The Hot Springs Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital Domiciliary Camera Surveillance System project was a multi-phase design/build project. All Communications & Services (ACS), a division of PSI, was contracted to provide labor, materials, equipment, and training to design and install the fiber-optic backbone that connects each of the 11 buildings/wings with the main control room and surveillance system. Phase I included training personnel on system usage and outfitting buildings 1-8 with camera surveillance. The surveillance system was an expandable, state of the art Power over Ethernet system, currently with 100 networked cameras. The system was installed to monitor the exits and to function as part of a patient monitoring system. In Phase I, ACS installed 37 Axis 216 MFD cameras, one custom server, four 24 Port POE switches, two viewing stations with 42” Toshiba LCD Monitors with mounts, and five Minute Man battery backups. Phase II included training personnel on system usage, providing maintenance for Phase I cameras, and outfitting buildings 9-11 with camera surveillance. In Phase II, ACS installed 56 1.3MP Vandal Resistant Dome cameras, four Sentinal 2MP Outdoor cameras, one custom server, two 42” Toshiba LCD Monitors with mounts, and three work stations. ACS also updated the Milestone software from Phase I.
The system utilized Milestone’s video management software, which displayed on the two 42” monitors. The monitors were programmed to view up to 64 cameras each. Each of the scenes is programmed to suit the needs of the customer. Milestone is an open platform IP video management software solution. This allows third party software developers to create add-on modules.
The VA Hospital Domiciliary project was completed during business hours. ACS technicians had to remain vigilant in order to ensure that dust and noise level from drilling was minimized as they ran the wiring. ACS technicians worked closely with the hospital staff to ensure that the cameras would view the required areas, without violating the privacy of the patients. Maintaining the historic value and minimizing the environmental impact were also top priorities. All materials were reused or recycled, including scrap cable and conduit. ACS provided ongoing maintenance for the system for the duration of the contract.
