Senior Complex Gives Residents Assistance at the Push of a Button

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By Thomas Haire

Brigadier Security Systems 2000 Ltd. introduces personal safety devices to protect the residents of Riverside Terrace in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The emergency pendants are the main focus of an extensive burglary and safety installation.

As the North American population grows older, and baby boomers become senior citizens, housing the elderly will become a major task for most communities. Many developers are beginning to create luxury senior housing complexes in response to the negative image of inexpensive retirement communities.

Due to the special needs of many elderly residents, these types of developments often have a need for more creative security measures. Brigadier Security Systems 2000 Ltd. of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, has been a leader in recognizing such needs since the company’s inception 16 years ago.

So, when Riverside Terrace Inc., a development company that was just finishing the building of its 200-unit Riverside Terrace senior luxury housing complex, came calling, Brigadier President Robert Freberg and sales manager Gordon Turnbull were ready to help.

When the time came to elect the right security stem for the development, the owners knew at some type of life pro Antenna placement is a key factor in the protection system would enhance the desirability of the units. Brigadier found out about the job through its normal review process of local building construction. When the two sides met in August 2000, Turnbull had the answers the developers were looking for.

The installation called for Brigadier to design a limited burglary system that would protect the residence’s office areas and equip residents with waterproof emergency wireless pendants for personal and life protection. The company opted for the ITI Advent Commercial 256-zone alarm control panel, two ITI wired LCD keypads, five ITI transceivers, a single ITI Quik Bridge repeater, two talking annunciator/speakers, 10 door contacts, 10 wireless transmitters and, finally, 200 ITI waterproof emergency wireless pendants. ITI is a brand of GE Security.

Developers Were Unaware System Existed
During development of the housing complex, the leaders of Riverside Terrace had looked for the right system to improve the comfort and safety level for the elderly residents who would be living there. However, their search process had led them close to finalizing a contract with another company for a costly system that featured individual security units in each suite.
“After our sales team found this jobâ€¦no comparable bids were solicited. ” -Robert Freberg, Brigadier Security Systems 2000 Ltd.
“The contractor was not aware of the type of system we could install,” Freberg says. In fact, after our sales team found this job through routine follow-up on building construction in Saskatoon, no comparable bids were solicited.”

After obtaining the contract in August, the installation began on Sept. 9,2000. Even with some minor challenges, it took Brigadier only 56 man-hours to install the system, which cost approximately $30,000 (U.S.).

“Wireless was the only way to offer total portability to the ‘panic buttons’ each resident is ” encouraged to carry. ” -Gordon Tumbull, Brigadier Security Systems 2000 Ltd.“We experienced a certain amount of difficulty with the installation because the facility was nearly completed when we commenced the installation,” Turnbull contends. “It was necessary to run wires from the control panel to each of the keypads. Additionally, wiring was required to power each of the transceivers, plus the repeater also required power.”

However, Brigadier used the electrician who wired the rest of the building to simply run a single common cable to all locations necessary to their system.

System Focused on Protecting Residents
Brigadier, whose normal market is about 85 percent burglary, 10 percent CCTV and 5 percent access control, focused on the addition of a “Life Protection System” that would strongly enhance the comfort level of the residents, as well as the desirability and salability of the complex’s units.

“The major portion of this system is directed at life protection,” says Freberg. “The system is designed so that residents carry personal panic buttons with them at all times.”

Should a resident experience a medical problem, he or she simply presses the button for help.

The company also decided that because of the facility’s size and the number of entrance and exit doors being used on a continual basis, only a minimal amount of burglary protection on select doors would be used. “The real value of what is being protected with this system is people’s lives,” adds Freberg.

The Advent control panel, a new product from ITI, was selected for its wide range and 256-zone count. The system protects tenants across the entire property, including the underground parking garage. LCD keypads are located in the manager’s office and a common area so responders can quickly identify which unit generates an alarm and get help immediately.

“The entire system is based upon wireless technology,” Turnbull says. “Wireless was the only way to offer total portability to the ‘panic buttons’ each resident is encouraged to carry.”

Installation Simplifies Developer’s Needs
The installation, completed in less than two days, significantly reduced the developer’s costs and simplified its response to emergencies in the complex. The complex’s management contends that it would have cost them twice as much to install the previously planned standalone systems in each unit.

The burglary portion of the installation allows the Advent system to monitor the complex exit doors for security and resident protection, and the in-house fire alarm.

Also, a voice annunciation feature allows every emergency situation to be broadcast via an in-house public address system when necessary.

Nevertheless, the crux of the system is still to protect the lives of the residents and provide prompt response to personal emergencies.

Equipment List for Riverside Terrace in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

1 ITI Advent Commercial
256-zone alarm control panel
200 ITI waterproof emergency w1reless pendants
2 ITI LCD keypads (wired)
5 ITI transceivers1 ITI Quik Bridge repeater
2 talking annunciator/speakers
10 door contacts
10 wireless transmitters

FAST FACTS

- There is an average of 13 points of protection in a typical residential and 15 points in commercial applications.
- 18 percent of burglary installations are wireless.
- Dealers install an average of 497 burglar alarm systems per year.
- 79 percent of dealers install mass-marketed burglar alarm systems.
- The average monthly monitoring fee for a commercial burglar alarm system is $25.
- Dealers installed an average of 26 outdoor perimeter installations in 1998.
- 6 percent of residential burglar alarm installations are equipped with long-range radio.
- 5 percent of residential burglar alarm installations are equipped with cellular signal transmission.

Burglary Fast Facts
Source: 2000 Security Sales Dealer Survey

System Already Responding, Saving Lives
According to Riverside Terrace, the ITI technology installed by Brigadier, which has more than 2,900 monitored accounts has already saved as least one life.

A tenant suffering from multiple sclerosis slipped and was trapped in his bathtub. He was saved from a possible drowning by pressing his panic button that he wore around his neck. The panel told emergency personnel in which unit help was needed.

This isn’t the only case where the system has worked. “The system has resulted in emergency medical assistance having been dispatched several times to assist residence with medical problems,” Turnbull contends.

And, as long as residents follow instructions, the system will continue to provide the service that Riverside Terrace developers thought wasn’t possible just less than a year ago.

“Having a ‘Life Protection System’ readily available, a system that provides portable coverage for residents, is considered a great selling feature for the developers,” Turnbull adds. “This device was completely value-added over what the complex’s competitors offer.”