Justin Young, General Manager at AtlasIED considers how mass notification and video surveillance combine to improve safety in transportation hubs.

Security in transportation hubs

Transportation hubs, including airports, train stations and bus terminals are hives of constant activity.

Thousands of people pass through them daily, which is logistically challenging for several reasons, particularly regarding safety.

Safety covers a gamut of scenarios, not just mass emergencies.

It also includes smaller-scale situations like slipping hazards, fallen persons, unauthorized vehicles and more.

Today’s transportation hubs need three key capabilities from their overarching communication and security solution:

1. detect potential or active problems
2. notify the right people instantly and effectively
3. manage incidents to a successful resolution

Achieving those goals requires a robust solution that includes a mass notification system, video surveillance and a central software platform to automate announcements and response plans.

The seamless integration of these systems can enhance situational awareness, improve response times and provide real-time information to facility personnel and the public.

Integration benefits

Situational awareness is the understanding of an environment, its elements and how it changes or is expected to change over time.

By linking video feeds with mass notification capabilities, security personnel can enhance their situational awareness by monitoring large portions of the facility in real time and quickly disseminate relevant information to the public, other staff members or outside agencies.

For example, suppose an unattended bag is identified on a surveillance camera.

In that case, security teams can immediately broadcast an alert to evacuate the area, provide directions on safe routes, keep the public informed of ongoing developments and notify first responders of a potential threat.

Many mass notification systems offer zoned paging, which allows for targeted information delivery to impacted areas.

However, the unique advantage of combining video surveillance data with mass notification is the ability to tailor information to different groups of people.

This is due to the additional information that video provides, such as the need for passengers in a specific terminal to evacuate through a designated exit, or for staff in another area to secure sensitive equipment.

Effective communication is crucial during emergencies and integrating these systems enhances the clarity and effectiveness of messages.

Video footage can be used to verify the nature and extent of an incident, allowing for more accurate and context-specific notifications.

For example, in the case of a fire, surveillance cameras can help identify the exact location and spread of the fire, enabling precise instructions on evacuation routes and safe zones.

Furthermore, integrating these systems can improve coordination among different agencies and stakeholders.

Transportation hubs often involve multiple entities, including transportation authorities, emergency responders and law enforcement agencies.

A unified solution that combines mass notification and video surveillance allows for better information sharing and collaboration.

Security personnel can share real-time video feeds with emergency responders, helping them assess the situation more accurately and plan their actions accordingly.

This coordinated approach can significantly enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of emergency responses.

The integration also supports post-incident analysis and continuous improvement of security measures.

Recorded video footage, along with logs of mass notification messages, can be reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of the response and identify areas for improvement.

This analysis helps refine emergency plans, train security personnel and update the system to address any gaps or weaknesses.

Integration challenges

Integrating mass notification with video surveillance in transportation hubs is a complex task, with interoperability emerging as a crucial factor.

The use of multiple vendors and products for security and communication needs in transportation hubs underscores the necessity for these systems to seamlessly work together.

This demands meticulous planning, robust technical support and regular maintenance to ensure compatibility and functionality.

Another significant challenge in integrating mass notification with video surveillance is maintaining the privacy and security of video surveillance data.

While surveillance cameras are indispensable for security, they also raise concerns about the potential misuse of recorded footage.

To address this, it is crucial to implement and rigorously enforce strict access controls, robust encryption and comprehensive auditing mechanisms.

These measures are essential to protect the privacy of individuals and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.

The effectiveness of mass notification systems hinges on the clarity and accuracy of messages.

During emergencies, the potential for confusion and misinformation is high, and there is limited time to craft accurate, detailed messages.

However, the use of pre-scripted messages for different scenarios that can be quickly customized and disseminated, along with regular training and drills, provides security and operational personnel with confidence and familiarity using the system and allows them to operate it effectively under pressure.

Transportation hubs must also balance the need for advanced security measures with budget constraints.

While the initial investment in integrated systems can be significant, the long-term benefits of enhanced security, improved emergency response and potentially saved lives can justify the expenditure.

Additionally, there may be opportunities for funding or grants from government agencies or security programs aimed at enhancing public safety.

Enhancing video surveillance with AI

In transportation hubs, surveillance cameras are plentiful and strategically placed to cover critical areas such as entrances, exits, ticket counters, waiting areas and platforms.

However, one limitation of video surveillance is the human factor.

Constantly scanning a multitude of cameras can lead to fatigue, slow response times and mistakes.

By leveraging AI and machine learning technologies, transportation hub staff can turn a reactive archiving system of security cameras into a proactive detection system, significantly reducing the vulnerability to potential threats without adding additional headcount.

By combining revolutionary AI technology with existing camera infrastructure, transportation hubs can deploy a solution that guards against day-to-day risks, including slip and fall hazards, trespassing and unauthorized vehicles, as well as more critical incidents such as weapon detection and violent acts.

These systems are not just efficient but also adaptive.

They autonomously scan for hazards without succumbing to boredom, fatigue or distraction and continue to learn and refine their data sets of risk identification.

This adaptability ensures that the system’s performance improves over time, providing long-term benefits to the transportation hub.

Once a risk is identified, these detection systems can initiate pre-programmed notification processes to the central software platform for immediate action.

The right message to the right people at the right time

The value of a comprehensive security and communication solution in transportation hubs cannot be overstated.

It is mission-critical in a venue that can house hundreds or thousands of people at any time.

The goal of the solution is to get the right message to the right person or people at the right time, whether it be information about arrivals and departures, notification of an unattended bag or evacuation instructions in an emergency.

Integrating mass notification with video surveillance and a centralized software platform represents a significant advancement in enhancing public safety and security.

This integration provides numerous benefits, including improved situational awareness, faster responses, tailored communications and better coordination among agencies.

Public perception and acceptance of video surveillance and mass notification systems are also important considerations.

Transparent communication about the purpose and benefits of these systems – particularly video surveillance – can help build trust and cooperation among the public.

Ensuring these technologies are used ethically and responsibly is crucial to maintaining public support.

Despite the challenges of interoperability, personal privacy, cost and public perception, the advantages of a well-integrated system far outweigh the drawbacks.

As technology evolves, transportation hubs can leverage these advancements to create safer environments for passengers and staff, ultimately contributing to more secure and resilient public spaces.

This article was originally published in the September edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.