out at very short notice. We’re confident that our range of solutions will meet the needs of the market and are excited to launch this comprehensive new service.’’

The advantages of security systems as forensic and investigative tools are well understood and demonstrated in the market. However, the new trend is toward systems that are useful in real-time and that even predict a security event, before it happens. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Which security systems are becoming more proactive than reactive?

There is little doubt that security concerns have heightened in the near two years since the pandemic first swept across the globe. A report from Pro-Vigil reveals that nearly one in five companies experienced more physical security incidents since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and one in three of the 124 respondents surveyed anticipate further increases in 2021. The tragic terrorist attacks experienced during this period in the UK have caused many organisations to make changes to their physical security arrangements, including the installation of new video cameras. Despite these enhanced physical security measures, two key security challenges remain for companies of today - communication and coordination. Effective security operation In a recent Ontic report on protective intelligence, 84 percent of respondents agreed that their company would be better placed to avoid a crisis if all members of the physical security team could view threat data in a single system-of-record platform. Without an accurate shared situational awareness solution, information can be missed To successfully achieve and sustain an effective security operation that minimises the chances for security incidents from occurring, ensures incidents can be reacted to at speed and recovery is quicker, security personnel needs a clear understanding of key information. For many, this is where the difficulty lies. Without an accurate shared situational awareness solution, information can be missed, it can be interpreted differently by others or ineffective effort can result from confusing and contradictory messages. Situational awareness software Such issues are inherent in traditional approaches to security that are typically input-focused. Many firms will opt to deploy a specific number of security officers and/or other resources such as cameras, without truly understanding their operating environment. In the modern-day, firms need to move away from these assumption-built security protocols and take a more information-driven stance – something that can be achieved with real-time situational awareness software. Communicating critical information Real-time situational awareness technologies are at the forefront of next-generation security solutions. Often, incidents will be unnoticed, or misunderstood, as a result of either flawed assumptions or difficulties in handling and communicating critical information. In such instances, the following might occur: Misunderstanding the threat: The nature, scale, and location of a threat. Misinterpreting the response: The nature, scale, and timing of the response needed. Mismanaging the actions taken: At all levels of management and across stakeholders. Track security resources The success of security is reliant on getting the right information to the right people at the right time The success of security is reliant on getting the right information to the right people at the right time so that a coordinated, timely, and seamless response to potential threats and incidents can be delivered. This is the critical challenge that real-time response solutions look to address. They can provide a comprehensive, informed, action-ready understanding of operations in their entirety, allowing organisations to track security resources, flag incidents across all locations, and record key decisions in real-time, which can then be communicated quickly and easily to all stakeholders. In this sense, they transform visibility, allowing appropriate and informed responses to be implemented at speed when required. Situational awareness tools Six benefits of real-time situational awareness tools: The improvements that can be derived from this approach are palpable. Here are six security benefits that organisations tapping into real-time situational awareness tools stand to gain: Improved communication: The thirst for information during an incident is massive, but the information flow never typically catches up until later on, and even then, it takes time to separate the accurate from the misinformed. A cohesive multi-agency/multi-tenant situational awareness helps to bridge that gap. Improved decision making: By better defining situations, more informed, timely and effective decisions can be made. Customer/staff satisfaction: Well-managed environments where problems are identified at the earliest opportunity enable resolutions to be delivered with minimal fuss. Reduced costs: Knowledge of where people are at all times can help with conducting a security audit that minimises duplicated, unnecessary and ineffective activity, ensuring there is a more effective use of resources. Improved Preparedness: Real-time situational awareness provides the basis for plans to be tested and validated more comprehensively so that the allocation of resources and processes are improved in the event of real instances. Reduced corporate risk: These technologies can also create a record of activity that may be used to support action reviews, investigations, and inquiries as evidence in the aftermath of incidents. This can also demonstrate that a sound security policy has been reviewed, practiced, and implemented. Avoiding potential disruptions These technologies have extensive application potential across a variety of sectors as well The potential benefits to be realised from real-time situational awareness solutions are not just limited to security, however. Rather, they can add value in a multitude of other ways. Businesses can optimise efficiencies in day-to-day operations - for example, moving resources from A to B while avoiding any potential disruptions. Meanwhile, such technologies can be used to quickly identify issues such as burst water mains or blocked roads that could cause chaos in city-centre environments, ensuring action can be taken more swiftly and effectively. These technologies have extensive application potential across a variety of sectors as well. At Amulet, we are deploying our specific Project Blueprint solution within a range of different environments, from retail and leisure locations to events facilities and stadiums to corporate offices and transport networks. Better allocation of resources Indeed, wherever and however real-time situational awareness solutions are applied, the critical message remains the same: The quicker you know about something, the sooner you can do something about it. For security, real-time and accurate information is critical in preparing for and mitigating the impact of incidents. Through using these technologies, organisations are better placed to reduce harm and recover quicker, all with reduced strain thanks to a better allocation of resources which helps to optimise costs. Such tools will play a key role in 2022 and beyond.

The return to the workplace is a focal point for many in the built environment but one of the most important elements is easy to overlook. Guest services will be vital in the return to the workplace. Front-of-house teams will be responsible for welcoming building users back and reassuring them as they negotiate shared spaces in the post-Covid era. The workplace will inevitably look different after Covid. We have become more aware of our spaces, how clean they are, and what spaces building users share. Employees have also become more conscious of the pros and cons of the workplace. For some, a year of working from home has been a welcome break from the stress and time taken by a commute. Many organisations are considering moving to hybrid workplace approaches, downsizing their corporate real estate portfolio, and using shared spaces more consciously, be that for focussed quiet work or collaboration. We will also see heightened care in workplace cleaning and more data-led solutions. Front-of-house teams will be at the centre of helping building users get used to these changes. The role of technology Front-of-house personnel will likely be responsible for ensuring buildings do not exceed safe occupancy levels and will be aided by visitor management systems. Another change to look out for in the workplace will be the use of technology. Tech-led organisations have long reminded us that gut instinct and trusting our senses is not enough anymore, but Covid-19 has forced us to come to terms with this. Now that adopting technology has become crucial in cleaning, we will see a reticence to adopt it elsewhere fade too. A survey from McKinsey suggests that the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technologies by several years. Why is this important for guest services? Much like other workplace changes, new technologies will alter how building users interact with their environment. Tech will also enable front-of-house teams to focus on the key ingredient of their role – human interaction. This will be vital in helping occupants feel comfortable, safe, and happy. Occupancy and visitor management systems These systems have been around in the workplace for many years, and pre-Covid were used to help us maximise our space and utilisation. These systems are even more important as we are likely to see some return to the workplace before everyone has been vaccinated. We may see systems that contact only those occupants in an affected area of a building, rather than a whole workforce, to limit worry and ensure most people can remain confident in the hygiene of their workspace. For the rest of 2021 at least, precautions such as social distancing will need to be in place. Workplaces will continue to function at limited occupancy for some time to keep people safe. Front-of-house personnel will likely be responsible for ensuring buildings do not exceed safe occupancy levels and will be aided by visitor management systems. These may be used by individual organisations or by multi-tenanted buildings. Temperature checks and identity verification systems Organisations are mitigating risks where possible. Handheld digital thermometers have been in high demand. The use of such devices has reshaped the role of security officers over the past year. Officers have become familiar faces in shops and shared spaces, keeping people safe and acting as the first point of contact. The security sector has been placed under immense pressure, balancing the need to enforce precautions with responding to stressed building users in an empathetic way. Officers have demonstrated agility that security technology cannot replace. Post-pandemic, we will likely see a greater appreciation for what manned guarding can offer and a greater potential for officers in front of house roles. Front-of-House staff are becoming responsible for temperature verification. Some organisations may choose to increase the collaboration between their front-of-house and security teams. This could include implementing identity verification systems, as well as touchless systems. This will allow the focus of front-of-house teams to remain on the people and giving a warm welcome to users as they return to the office. Using monitoring to make guest services more available Monitoring solutions may be the first things that come to mind when discussing security technology. We have seen an increasing trend toward integrating remote monitoring with manned guarding since before the pandemic. Such a move may be even more important now.Beyond keeping employees safe, guest services are going to play a central role in making the workplace an attractive option. For many organisations, the pandemic has forced a rapid switch in focus. Organisations have had to face the security challenges of caring for vacant premises and the additional complications of managing cybersecurity for remote work. Rebalancing the cost and focus of security may feel as though it has left some businesses without the capacity to utilise front-of-house officers. Yet when employees return to the workplace, front-of-house teams will be more important than ever. For those that did not do so during the pandemic, now is the time to be investing in effective monitoring solutions. The falling cost of technology means such a solution can be combined with manned guarding and front-of-house roles. Organisations may need to invest in fewer officers, but their roles can be more focused upon the occupant experience. Encouraging employees back Beyond keeping employees safe, guest services are going to play a central role in making the workplace an attractive option. Remote working has had both pros and cons but many of those downsides will be diminished with the end of the pandemic. Loneliness will no longer be such a challenge when seeing friends and neighbours is an option, and the return of children and partners to school and work will relieve distractions. It may be tempting, then, for many employees to continue working from home. As a result, many opportunities for collaborative work will be lost. For employers looking to encourage their workforce to return, creating an amazing workplace experience is key. Technology alone can’t offer this. Rather, too much tech could create an environment that feels clinical and impersonal. Use technology to streamline the boring or stressful elements of the workplace and invest in friendly faces who will welcome your workforce back.