INTEGRATED SITE SERVICES · SITE PROTECTION & SECURITY
Protect the place.
Plan the response.
Fundraising and grant support. Practical security improvements. Ongoing care on the ground.
Silent Grounds Collective, a 501(c)(3) historic preservation nonprofit, helps owners and authorized stewards protect cemeteries, historic buildings, landscapes, and other significant properties. Our Site Protection & Security service brings project administration and field work together in one coordinated plan.
Two teams. Clear responsibilities.
Silent Grounds Collective
Administration, funding & coordination
SGC manages owner communication, project scoping, fundraising campaigns, grant research and applications, budgets, records, and volunteer coordination. With owner authorization, we pursue eligible funding and submit applications on the owner’s behalf where the grant program permits.
New Haven Trail Company
Installation, inspections & field services
New Haven Trail Company handles the physical side: installation and maintenance, scheduled site checks, visual condition inspections, authorized drone flyovers, photographic documentation, and approved work on the grounds. Specialist work is coordinated with qualified providers as needed.
Protection built around your property.
Cloud-managed cameras
Plan, install, and manage real-time cloud-connected cameras with authorized live viewing, recording, activity alerts, and remote system access. Monitoring arrangements and notification responsibilities are set for each site.
Fencing, gates & bollards
Install and maintain agreed physical protection, including fencing, gates, bollards, and appropriate lighting. Layouts respect historic fabric, visitor access, and the property’s everyday use.
Site checks & inspections
Scheduled visits check gates, fences, camera equipment, grounds, and visible property conditions. Photograph changes, record damage or maintenance needs, and provide prioritized reports to the owner.
Surveillance & incident reporting
Observe and document activity, review agreed alerts, maintain incident records, and notify designated contacts. Services focus on prevention, deterrence, documentation, and timely notification without physical enforcement.
Fundraising & grant assistance
Develop project budgets, seek donations of funds and equipment, identify suitable grants, and prepare authorized applications. Available funding and grant eligibility determine each project’s funding plan.
Ongoing system management
Coordinate authorized user access, recording settings, equipment checks, maintenance, repairs, and service providers. Keep the owner informed through service records and follow-up recommendations.
Drone flyovers for site safety & security
New Haven Trail Company can provide planned drone flyovers to support site safety and security, including aerial condition documentation, perimeter observations, damage assessments, and photographic records for property owners. Flights can help identify visible access concerns, storm damage, and areas that need closer inspection. Each assignment is subject to owner authorization, suitable conditions, appropriately qualified remote pilots, and applicable FAA and airspace requirements. Aerial observations support ground inspections and agreed incident-reporting procedures.
Helping owners manage liability risk
Documented site checks, practical security measures, and incident records can help property owners manage premises-liability exposure and support the investigation and defense of claims. These services complement appropriate insurance, which may provide financial protection for covered claims, subject to the policy’s terms, limits, and exclusions.
Cameras and inspections do not eliminate legal responsibility or guarantee insurance coverage or lower premiums. The property owner’s insurance adviser should confirm coverage, security requirements, and any available credits for the specific site.
Learn more: Travelers: premises security and liability · The Hartford: general liability coverage
INTEGRATED SITE SERVICES · PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Drone Donation & Pilot Training Program
Help Silent Grounds Collective build a privately operated nonprofit drone program for historic-site stewardship, site safety and security, and future search-and-rescue support. SGC, a 501(c)(3) historic preservation nonprofit, administers fundraising, grants, donated equipment, and program records. New Haven Trail Company provides the field operations, site checks, inspections, and authorized aerial documentation.
Donate equipment. Sponsor a pilot.
We welcome offers of serviceable drones, controllers, healthy batteries, chargers, carrying cases, mapping tools, and related equipment. Training partners can contribute Part 107 ground school, certification-exam support, hands-on flight instruction, and mission-specific training. Thermal imaging equipment is a future priority, subject to partner needs, qualified operators, and a sustainable operating budget.
Our proposed first phase supports two pilot trainees and one complete aircraft kit. Donated equipment will be held and managed by SGC for the nonprofit program. Please contact us before shipping equipment so we can confirm condition, compatibility, registration and Remote ID requirements, and ongoing costs.
Build capability before deployment.
Planned site work includes condition photographs, perimeter observations, storm and damage assessments, and documentation that supports ground inspections. Flights require appropriate pilot qualifications, owner authorization for the assignment and site access, suitable conditions, and compliance with FAA and airspace requirements.
Search-and-rescue support is a developing capability. Future assistance would be coordinated with the responsible emergency-response agency after training, insurance review, operating procedures, and response arrangements are in place. SGC is not currently offering an emergency dispatch service; call 911 for emergencies.
Start with an assessment. Build a workable plan.
We begin with the site’s condition, vulnerabilities, preservation needs, and the owner’s priorities. The written scope identifies equipment, permissions, installation work, inspection frequency, monitoring hours, response contacts, costs, and continuing maintenance responsibilities.
For damaged cemeteries, SGC can coordinate fundraising and volunteers to assist qualified restoration professionals with approved recovery work. Fallen monuments and reconstruction tasks are planned with the owner and appropriate specialists.
Silent Grounds Collective · Administration and funding
New Haven Trail Company · Physical services, site checks and inspections
