For more than two decades, Transportation Market Manager Matt Powell has worked in the security industry, experiencing the market as an end-user, manufacturer, and integrator. He is Convergint’s go-to transportation security expert. Below is an article written by Powell, featured in SecurityInfoWatch.com, in which he gives insight on his experience with EAGL gunshot detection products.
An Expert Look: EAGL Gunshot Detection By Matt Powell
There are a variety of options on the market, but we are often approached about EAGL, a manufacturer of wireless gunshot detection technology. My first exposure to EAGL was during a project for an airport in need of gunshot detection, but with the challenge of changing wall configurations – meaning we needed a wireless solution.
We have used EAGL Firefly technology in wireless gunshot detection technology applications for indoor/outdoor locations and temporary installations. The product analyzes the wave form and energy levels of detected sounds to determine whether a firearm had been discharged. It runs on a proprietary wireless network, with the sensors wirelessly connecting back to receivers called nodes, which are hardwired to the EAGL server. These sensors are battery powered, and the batteries should be checked yearly, if not quarterly, due to the critical nature of the gunshot detection system. We have had several clients look to this technology for temporary deployments where there may not be a power source or a network.
The EAGL systems can be used as a standalone system, with sensors, nodes and cameras display on its Adaptive Response System that provides notifications, camera views, and automated call processes. The data can also be integrated with a VMS or PSIM platform like Genetec, where the gunshot detection sensors act like any other piece of detection hardware.
When a client needs a very adaptable deployment strategy, low-power, wireless solutions are the way to go. Commonly this is for indoor and outdoor deployments, construction occurring where they may need to move their devices in the future, and in some cases, they are leasing a space and cannot make permanent changes to the building. In my experience, the most common reason that clients come to us and we look to EAGL is locations under construction. We have had many organizations tell us they aren’t interested in gunshot detection until construction is complete, but you don’t need to wait until this point to keep your facilities safe from gunshot threats. Another common reason clients ask us to evaluate EAGL is outdoor applications. With EAGL, the sensors can be utilized indoor or outdoor, so long as they are calibrated to the location.