A CCTV thermal camera is security at its finest. By showing capabilities far beyond the powers of traditional visible-light cameras, an infrared imaging camera (IR camera) pushes the envelope in early detection and crime prevention to greater heights. For starters, thermal cameras allow people to see beyond what their eyes can see. This means you can detect intrusion even in the dead of night. Moreover, not even the thickest of fog or snow can deter one from knowing someone is dangerously approaching — lurking behind the confusion with possible criminal intent.
As you may know by now, when it comes to crimes of property and violence, prevention is key. And this is where a CCTV camera comes in handy. When your home or office becomes a target of unscrupulous behavior, early detection of an invasion is paramount. Not only can it save your property from theft but also, and more importantly for you, it can save precious lives. Take note that crimes once they happen leave a scar that hardly heals - if at all. Worse, many condemnable acts of intrusion and violence may not get the justice they deserve.
If you’re serious about keeping yourself and those around you safe, relying on a CCTV thermal camera is wise. Right from the get-go, it shows that you’re putting a premium on people you love — and is doing what it takes to give them the protection they deserve. Away from harm.
A Grim Picture and a Shorthanded Camera
Let’s face it. The usual refrain when it comes to the incidence of a crime is regret. However, instead of becoming a passive victim, taking a more proactive approach should be the better road to take. It’s true. It’s better to be safe than sorry. And that should mean taking positive action to prevent a crime before things blow up in your face.
Truth be told, crime is a harsh reality we must contend with be it in the work setting or at home. Year in year out, government statistics show there are:
What’s more, behind most of these burglaries are not strangers. The typical burglar lives within just 2 miles of the victim and may even be an acquaintance. Burglaries happen within a timeframe of between 90 seconds to 12 minutes. More often than not, small, easy-to-carry items (cash, jewelry, smartphones, iPods, guns) are the target.
And yes, a word of caution. Though usually, these unscrupulous individuals are not prone to violence, burglars attack when confronted or surprised. And that could certainly be a dangerous situation for anyone present on the premises.
To note, crime has taken a huge toll on the American population. In 2018 alone, there were:
- 2 million ER visits due to assault
- 19,141 deaths due to homicide.
While many of these crimes occurred at random places all over the country, many did happen within the premises of homes or offices. What’s worse, these stats are not the full story. No, sir. The reality is far more sinister.
For the record, America has more of its people in prison than any other country in the world. And yet, in spite of that, the sad reality is crime in America is underreported. As stats show:
- Only half of violent crimes are reported yearly to the police.
- Only a third of property crimes are reported yearly to the police.
- Of those reported violent crimes, only 46% get “cleared”.
- Of those reported property crimes, only 19% get “cleared”.
Being cleared means a positive action has been taken in relation to a crime. A suspect has been apprehended or a case filed are just some of the examples of positive action.
Overall, this is a telltale sign of our security needs. Indeed, it’s not only important that you build a home or grow a business but it’s also imperative you secure the location.
The problem is old-school security methodologies may fall short in this regard. For one, relying on a run-of-the-mill visible-light CCTV camera may not cut it. As powerful as these cameras used for ordinary photos are, they are severely limited when it comes to security detection. And these limitations are ingrained in their very nature.
To boot, regular CCTV cameras, just like the camera on your smartphone, cannot function without visible light. They’re virtually blind in total darkness.
The consequences could be dire for you. It means you’d be seeing nothing but dark images in the absence of any source of light, in the dead of night for instance. Unfortunately, such loopholes in the system are bound to be exploited by thieves and criminals. When that happens, your precious abode can quickly become a sitting duck. And naturally, you and the people you love could become targets. In matters of seconds.
CCTV Thermal Camera to the Rescue
A CCTV thermal camera is a thermal camera that is used for surveillance and security purposes. As such, its ability to detect heat signatures from a distance makes it a more ideal safety measure to prevent intrusion and foil a potential crime compared to traditional visible-light cameras. Small wonder why over time the IR camera has established itself as the most reliable 24-hour visual surveillance product option in the market today.
Indeed, the superior capabilities of a CCTV thermal camera have played a central role in securing key perimeters all over the country. Top of this list are borders, seaports, airports, and countless infrastructures where security is a top priority. And with products increasingly carrying an affordable price tag, getting an IR camera to secure your precious abode should bid you well.
The biggest advantage of a CCTV thermal camera comes in light of early detection. As it is not dependent on the presence of light to operate, an IR camera can alarm you of approaching danger more effectively, giving you ample time to secure yourself. Amongst the many benefits of using infrared technology for security purposes are:
- Low to Zero Light Scenarios
The dark has always been associated with unscrupulous behavior because it plays to the advantage of criminals. But no longer. With a CCTV thermal camera positioned at the right spot, your security system can detect any person ‘breaking and entering’ even in the dead of the night.
It’s true. When it comes to thermal cameras, you won’t need light to figure out someone is creeping into your premises. By detecting each object’s thermal signature in its FOV (field of view), a thermal camera would be able to detect what an everyday camera can’t. Take note that humans are warm-blooded and therefore would register a distinct heat signature distinct from their surroundings.
If that has you confused, think of your eyes and what it sees. Just like your visible-light camera, your eyes are dependent on the presence of light to see. A CCTV thermal camera, however, can detect heat signatures with or without light. And that means it can detect the uninvited presence of a human in the darkest of the night with ease.
Therefore, you can display a CCTV infrared cam discreetly in the darkest of places. You won’t need lighting to make it work. That makes them harder to pick out when installed — unlike visible-light cameras which stand out like a sore thumb. Indeed, this capability shows you how superior a thermal camera is compared to traditional ones.
- Immune to Visual Limitations
Another key advantage of thermal imaging is its ability to detect human movement even in the most unforgiving circumstances. To note, infrared has become standard equipment in firefighting allowing fire personnel to zero in on victims trapped on-site despite the heavy smoke and all the heat.
Thus, even when the weather is at its worst, a CCTV thermal camera would still be able to show you the presence of an intruder. Normally, visual obscurants such as fog, smoke, or heavy snow would be a hindrance to an everyday camera. But not an infrared cam can’t help it. The heat signature of a human would still stand out in such challenging circumstances. Reason enough why a thermal camera is also a great guide when driving in bad weather.
So no matter the weather or the condition of the air, a thermal cam can give you consistent high-quality images that’s as clear as day.
Another obscurant that could make an intrusion hard to detect is foliage. When an intruder hides amongst plants and trees, zeroing in on his location can be an uphill climb. Again, this is where a CCTV thermal cam stands out. Visual camouflage or situations where objects blend well with each other can’t hide the presence of a human with infrared imaging scanning the area. Such an impressive feat has made IR cameras a must-have for animal hunters who enjoy the sport.
- Fewer False Alarms
Being able to interpret a scene can be taxing when you use traditional CCTV cameras. You’re bound to jump to conclusions that could be erroneous. False alarms, indeed, plague old-school CCTV security cameras. And this is where a thermal camera can lessen such errors.
CCTV thermal cameras have far fewer false alarms, if at all. As it can easily identify an uninvited human in the premises as opposed to an animal walking on fours such as a deer, being able to determine what is happening on-screen is a lot easier.
Of course, we have to take into account that someone could be making a concerted effort to hide their presence and movement. He could lay on the ground not moving for hours on end, or walk on fours like a dog.
This is where a CCTV thermal camera and analytics can work hand in hand to bring about more thorough results. As the thermal camera triggers a trespassing alarm, analytics can then track the possible intrusion.
From the onset, scene interpretation is a primary advantage of thermal cameras over traditional ones. An infrared’s ability to erase all doubts with regards to the nature of the intrusion leaves it heads above the powers of a visible-light camera.
- Higher ROI
First stop, thermal cameras need very little maintenance attention, unlike visible-light cameras. Certainly, that translates to a lot of savings on your part. Secondly, thermal cameras used for CCTV purposes have lowered their sticker price through the years. So while prices were extremely prohibitive before, today IR cam prices have plummeted allowing you to have decent CCTV without taking a huge chunk of your hard-earned cash.
In general, the total cost of owning a CCTV thermal camera system is much lower than that of an old-school CCTV security camera system. Moreover, you’d need far lesser thermal cameras to field to secure particular premises compared to traditional visible cameras.
Put in the mix all the capabilities it carries, and you know installing an infrared camera for security is well worth it. It really is about prioritizing the safety of your people.