Has this ever happened at your community or commercial property?
The first video clip shows four people entering an elevator at an office park then igniting some fireworks inside. They exited the elevator and shot off more fireworks on the property. One of our ECAM security operators was watching and alerted the on-site guard, as well as police. At least one individual was arrested.
In the second clip, our security operator observed two individuals lighting fireworks outside of their St. Louis apartment building. Because of the perceived danger of the activity, the operator contacted police.
Finally, the last clip takes place at a Dallas apartment community. Multiple people were seen shooting off fireworks on the lawn and in the parking lot. Our trained monitoring operator left a message for the security guard on duty. Police were already on their way.
The Dangers of Fireworks
Summer, especially in the U.S., is synonymous with barbecues, picnics, parades and fireworks. Although fireworks can be enjoyable, they can also be dangerous. Fortunately, no one in the above video was injured. That isn’t always the case, however.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 180 people a day visit the emergency room with fireworks-related injuries around the 4th of July holiday. Even sparklers, thought to be safe, can burn up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
People aren’t the only casualties of fireworks mishaps. The National Fire Protection Association reports that fireworks are the cause of an average of 18,500 fires every year.
The following properties learned that the hard way:
- Over the recent July 4th holiday, an illegal fireworks display destroyed eight units in a Northridge California apartment building.
- A Manhattan apartment was destroyed by a fire sparked from illegal fireworks.
- In Yonkers,
fireworks were the alleged cause of a fire that destroyed an apartment building, leaving six families without a home.
Incidents like these can have harmful effects on your property. In each of the above examples, structures were demolished, and people were displaced. Even a small fire can have severe consequences. In addition to damage from the flames, there can be contamination from smoke.
How to Deter Unwanted Activity with Live Video Monitoring
While live video monitoring is not a fire deterrent, it can help protect your property from the people who could harm it. Trained security operators monitor live cameras to watch for suspicious activity in real time. If they see something, they can act immediately by activating an on-site speaker warning and calling local authorities. This ability to quickly notify emergency personnel can help to resolve an issue that may otherwise be damaging.
Our team of video analysts can also review footage from your cameras to provide evidence of incidents to police and insurance companies.
Property damage and liability issues can ruin your business. If you want more information about our proactive security solutions, contact us.
