There’s a scenario we see fairly regularly. A business has its fire alarm maintained by one company, its CCTV looked after by another, and its intruder alarm under contract with a third. Each system works, more or less. But when a fault occurs, nobody’s quite sure who to call. When an incident happens overnight and the intruder alarm goes off, there’s no link to the CCTV footage. When the fire alarm activates, the access control doors don’t automatically release for evacuation.
Each system is doing its own thing. Which defeats a large part of the point.
Integration is the part that actually makes systems work
When fire, security, access control, and CCTV are designed to work together, the difference is significant. An intruder alarm triggered at a particular door can automatically bring up the CCTV camera covering that area on your monitoring screen. A fire alarm activation can automatically release access-controlled doors to clear the evacuation route. An attempt to enter a restricted zone outside authorised hours can send a real-time alert to your phone and to a monitoring centre simultaneously.
None of that happens by accident. It requires systems that are specified to be compatible with each other, installed with integration in mind from the start, and configured correctly. That’s a design question, not just an installation one and it’s something we think about from the very first site visit.
Intruder alarms that actually count
Our intruder alarm installations are designed to PD 6662, the British Standard covering intruder and hold-up alarm systems. This matters because Lancashire Constabulary, like most police forces, will only respond to alarms connected through a monitoring centre that meets specific accreditation requirements. A box on the wall that makes a noise but doesn’t meet those standards is essentially just a deterrent and not necessarily a very effective one.
As an SSAIB-accredited company, our alarm installations meet the criteria that insurers and police require. For businesses in retail, logistics, manufacturing, and hospitality across Lancashire, that accreditation can be the difference between a policy being honoured and a claim being challenged.
Access control: more useful than most people realise
Access control tends to get thought of as a way to stop people getting into places they shouldn’t be. That’s part of it. But a modern access control system also generates a full audit trail who was where, and when. For care homes, that supports safeguarding records. For schools, it’s a core part of lockdown capability. For commercial buildings, it removes the headache of managing physical keys that get lost, copied, or never returned when someone leaves.
We design and install access control ranging from a single card reader on a side door to multi-site systems managing hundreds of access points. We also install lockdown systems which allow a building or specific zones within it to be secured immediately from a central point. These are increasingly common in schools and healthcare environments, where the ability to respond quickly to a threat can be critical.
Automatic doors and vehicle access
As an approved member of ADSA the Automatic Door Suppliers Association we also cover automatic doors, gates, and vehicle access barriers. For industrial sites, logistics yards, and commercial premises where controlling vehicle movement is part of overall site security, these systems work naturally alongside CCTV and access control. They need regular maintenance and safety testing to stay compliant, and that’s something we handle as part of a joined-up service.
One contract, one call
The practical benefit of having everything with us is straightforward. One maintenance contract, one point of contact, one team who understands every system on your site. When something needs attention, there’s no ambiguity about who to call or whose responsibility it is. We also offer a free health check for businesses who already have systems in place and want an honest view of where they stand whether that leads to switching to us or not.
To talk through your security setup, contact 24/7 Protection on 01254 416247
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