Even before considering the extreme nature of its sub-arctic climate, Fairbanks International Airport is unique in many ways. While serving a local population of only 82,000, the airport offers non-stop passenger service to Europe, Asia and Canada, making Fairbanks the smallest U.S. market to offer this level of international air service. In the words of Mike Supkis, Police and Fire Chief of the airport, “We are a little airport with a lot of really big planes.” The extensive international traffic, combined with a relatively small facility and staff, delivers daily security challenges that require solutions as unique as the airport itself.
One of the first things Chief Supkis proudly mentions when he talks about the airport’s new terminal-wide security system is that it is the fruition of an unusual, jointly funded partnership between airport security and two federal agencies, the TSA (Transportation Security Agency) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “All three organisations had a need for improved security. Together, we were able to agree on a system that serves all of our individual needs while saving a great deal of money by avoiding redundant equipment and operations.” The Fairbanks offices of SimplexGrinnell laid out a system that combines ViconNet video management capabilities with an access control system from Software House to create a fully integrated, IP-based solution that spans the entire airport, inside and out.
