Fairfield University receives $48,750 Homeland Security Grant | Press Releases

A $48,750 Homeland Security Grant has been awarded to Fairfield University's Department of Public Safety to update its video surveillance system. The grant is part of the $16 million federal homeland security grants to Connecticut announced by Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, ID-Conn.

Todd Pelazza, director of public safety at Fairfield University, said the grant will be used to transition from a limited and outdated analogue system to a high definition and resolution megapixel camera system designed to use in IP Systems. Additional cameras will be purchased with the grant as well.

Fairfield University serves as the Emergency Evacuation location for all public schools in the Town of Fairfield and the University of Bridgeport. Its Communication Center possesses a dual dispatch and monitoring station that can be used by the local police department in the event of a crisis. Pelazza said, "An IP-based video surveillance system is a vital tool in monitoring and alerting the community of a pending danger."

Fairfield will be coordinating the project with both state and local homeland security partners. Pelazza explained, "IP based video possesses the potential for campus law enforcement, local police, fire department and other First Responder agencies to view each others' video, providing a more coordinated response and improved situational awareness." In the event of a major incident, he said, "this technology could allow video to be streamed to officers' PDA's, laptops and other mobile devices."