In these challenging times, have you considered what would happen if you could no longer purchase supplies required to keep your entrance control points operating because they are manufactured in Europe?

This could be a dress rehearsal for what is down the road, and imagine if your access control needs repair and the parts require weeks or months to arrive from overseas.

West Virginia American Access Control Systems (WVAACS), the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Platinum Award Champion for Best Integrated Security Management Solution, invites you to visit wvaacs.com for all-American manufactured portals manufactured with American parts.

Mantraps or security portals have been in military facilities, mental health facilities, hospitals, tech data centers, and similar locations for decades in one form or another.

Older mantraps consisted of a small enclosure with two locking doors that a security officer manned.

The officer would let the person enter the enclosure through one door and then, once cleared, unlock the second door to allow access to the person into the facility, slowly allowing only two to three people per minute into a building.

Since those early manual days, the industry has evolved into fully automatic mantraps/portals capable of verifying the user and allowing access.

The “modern” mantraps can be equipped with biometric sensors, metal detectors, and anti-tailgating/ piggybacking sensors to verify and facilitate the users into the building.

This type of mantrap has a higher throughput average of four passages per minute with single slide doors or six passages per minute with bi-parting doors.

Since these technologies are the only means for positive access control, they have mainly been used in high-risk facilities.

However, they are increasingly becoming the standard for public facilities shortly due to the rise of violent crime in schools, workplaces, and retail stores.

West Virginia American Access Control Systems provides technologically superior security portal solutions that help protect military and government buildings at the local, state, and federal levels, all manufactured in the United States with American parts.

Veteran-owned WVAACS also offers Temperature Screening, which can deny entry if the user’s body is above safe levels.

WVAACS has the right portal solutions for high-risk government and military facility needs.

End users provided huge amounts of input during the development stages, resulting in an extremely reliable, user-friendly, robust, and long-lasting portal.

American Access Control Systems portals installed in the field have over two million passages – each over the last ten years – with a nominal failure rate of one every 425,000 passages.

Early warnings of impending failures are displayed on the control console so the facility can schedule a service call before the portal experiences a failure. Data from the last 1500 cycles can be downloaded to assist in the troubleshooting process.

The combination of low failure rate, early warning, and easy repair have made these systems user-friendly, management-friendly, and technician-friendly. Installation is a breeze as they require no building modifications.

Depending on the model, the installation takes 1.5 to 2.0 days from beginning to placing into service.

The portals are assembled at the factory, and operation and sensors are fully tested before the portal is disassembled and shipped to your location.

These steps ensure the portal functions properly and installation is trouble-free and fast. This proven process requires minimal adjustments before being placed into service.

WVAACS portals are ADA-compliant and eliminate the need for a dedicated portal for ADA use.

The electronics in the portals switch between ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) mode and normal operation depending on the badge presented.

If the facility supports two separate signals from the facility’s security system, the portal will operate at normal speeds for NON-ADA users when a NON-ADA badge is presented.

However, when an ADA badge is presented, the portal operates slower to facilitate the user.

Alerts are sent to the security officer when there is a security violation or an attempted violation.

The Smart E-Stop feature attempts to open the door that the user entered the portal three times. If the door opening is unsuccessful, the clutch is disengaged, allowing the portal door to be opened manually.

All sensors are laser-based, preventing ambient light interference.

The control console can monitor/control up to eight different portals from a single location.

(See a demonstration of WVAACS portals metal detection capabilities. Courtesy of American Access Control Systems and YouTube. Posted on Jul 26, 2018.)

WVAACS Series 400

Better technology means better reliability and better security.

The WVAACS Series 400 makes security easy.

Designed to replace existing swing doors without additional construction easily, the WVAACS Series 400 is a fully customizable, ADA-compliant security portal solution.

Trusted to meet the high-security needs of America’s most secure facilities for years, WVAACS security portals with US components are made in the USA to ensure that all parts are always readily available.

The product is assembled and tested in the factory to ensure all corresponding parts fit properly, eliminating the time-consuming problem of field modifications.

The electronic panel is pre-wired and labeled for plug-and-play use.

WVAACS units do not require a pit to be dug into the floor, eliminating costly and time-consuming construction!

The Series 400 is a 48-inch by 60-inch portal available in bi-parting doors, allowing six passages per minute.

The Series 400 can be installed in an existing doorway by removing the swing door from the hinges and mounting the portal against the frame.

This portal is also ADA compliant and can be equipped with anti-tailgating/piggybacking, metal detection, left object detection, and biometrics such as iris scan.

(See a demonstration of WVAACS portals anti-tailgating/piggybacking capabilities. Courtesy of American Access Control Systems and YouTube. Posted on Jul 26, 2018.)

With WVAACS Series 400 Security Portals, You Can:

• Prevent unauthorized access via tailgating

• Prohibit the exploitation of credentials via piggybacking

• Prevent forced entry

• Improve security environment

• Manage and monitor unmanned security portals via console

• Manage traffic with faster throughputs

• Improve productivity with faster throughput times

• Customize a solution

• Have in-factory assembly and pre-testing

• Have faster installation and shorter downtime, and more!

WVAACS Series 400 Security Portal Features Include:

• Outside cabin dimensions 100” H X 60” D X 48” W with clear passage measuring 87” X34”
  

• Switches to a slower operating mode when an ADA badge is presented. Smart E-Stop technology forces the person out the same door used to enter the portal when the E-Stop is activated.

• The console alerts security of an alarm situation and allows for the override of detection systems by an authorized individual.

• The console displays the current status of up to eight portals, individually or collectively.
  

• Logs 16,000 cycles of data for troubleshooting assistance.
  

• Main Control is internally protected to prevent failures due to overload conditions.
  

• Voice messages are programmable on-site, allowing for a custom message to meet the facility’s needs.

• Laser-based tailgating system immune to ambient light
  

• Laser-based safety sensors immune to ambient light
  

• Five-hour battery backup
  

• Secure automatic emergency release. WVAACS portals use E-Stop, a secure automatic emergency release that NEVER gives a clear passage, thus keeping the facility secure.
  

• Powder-coated finish available in all RAL listed colors
  

• Custom finishes are available in stainless steel #4 & non-directional
  

• Optional Metal Detection
  

• Optional Left Object Detection
  

• Glass options include 9/16” safety glass, BR1, BR2, BR2 with film (BR3)
  

• Connections can be made to the building’s fire alarm system, opening both doors immediately to allow evacuation
  

• Fire alarm override allows the security officer to close the doors in the event of an attempted security breach

  • When this is activated, the inside door(s) close, the portal scans the interior of the portal to ensure no one is inside, the exterior door(s) close when clear, then the portal automatically locks down

(See a fire alarm override demonstration. Courtesy of American Access Control Systems and YouTube. Posted on Jul 26, 2018.)

As a veteran-owned business, supporting American businesses and vendors is paramount at WVAACS, explains CEO Dave Jones.

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now entering its Ninth Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.

West Virginia American Access Control Systems

Best Integrated Security Management Solution

• • • AACS Series 300 Security Portal
      with 10 YEAR WARRANTY

• Smart and Secure, the AACS Series 300 security portal is designed to simplify security.

• Available in single-slide or bi-parting doors, the AACS Series 300 has a throughput of six people per minute. The bi-parting doors reduce wait times and are perfect for high-traffic entrances.

• Made in the USA with U.S. components, all parts are always readily available. The portal is factory assembled and tested to ensure all corresponding parts fit properly, eliminating the time-consuming problem of field modifications.

• The electronic panel of the AACS Series 300 security portal (which is now covered by a ten-year warranty) is pre-wired and labeled for plug-and-play use, and AACS Series 300 units do not require a pit to be dug into the floor, eliminating costly and time-consuming construction.

(Hear a client testimonial on the performance and benefits of WVAACS security portals by VarcoMac, a leading electrical contractor providing 24/7 services to the Baltimore-Washington Metro Area for over 40 years. Courtesy of WV Access Control Systems and YouTube.)

• *WVAACS is a Returning ‘ASTORS’ Awards Champion, having secured Wins in the 2022, 2020, 2019, and 2018 Homeland Security Awards Programs

In addition, the continually evolving ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program will highlight the trail of Accomplished Women in Leadership in 2024.

So be on the lookout for exciting upcoming announcements of Speakers, Presenters, Book Signing Opportunities, and Attendees at the 2024 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon in November of 2024 in New York City!

Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2024 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.

Comprehensive List of Categories Include:

Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?

Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher, at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.

Homeland Security remains at the forefront of our national conversation as we experience an immigration crisis along our southern border and crime rates that are dramatically higher than before the Pandemic across the United States.

These challenges have become a national priority with an influx of investments in innovative new technologies and systems.

Enter American Security Today, the #1 publication and media platform in the Government Security and Homeland Security fields, with a circulation of over 75,000 readers and many tens of thousands more who visit our AST website at www.americansecuritytoday.com each month.

The pinnacle of the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Ceremony Luncheon Banquet, an exclusive, full-course plated meal event in the heart of New York City.

The pinnacle of the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Government Excellence Awards is the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Ceremony and Banquet Luncheon.

In 2023, this exclusive sold-out event featured at ISC East, well over two hundred representatives of law enforcement, public safety, and industry leaders came together to honor the selfless service of those who stand on the front lines – and those who stand beside them – providing the capabilities and technologies to create a safer world for future generations.

Comprehensive collaborations between these private and public sectors have led to the development of innovative intelligence and technologies that serve to protect our Nation.

Steven Dettelbach, Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) and Explosives, delivered the keynote address at the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security and Excellence in Public Safety Awards Ceremony and Banquet Luncheon.

Director Dettelbach spoke with passion on the epidemic of Gun Violence by Illegal Guns taking place across the United States, which results in over 125 deaths daily and impacting generations of families – leaving open chairs at holiday events.

Firearm injuries were the leading case of death for children for the third year in a row, he explained, and have doubled in the U.S. since 2021, levels that are simply intolerable.

Director Dettelbach lauded the strong partnerships with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Policing that ATF has earned and relies upon to reduce violence and spoke with admiration as a former prosecutor on the selfless sense of mission and drive that is universal across the entire First Responder Community.

The prestigious Annual ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program highlights the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.

The ‘ASTORS’ was specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit, and intelligence to end-users in a variety of government, homeland security, enterprise, and public safety vertical markets.

(See a few highlights during the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security and Government Excellence Awards Ceremony and Banquet Luncheon in NYC during ISC East on November 16, 2023. Courtesy of AST, My Pristine Images, and Vimeo.)

AST puts forward the Largest and Most Qualified Circulation in Government with Over 75,000 readers on the Federal, State and Local levels.

AST Digital Publications are distributed to over 75,000 qualified government and homeland security professionals in federal, state, local, and private security sectors.

‘PROTECTING OUR NATION, ONE CITY AT A TIME’

AST Reaches Private and public Experts, essential to meeting these new challenges.

Today’s new generation of public safety and security experts need real-time knowledge to deal with domestic and international terrorism, lone wolf attacks, unprecedented urban violence, shifts in society, culture, and media bias – making it increasingly difficult for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Military and Private Security Professionals to implement coordinated security measures to ensure national security and improve public safety.

These experts are from the Government at the federal, state, and local levels, as well as from private firms allied to the government.

AST provides a full plate of topics in our AST Monthly Magazine Editions, AST Website, and AST Daily News Alerts, covering 23 Vital Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities, and Emergency Response among others.

AST has Expanded readership into integral Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants and Dams, Bridges and Tunnels, and other potential targets of terrorism.

Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting and Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools and Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – all enticing targets due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.

To learn more about ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, Be On the LookOut for the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS Edition Fully Interactive Magazine – the Best Products of 2023 ‘A Year in Review.’

The Annual CHAMPIONS edition reviews ‘ASTORS’ Award Winning products and programs, highlighting key details on many of the winning firm’s products and services, including video interviews and more.

It will serve as your Go-To Source throughout the year for ‘The Best of 2023 Products and Services’ endorsed by American Security Today and can satisfy your agency’s and/or organization’s most pressing Homeland Security and Public Safety needs.

From Physical Security (Access Control, Critical Infrastructure, Perimeter Protection, and Video Surveillance Cameras and Video Management Systems), to IT Security (Cybersecurity, Encryption, Data Storage, Anti-Malware, and Networking Security – to name a few), the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS EDITION will have WHAT YOU NEED to Detect, Delay, Respond to, and Mitigate today’s real-time threats in our constantly evolving security landscape.

It will also include featured guest editorial pieces from some of the security industry’s most respected leaders and recognized firms in the 2023 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.

For more information on All Things American Security Today, as well as the 2024 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program, please contact Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.

AST strives to meet a 3 STAR trustworthiness rating, based on the following criteria:

• Provides named sources
• Reported by more than one notable outlet
• Includes supporting video, direct statements, or photos

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