As the year comes to a close, wineries across California are wrapping up production, shipping out holiday orders, and preparing for the off-season. While the vineyards may be dormant, threats to security are not. From safeguarding valuable equipment to protecting wine inventories and tasting room operations, end-of-year security reviews are critical.
JMG SECURITY SYSTEMS has created a comprehensive end-of-year checklist to ensure wineries remain secure during this transitional period. Here’s how you can protect your property, your product, and your peace of mind.
Secure Equipment and Seasonal Assets
During the off-season, large equipment such as tractors, harvesters, and processing tools are vulnerable to theft or damage. Protecting these assets is vital for a smooth start to the next production season.
Action Steps:
- Secure Equipment with Lockdowns: Use heavy-duty locks or enclosures for larger machinery.
- Add Surveillance to Equipment Storage Areas: Ensure cameras are positioned to monitor outdoor and equipment storage areas.
- Conduct Off-Season Equipment Checkups: Inspect equipment for damage or signs of tampering, and review JMG’s video footage if something appears suspicious.
- Register Equipment with Local Law Enforcement: Register serial numbers for major equipment with local authorities as a theft deterrent.
Conduct a Year-End Risk Assessment
Don’t wait until something goes wrong to address your security needs. A proactive approach to security is always the best option.
Action Steps:
- Schedule a Full Risk Assessment: Work with JMG to assess every security system on your property, from access control to fire detection.
- Pinpoint High-Risk Areas: Identify areas where security measures need to be strengthened, such as outdoor storage areas, wine storage, or tasting rooms.
- Plan for New Investments: Use the assessment to prioritize security upgrades in the next fiscal year.
- Address Compliance Gaps: Ensure you meet all regulatory requirements related to access control, fire safety, and intrusion detection.
Audit and Update Access Control Systems
A winery is more than just grapes and barrels—it’s a business with employees, vendors, and guests moving through production areas, tasting rooms, and storage facilities. Ensuring that only the right people have access to the right areas is essential.
Action Steps:
- Review Employee Access: Revoke access for seasonal workers, interns, or former employees who no longer need entry.
- Update Credentials: Issue new credentials for key staff and adjust access levels for employees transitioning to new roles.
- Secure Visitor Access: Ensure that visitor management systems are functioning properly, and temporary access is logged for contractors or delivery drivers.
- Work with JMG: Schedule an access control audit with JMG SECURITY SYSTEMS to verify permissions and ensure only authorized personnel can enter critical areas.
Inspect and Maintain Video Surveillance Systems
From wine storage to tasting rooms, video surveillance ensures that every inch of your winery is monitored. But when cameras are misaligned or recording footage in low resolution, critical areas become vulnerable.
Action Steps:
- Test Camera Functionality: Make sure cameras are capturing clear, high-definition video. Check for any video loss or recording errors.
- Clean and Adjust Lenses: Remove dust, debris, or condensation that could block the view of cameras.
- Check Storage & Retention: Review video storage retention policies to ensure footage is archived long enough to meet legal or operational requirements.
- Conduct a Health Check: Schedule a system health review with JMG to make sure all cameras, software, and hardware are working correctly.
Fire Detection and Prevention Review
Winery facilities house sensitive equipment and valuable wine inventories that could be devastated by fire. Fire detection and alert systems must be working perfectly year-round.
Action Steps:
- Test Smoke and Heat Detectors: Make sure detectors are clean, fully operational, and placed appropriately in wine cellars, production areas, and storage facilities.
- Inspect Fire Alarms: Verify that alarms are connected, functional, and loud enough to alert all areas of the winery.
- Update Compliance Records: Check local fire safety regulations and ensure your facility meets all requirements for inspection and certification.
- Plan Routine Inspections: Schedule a fire system maintenance appointment with JMG to ensure continued compliance and avoid costly penalties.
Protect Inventory with Intrusion Detection
Wine is a high-value product, and theft can be a major concern for wineries, especially in storage areas, loading docks, and retail spaces.
Action Steps:
- Inspect Alarm Sensors: Verify that motion detectors and door/window sensors are functional and properly aligned.
- Test Alarm Functionality: Test alarm sirens, panic buttons, and emergency alerts to ensure they trigger the correct notifications.
- Upgrade Alert Notifications: Work with JMG to ensure emergency alerts are routed to the appropriate team members and local authorities.
- Enroll in 24/7 Monitoring: Use JMG’s 24/7 monitoring service for real-time protection, especially during holiday breaks when staff are away from the site.
Partner with JMG SECURITY SYSTEMS for End-of-Year Protection
The end of the year is the perfect time to review your winery’s security systems and make necessary upgrades. JMG SECURITY SYSTEMS offers comprehensive support to protect your vineyard, your equipment, and your bottom line.
Our Support Includes:
- Comprehensive Risk Assessments: Get a full view of your vulnerabilities and address them before the new year.
- System Health Checks: Ensure cameras, alarms, and access control systems are operational and compliant.
- Custom Security Solutions: Tailored strategies designed to protect your wine, your property, and your people.
Don’t leave your winery’s security to chance. Schedule a free on-site risk assessment with JMG SECURITY SYSTEMS today. Our experts will help you protect your vineyard, tasting rooms, and equipment as you head into the new year.