It takes time and effort for security companies to become go-to providers in their local area. That process often involves proactive measures to get out in front of the people they hope to be hired by for protection.
Consider the steps taken by Acadian Total Security, which had the luxury of backing as a division of the larger Acadian umbrella, but worked diligently to join the fabric of the Lafayette-area community in Louisiana and beyond, earning a 2023 SSI Sales & Marketing (SAMMY) Award for Best Community Outreach Program.
The SAMMY Awards, which are presented annually at the ISC West trade show and now in their 28th year, recognize installing security integrators, dealers and monitoring providers for their marketing, installation and overall business excellence.
Blane Comeaux, founder of Acadian Total Security, started the company with a simple mission: to become the Acadian Ambulance of the security industry, according to ATS Division Coordinator Michelle Trahan. Parent company Acadian Ambulance is the largest privately owned ambulance company in the nation, she adds.
To that end, Comeaux wanted ATS and its employees to prioritize caring about its local communities, taking pride in its work, being the best at everything it does, and, most importantly, having the cleanest vehicles in the security industry.
“Blane’s first step was mirroring the processes and protocols of Acadian Ambulance. In his mind, if it was good enough to save lives then it’s good enough to protect buildings and the people living and working in them,” Trahan says. “While we take a lot of personal pride in all the awards we have won, we are most proud of the work that our team has done outside of the office.”
Acadian’s Dedication to Volunteerism Spreads
As fear and concerns lingered with each new COVID-19 wave, she explains, the ATS team went out of its way to assist the community by collecting trash at quarterly beautification events, volunteering for the United Way’s Day of Action, and helping the Love of People organization prepare and distribute more than 3,000 meals on Thanksgiving.
Additionally, as new but familiar weather events took place in the southern U.S., Acadian was there to aid neighbors with the deployment of ambulances and first responders to aid 911 efforts in Sarasota County, Fla., during Hurricane Ian and to render medical aid to the victims of deadly tornados in Union Parish in North Louisiana. ATS also donated six AEDs to families in Nashville, Tenn., after a child was denied one by his medical insurance company. After seeing the story on national news, the CEO flew to Tennessee to make this lifesaving donation, Trahan says.
ATS sponsored and/or volunteered and participated in many events last year including: LARC’s Acadian Village Christmas Lights Event, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice Gala, Crossroads Gala, Acadian Home Builders Association Casino Night, Member Mixers and Crawfish Boil, Youngsville Chamber Golf Tournament and Gun’s and Hoses Volleyball Tournament, St. Landry Parish Crime Stoppers, SWLA Chamber Annual Banquet, Broussard Chamber Business Over Breakfast, Sky High Golf Tournament benefiting St. Jude, Kevin Naquin Pancreatic Cancer Fundraiser, Louisiana Sheriffs Association Conference Sponsor, Sponsor for the Youngsville Chamber, Sponsor for the Broussard Chamber and AHBA, banners at Bayou Black Elementary, North Vermilion Youth Athletic Association and Terrebonne High School.
“ATS sales reps also attended several National Nights Out and even our Acadian helicopter made an appearance so local children could tour it and take pictures,” Trahan adds. “This event promotes a positive relationship between residents and law enforcement as well as overall safety.”
In addition, Acadian exhibited at several job fairs specifically geared toward veterans and extended several job offers. The security provider also sponsored several golf tournaments and brought its mobile cooking trailer to many events. And if all that isn’t enough, Acadian partnered with Coalition Kitchen and Live Oak Elementary School to launch the 52 Shepherds Food Pantry program, which calls on 52 volunteer companies to take turns shopping for groceries and delivering them to the school during lunchtime on Fridays for children who are food insecure to bring home for the weekend to their families.