A group of security organizations showed their community commitment with a donation of a proximity-based access system installed at a Las Vegas not-for-profit agency that was experiencing a series of break-ins because of old-fashioned mechanical locks.

For more than 20 years, Assistance League of Las Vegas has been dedicated to meeting the needs of its community. Part of the National Assistance League, the organization’s 292 volunteer members logged over 32,000 volunteer hours last year in support of philanthropic projects

MECHANICAL PROBLEMS

Access control, in support of the large volunteer staff and on-site retail facilities, is a constant and vital requirement for the organization. The League’s headquarters, the Donald W. Reynolds Chapter Facility, had traditional mechanical locks.

After experiencing several break-ins due to faulty locks at the facility, League management was desperate for a new access control solution. The organization went to a group organized by the Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) to research the cost of new locks for their facility. A cooperative organization comprising representatives from three concerns (Associated Locksmiths of America, OSI Security Devices and ACE Locksmiths) responded by donating a state-of-the-art access control solution.

KEYLESS SOLUTION

With a goal of providing greater security and access control to the Assistance League facility, 13 doors were installed with wireless access from Omnilock. Donated by OSI Security Devices, the installed system replaced the League’s old lock system. The system uses HID Global’s proximity technology and incorporates programmed access cards, donated by HID Global. Additionally, several Von Duprin exit devices and associated installation time were donated by Security Lock Distributors and ACE Locksmiths of Las Vegas. Hardware for the new system is valued at $15,000 - $18,000, with twice that amount given by installers in labor and installation costs.

The lock system includes a battery-operated mechanism that can be used with proximity cards, a touch pad system or both together, customized for each volunteer for heightened access control. In addition, a log of entrants into the building, forced entries, outages and battery power is recorded by the software component of the system, providing increased access control intelligence to the League’s management. The entire system enables end-users to log on to the system and run the access control application remotely.

The installers, many with their first chance to work with the keyless, wireless, battery-operated system, gained valuable training and experience with the new system while providing a valuable service to this community center.

“With a very worthy cause, and an opportunity to advance the training of ALOA members, it was not difficult to step-up to the plate and donate the WAMS system for this project,” said Ron Siess of OSI Security Devices. “This looked like a perfect opportunity to launch off a new access control system,” said Jerry Newton, Ace Locksmiths’ CEO. “I like what they do and it’s great to see somebody trying to do some good.”

TOUCHING LIVES

The ALOA-sponsored group helped to provide valuable assistance and an innovative security approach to this critical community organization. League funds that would have been spent on an access control system will now be reallocated to assist initiatives like Operation School Bell, providing clothing and school supplies to underprivileged 5- to 15-year-olds, increasing their incentive for attendance, academic performance and self-esteem. “To us, this is such a boon because the money we need is for the children,” Assistance League’s Margy Purdue-Johnson said.