For millions of people across the United States, their place of worship is a beacon of hope and peace. However, since 2015, more than 49 parishioners have lost their lives and 40 more were injured in shootings at churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship. Security camera systems can help provide the protection that your congregation deserves. However, with many churches struggling to maintain their budgets, the cost of a quality security camera system may seem out of reach. To help faith-based and other nonprofits afford these measures, the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program gives churches access to federal funds to help bolster the security and safety of their parishioners.
DHS Nonprofit Security Grant Program
Recognizing the threat posed to faith communities across the country, the Department of Homeland Security developed the Nonprofit Security Grant Program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Organization. Through NSGP, churches can apply for access to funds to increase the safety and security of their members and facility.
The NSGP requires that the applying organization demonstrate that they are at an increased risk of a terrorist attack. Verbal threats, physical incidents, vandalism, and other incidents against the organization are all supporting evidence of the increased risk. If nearby groups that share a similar mission, belief, or ideology to yours have recently been targeted, this can also be supporting evidence for your application.
Use of funds
The NSGP takes a comprehensive approach to the safety and security of faith-based congregations. After identifying those groups at risk of attack, the NSGP provides funding to churches to help them prepare for and prevent attacks.
The NSGP approves funds for a variety of security and safety-related activities and equipment. Funds can be used for:
- Activities related to the development of plans for:
- Security Risk Management
- Continuity of Operations
- Emergency Response
- Authorized Equipment
- Security cameras and other surveillance equipment
- Access control equipment
- Physical protective measures like concrete barriers
- Training
- Active shooter
- Security training for employees, members, and congregations
- Exercises
- Emergency response exercises
Our security camera experts can help you select the right equipment and layout for your equipment and give you an accurate quote for submission to FEMA along with your NSGP application.
Selecting the right equipment
When it comes to making your house of worship more secure, the type of cameras you choose is as important as the decision to install them. Our experts will conduct a thorough site evaluation to create a detailed installation plan and map while working with you to identify the best choice of security camera features to meet the needs of your church.
Fisheye cameras allow you to view all angles of your site, with just one camera. While the footage is being recorded, it’s converted to four standard camera images so its able to be viewed easily on a monitor or mobile device. You can watch the live view, use motion detection, enable alert notification, and much more with our fisheye cameras, without having to install any software!
Infrared technology is now standard on nearly all new cameras offered by Camera Security Now. Cameras using only visible light technology are blind at night, which is probably when you need cameras the most! Even with motion detection lighting, your cameras can miss important activity outside of illuminated areas or during the few seconds where the camera has not adjusted to the sudden change in light conditions. Read Why Does My Security Camera Flicker at Night to learn more about how cameras can help keep your church safe even in low light.
Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) technology enables your camera to move its lens and refocus. Most PTZ cameras can rotate their lens along three axes for an ineradicable range of movement and camera coverage. The primary advantage of a PTZ camera is the ability, through the software on the actual Network Video Recorder, or the software on the remote viewing app, to rotate your camera side-to-side or up and down while also zooming in and out in real-time, giving you an unprecedented level of control of your camera’s field of view and viewing angle. With such a technology one camera can be used to watch a large area and bring distant objects easily into range with a crystal clear image. Wondering if PTZ cameras are the right option for you? Check out Are PTZ Cameras Right for Your Business to find out.
Though it seems like something right out of the movies, the ability for your Pan-Tilt-Zoom, and Fisheye cameras to autonomously track moving objects in real-time that enter their field of surveillance is real. In addition to object tracking, our systems support missing object detection, unattended object detection, object counting and more.
Active monitoring
While many potential criminals, thieves, and other bad actors will be deterred by the simple presence of security cameras, the way to make the most of your system and prevent the worst situations is to actively monitor the feed from your security camera system. Since most churches don’t have 24-hour security officers or staff on hand after hours, remote access options can allow you to keep an eye on your building, grounds, and parishioners from anywhere, anytime.
Our remote viewing apps are compatible with most PCs, smartphones, and tablets, including those running iOS, Android and Windows-based operating systems. After installing your system, we provide a brief training session to make sure that you are ready to use your remote viewing app. While we’re confident that you will have no trouble using your app, we are always here to answer your questions if you have any questions or need additional assistance. Check out Access Your Security Cameras from Anywhere to learn more about remote access features for your security camera system.
Nationwide service you can trust
Our nationwide network of technicians coordinates with our home office in southwest Ohio to provide security camera installation for churches, businesses, schools, and municipalities in all 50 states. So whether you’re located in our local service area or need our nationwide service, our commitment and promise to you are to always exceed your expectations for customer service and professionalism. From our 15-minute guaranteed response on quote requests to our quick response time on phone calls and emails, our commitment to service has always been a top priority. When you need a partner you can trust, who is also a trusted partner in the community, look no further than Camera Security Now.
Our camera service and installation professionals deliver the security camera solutions that your church needs, helping you ensure the security of your parishioners, visitors, and staff. To find out how easy it is to make your church more secure, request a quote today.
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