Protect Yourself

How to keep unwanted visitors out of your facility

by Jessica Pribush

CBN Oct/Nov 2010

We’ve all heard horror stories of gym break-ins—the cautionary tales that keep us obsessively checking our locks and alarm systems before we leave each day. But what if a standard lock and key and a push-button security system just aren’t enough?

Thousands of dollars’ worth of electrical equipment is stocked in cheer gyms around the country. If you have a team store or snack bar, you leave cash sitting in your registers overnight. Many facilities are run out of warehouses that have multiple points of entry. The importance of securing your gym goes without saying, but there are certain things you might not be doing that are imperative for keeping your facility safe.

Double-Check Everything

Most often, break-ins occur because of slipups caused by staff, whether they “just left a window open” or “forgot to lock the back door.” By practicing a security-check routine before you leave at the end of each day, you can eliminate the stress that comes from leaving your building unattended at night—and ultimately avoid any unwanted guests. “To enhance the security of your facility, you must use countermeasures and eliminate common risks,” says Robert Siciliano, Security Consultant for ADT’s website. Some common risks include: multiple points of entry, installing the wrong type of alarm system, not having a watchful eye on your property throughout the night, etc.

By getting in the habit of checking, or by having a staff member check all your safety precautions before closing shop each night, you’ll have peace of mind and feel confident that you’ll return the next morning to find your gym as you left it.

Allow Limited Points of Entry

Every gym has a main entrance, as well as a few others for emergencies. Beyond these, you should seal off all other possible entry points. “A single point of entry, whenever feasible, is best. It helps you control who enters the building,” says Siciliano.

The actual building that houses your can affect the type of security you need. The bigger the facility, the more points of entry, which means the higher the risk of a break-in. If you’re located inside a giant warehouse, you’ll need to think about how many doors are really necessary. You’ll always want to adhere to proper safety codes, of course, but think about how many unnecessary opportunities you’re giving thieves by leaving so many doors on premises. Do you really need all those double doors lining the side of your gym? They might have been great for a warehouse shipping out countless bulk packages, but does your cheer gym need such hefty exits? If your answer is no, then seal them off, or replace each double door with a single.

Keep an Eye in the Sky

Security cameras catch what you can’t. While they may be a pricey investment, cameras can monitor your facility all day, every day, so that you know what’s going on at any given moment. “[While] some people call this an invasion of privacy, I say the more cameras the better,” Siciliano says. “It keeps the honest people honest and the bad guys in check or in jail.”

While you should have cameras surrounding the perimeter of your facility, as well as in the parking lot and at each exit, it’s also beneficial to install cameras inside. Place one at every entrance/exit, in the lobby and parent viewing area and inside the gym store if you have one. Jennifer Ritchlin, owner of Dancetech Training Center in Thornton, CO, is one of the few gym owners in the state who uses 24-hour security cameras in and around her facility. “Security cameras at the entrance and other areas of the facility deter theft and, most important, provide security for parents to know their children are being protected,” says Ritchlin. “We need to know that if anyone comes into the facility who doesn’t belong there, we’ll have some way of seeing who and when.”

To keep your building secure during the night, you can set certain types of security cameras to sound an alarm that triggers extra lighting and blaring sirens and also to alert you to the potential breach by phone call or text message. And today’s advanced technology lets you monitor your cameras on the go. This is extremely helpful when you’re traveling back and forth to competitions and from gym to gym. “I can immediately see my cameras via my iPhone,” Siciliano says. “Once you take the leap, you wonder how you lived without it.”

Get a Professional Opinion

While you might be an expert in cheer and even business, you probably aren’t also an expert on facility safety. There are people whose job it is to make sure buildings are secure and can analyze, within your budget, what extra precautions you should take. “It’s important to have a third party conduct a security audit of your facility,” says Siciliano.

Describe to your security professional the purpose of your gym, and make sure to state that you have large numbers of children, as well as expensive equipment, to protect. They’ll observe your current security situation and suggest improvements, focusing on the areas most important to your needs. “A professional can spot security loopholes and vulnerabilities unique to your site and make recommendations to help secure your facility, your employees and your business,” says Siciliano.

If you don’t have the funds to hire a professional security analyst, you could turn to a law enforcement agency for guidance. “We recently requested assistance from our local police department to visit our facility and look for possible security risks,” Ritchlin says.

Keep Your Data Safe

Every gym has computers that contain emergency contact information, as well as payment records for each athlete and staff member. With all that personal information stored in one place, it’s imperative to have those files secured. Here, Robert Siciliano, Security Consultant for ADT’s website, shares tips on how to make sure your gym’s data is safe.

• Install anti-virus software. Most computers come with a bundled anti-virus program that runs for free for six months to a year, and then you can just re-up the license. Every day the anti-virus isn’t updated is another opportunity for criminal hackers to turn your computer into a spambot, sending out viruses to others. You can also install a freestanding anti-virus program, such as McAfee, for free or a minor fee.

• Install a Spyware removal program. Most anti-virus providers define spyware as a virus. It’s best to run a spyware removal program monthly to make sure your computer is rid of software that may allow a criminal hacker to remotely monitor your keystrokes, visited websites and saved data.

• Run Firefox. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser is clunky and the most hacked software on the planet. Mozilla’s Firefox is more secure. Maintain the default settings, and keep the pop-up blockers and phishing filters turned on at all times.

• Secure your wireless connection. If you’re running an unsecured wireless connection [in your gym], anyone can jump onto your network from 300 to 500 feet away and access your files. Your router has instructions on how to set up WEP or WPA security. WPA is more secure.

• Install a firewall. Your computer’s operating system comes with a built-in firewall, but it’s not very secure. Go with a third-party firewall that’s prepackaged with anti-virus software.

• Use strong passwords. Little yellow sticky notes on your monitor scribbled with your passwords isn’t good. Use case-sensitive, alphanumeric passwords that you change every six months.

• Don’t be a fool. Scammers consider everyone else to be simple-minded. And they use a 1,001 ways to trick you into divulging your data. They gain your trust by lying, sending e-mails or planting pop-ups on websites you visit that extort you into downloading software to “protect you.” Just hit delete.