Chad Wheatley doesn’t shy away from tough jobs—he leans into them. As an Integrated Systems Technician at Kidwell, his recent work at the Lancaster County Corrections facility demanded equal parts grit and precision. Tasked with upgrading the surveillance infrastructure, Wheatley led his team through one of the most challenging environments imaginable: a secure facility where every wall, hatch, and corridor presented a new obstacle.

“My role in this project was foreman and onsite lead,” Wheatley said. “Designing pathways to get cable through very tricky ceiling spaces, and to install new cameras and aim them.”

The project wasn’t just about running wires—it was about doing so in a place where security and safety are paramount. Each decision had to be deliberate, every step carefully planned to minimize disruption and maintain constant surveillance coverage.

Breaking Through Concrete and Constraints

The physical demands of the job set it apart from typical installations. “The most challenging thing we’ve encountered on this project is simply creating pathways through block concrete walls and crawling through crawl spaces and hatches, oftentimes on our belly, army crawling underneath vents and ducts,” Wheatley explained. “To get around these obstacles you just simply had to do what needed to be done and get to the spot you needed.”

Innovation became a necessity. With limited access points in some corridors, the team adapted on the fly. “To get to certain areas, we would have to remove lights, as some of the corridors or hallways did not have proper hatches for us to crawl up into,” Wheatley said. “There was also a substantial amount of drilling through block walls.”

Planning Every Move

Working inside a corrections facility meant timelines couldn’t be managed in the usual way. Each camera replacement had to be executed with precision to maintain security. “The timeline of this project was very unique, because as we would demo out an old camera, we would have to remove the old wiring, pull in our new wiring, terminate it, test it, and get that camera installed so that they had proper surveillance of the areas,” Wheatley said. “Being a jail, this was most important.”

Communication was critical. The team relied on detailed planning sessions before entering secured areas and constant contact once work began. “We had to have a good game plan put together before we would start any actions,” Wheatley said. “So, we would communicate our plan and then be talking on wireless headphones to ensure we were getting the job done right.”

Safety First, Always

In an environment where inmates often move freely through certain areas, safety protocols took on heightened importance. “Before beginning any task, I would get together with my team and we would discuss any possible safety hazards of the area we would be working in, whether it be the kitchen, a jail cell, corridor, or booking,” Wheatley said. “And keeping track of our tools was incredibly important as they do let the inmates roam the halls and areas freely. Luckily, we have a very good team and there was no near misses or any near safety accidents.”

Despite the obstacles, Wheatley walked away from the project with a deep sense of accomplishment. “What I’m most proud of on this project was the quality of install that we were able to give them, being a very difficult job site to install any type of wiring, and the fact that we had no safety incidents.”