WORK, REST AND PLAY KONTZ ENGINEERING
From building high walls with broken bottles to erecting barbed wire fences, people will go to any lengths to secure their homes. But are these always the safest and most cost-effective options?
The minimum security for every home
should be CCTV surveillance, after which alarm systems and wireless smoke detectors, capable of covering a one kilometre radius, can be introduced. Where power is not available, an inverter, a wind turbine or a panel can be used. For an entire building, an all-in-one burglar alarm, smoke alarm and fire alarm can be fit- ted. By enabling the CCTV’s GSM modem, owners can even see what is happening in and around their property and receive activity reports from anywhere in the world. Criminals know that technology is king,
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which is why in a bank robbery the first target tends to be the surveillance DVR. “The best way to ensure you don’t lose evidence is remote monitoring,” says Engr. Mustapha. Banks, he explains, should be able to link all of their branches together and have a central monitor- ing system. That way, even if the data goes missing at one branch, it will be available at another location.
Wise investment In industry and business, the methods of secu- rity range from access control systems to power protective devices, metal detectors and surveil- lance systems. “What the average business loses in a month
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ccording to security firm Kontz Engineering Ltd, many people aren’t aware just how cost-effective and safe automated security can be. The company specialises in automated or ‘electronic’
security, with an extensive list of products for domestic, industrial and military use. “For us, it is about more than just making a
profit,” says engineer and Chief Executive Officer Engr. Akin Mustapha “It is also about creating a platform on which to make Lagos a safer place – not just a third-world African city, but a modern city like any other in the world.” New York once had the highest crime rate
in the world, but following the introduction of automated security it is now one of the safest cities in the world. Similarly, the UK, which is one of the most secure countries to live in, has the highest number of CCTV cameras in the world.
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could have paid for surveillance for three years,” says Engr. Mustapha, adding, “When you install automated security, it will serve you forever.” Unlike many other forms of security, the secu- rity equipment is installed at a fixed cost rather than a running cost. Since Kontz first started operating 13 years
The modern view Engr. Mustapha would like to see the Lagos State government become more involved in improv- ing the city’s security, by offering to subsidise, perhaps up to 50 per cent, residents’ spending on surveillance systems. In five years’ time, they could then propose that the number of fortress-like walls being built around people’s homes be reduced. “Once the walls are pulled down, we will be able to properly appreciate the aesthetics of our environment,” he says. There are also psychological considerations
when installing security, acknowledges Engr. Mustapha. If a thief knows you have security, they are unlikely to come close. However, if that security makes you feel like you’re living in a prison, it can have a negative effect on you psy- chologically. Depending on preference, Kontz’s installations can be overt or covert.
ago, people have become far more aware of their environment and the need to invest in securing it. “When a client says they want auto- mated security, we don’t just sell them the equip- ment, we examine their needs and objectives and provide expert advice,” says Engr. Mustapha. The company also carries out project designs, consultations, training, systems integration and distribution, as well as hand-to-hand security. A leader in its field, Kontz Engineering Ltd deals with state-of-the-art equipment, has affiliations with leading security institutions worldwide and offers an excellent after-sales service, enabling it to stay ahead of the pack.
Kontz Engineering Services 7, Muri Folami Street, Ogudu GRA, Ojota, Lagos
www.kontzeng.com
| JANUARY - MARCH 2012 | ISLAND EXPLORER |
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