2N Intercoms Protect Victims Of Domestic Violence At A Shelter In Pittsburgh

2N INTERCOMS PROTECT VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AT A SHELTER IN PITTSBURGH

Commission

The Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh has operated in this American city for over 40 years. The center provides care for women and children who face abuse and domestic violence. Recently, the center found itself not only struggling with a lack of accommodation capacity but with the problem of an outdated security and communications system. For a non-profit organisation providing a safe haven for up to 8,000 victims of physical and mental abuse every year, a modern communications system and security with reliable access control is absolutely essential. For this reason, the center decided to invest in a new solution based on network technologies. A robust telephone system by Cisco integrated with IP video intercoms and access control by 2N were ultimately selected.

Solution

Women generally first contact the shelter by phone on the hotline. For this reason, the first step in modernisation was installing a new communications system based on the Unified Communications Manager software by Cisco. This robust network communications infrastructure provided the center with secure and scalable call management. This was followed by modernising security throughout the whole building. The main aim was to establish an integrated security solution combining a new (video) telephone system with IP video intercoms and dynamic IP access control—a task which 2N products are ideally suited for.

Protection for the building’s perimeter and entrances is provided by 2N® IP Verso intercoms equipped with an RFID reader and touchpad. A two-step verification system is used for access to the building. This means that besides an access card, the resident must enter a PIN. This prevents intruders accessing the building using stolen or lost cards. When a visitor or resident of the center presses the intercom button, a video call is established with a telephone in the center’s office. In the event of any problems, a video recording of the person standing at the entrance offers another security feature. Inside the building, the entrances to the children’s playroom and staff areas are protected with two-way audio and wide-angle HD cameras on 2N® IP Force intercoms.

Benefits

EASILY INTEGRATED SECURITY AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

RELIABLE ACCESS CONTROL USING TWO-STEP VERIFICATION

SIMPLE EXTENSION OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM

SIMPLE INTERCOM ADMINISTRATION WITH 2N® ACCESS COMMANDER

Result

Seamless integration now lets the staff at the center monitor entrances remotely, check visitors and permit access to residents who have forgotten their card or PIN. The integrated systems from 2N and Cisco have significantly increased security throughout the whole building. The center is also making efforts to further improve the system. One of the new possible features is the use of a motion detection system outside a door. If the 2N intercom detects any movement, it plays a prerecorded message challenging the person standing at the door. Flexibility and simple extension are just two of the many benefits offered by the new system to the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh.