Small company benefits from growing interest in security
A recent study says that private security service demand in the United States will rise 4.7 percent annually through 2012 based on high perceived risks of crime and low expectations of public safety help; a small West Virginia security company benefits from this trend
Roy Boothe says the demand for security services in on the rise. “Whenever the economy starts to decline, crime seems to increase during hard times,” Boothe, the owner of Mountain Top Security in Beckley, West Virginia, told the Register-Herald. A recent study by Freedonia Industry Studies showed that private security service demand in the United States will rise 4.7 percent annually through 2012 based on high perceived risks of crime and low expectations of public safety help. Security consulting, pre-employment screening, systems integration, and guarding will be the fastest growing segments.
Boothe says since he opened the security services company out of his home in April 2005 it has experienced tremendous growth. “By July that first year, we had grown so much that we opened an office on North Eisenhower Drive in Beckley,” he said. As the business expanded, so did the need for a larger office. “Last month we moved to our new location at 205 New River Drive in Beckley, just behind the Value City store,” Boothe said.
With the proliferation of security conscious homeowners and business owners, Mountain Top Security has quickly become a leader in residential and commercial security systems. “Everyone needs a security system today,” Boothe says. “It’s like insurance … you really need to have it for protection and piece of mind.”
Mountain Top Security offers affordable systems and security packages with low monthly fees, according to Boothe. “We have the security solutions to fit any home or business owners needs,” Boothe said.
The company sells state-of-the-art, two-way voice systems. “They are Honeywell systems,” said Boothe. “We have medical panic buttons, fire button calls, smoke detectors hooked to the system, which protects the home or business from fire even if nobody is home or at the business.”
The services and systems include 24 hours and seven days a week approved monitoring systems. “It might be a burglar call, a fire call or a medical emergency, but our system alerts our dispatch office, which contacts the police, fire department, ambulance or other emergency services,” Boothe said. They also do CCTV, which is a security camera system, card access systems, burglar systems and fire systems. The company offers installation and service of the systems. “We are licensed in West Virginia and Virginia,” said Boothe.
Having a security system can also save money for homeowners. “Most insurance companies offer homeowner insurance discounts,” Boothe said. Boothe started in the security industry in Roanoke, Va., several years ago.
“I sold that business and then in 1999, with my two sons, we created a company called First Security, which is still in business and one of the largest dealers in the Charleston area,” he said.
Mountain Top Security in Beckley is Boothe’s, and his wife Mary’s, latest business venture. “We’re doing well and continue to grow our customer base,” he said. “The Beckley area is growing by leaps and bounds and we are glad to be a part of that growth.” Boothe is also a church pastor at the Sharon Church of God on Cabin Creek Road in Kanawha County. “I’ve been a church pastor for over 36 years,” Boothe said. “I have always wanted to help people. I feel like I also do that with my security business as well.”
Boothe says Mountain Top Security also services what it sells. “We take care of our customers,” he said. “Word of mouth has been our best advertiser.”
