Implementing Proper School Security: Keeping Students Safe

In order to keep students and staff members safe, it is crucial that schools are properly prepared for crisis situations, such as an active shooter. School security can be improved in a number of ways, whether it’s through upgraded security technology or increased safety practices. By properly implementing safety precautions and an effective security system throughout your school, you can provide greater peace of mind for students, parents and staff members.

Updating and Increasing Electronic Security Systems

First and foremost, in order to ensure that your campus is as secure as possible, we recommend outfitting your building with the latest safety and security technology. By having the following security systems, the risk to your students, staff members and any visitors is greatly reduced.

ACCESS CONTROL

Speaking of visitors, the ability to regulate who is entering and exiting the building is a serious concern. Without proper access control systems and door security measures, anyone can come and go as they please. This poses a serious security risk. Doors should be locked at all times when school is in session and visitors should be properly authorized before they can enter.

When it comes to students and staff, it could be beneficial to install some form of door access control. Students and staff have individual identification cards, and, with the proper systems in place, they can be used to gain access to entrances into the building. That way, those without the proper IDs cannot enter the building unless they have permission to do so.

Of course, there is always a risk of people losing their ID cards or intentionally giving them to somebody who is unauthorized. If you feel that this is too great of a risk, then consider only giving access cards to staff members. If students need to enter, then they can hold their IDs up to a camera, so that the front office workers can verify that they’re allowed to enter.

SECURITY CAMERAS

When you think of a security system, video surveillance cameras are probably one of the first things that come to mind. This is for good reason, as security cameras are one of the most important layers of any good security system. If they aren’t already, please give us a call or submit a free quote request to see about having them installed on your campus.

Security cameras add those additional eyes when it would be impossible to have enough security guards to monitor any suspicious activity or unauthorized people on your campus. Video cameras don’t just help with intruders, however. They can also be used to identify safety hazards, fires and high-traffic areas of the school that could lead to issues if an evacuation is needed.

There are many different types of security cameras, each with their own benefits. Utilizing a combination of high-quality security cameras and placing them in important locations, such as hallways, entrances and parking lots, is crucial to keeping your campus safe. We can help you figure out which are best for your situation!

ALARMS AND INTERCOMS

Fire alarms and intercom systems are important for proper communication amongst staff members and students. Every school should undoubtedly be outfitted with a fire alarm system. Intercoms can be used to communicate important safety information to everyone in the school at once. For example, if there is a fire, then you can inform everyone where the fire is taking place. If there is an intruder, then you can announce what part of the building is being occupied. Intercom sound systems and mass notifications can be used to provide instructions for how to proceed in any emergency situation. 

Proper communication is key to creating a safe environment, and alarms and intercom systems are one of the most effective ways of communicating important school-wide information very quickly.

Proper School Safety Precautions and Procedures

IMPLEMENTING PLANS

While implementing a proper security system is important, it is nothing without properly educating all students and staff about what the procedure is during any crisis situation. At the beginning of every school year, plans need to be put in place to determine what the best course of action is for each potential scenario. This includes situations such as an active shooter, a fire, a severe storm or tornado, or even chemical threats.

INSTRUCTING STUDENTS AND STAFF ON COURSE OF ACTION

Once these plans are in place, the next step to take is to inform all students and staff members of the best way to conduct themselves in the event of an emergency. Conducting regularly scheduled drills is one of the best ways to do this, as well as reiterating the correct procedures at the beginning of each semester.

When it comes to fire drills, these should be practiced once a month, and each teacher should go over with their students the best route to exit the building, as the closest entrance and fastest evacuation routes change depending on the location of each classroom. Severe weather and tornado drills, as well as what to do in the event of an intruder, should be reviewed on a regular basis.

PERFORMING RISK ASSESSMENTS

Once you have a plan in place and have made sure that all students and staff have been instructed on how to handle themselves during a crisis, it is important that you continually assess possible risks and ways that you can improve your plans for the future. 

Whether this is analyzing areas of the building that tend to get overcrowded, making evacuation routes for more efficient or determining security camera blind spots, make sure that you and the other administrators review drills and safety procedures on a regular basis to ensure that they are as effective as possible.

Partnering with Midwest Alarm to Outfit Your Campus with the Latest in Security Technology

We are one of the industry leaders in advanced security technology and can outfit commercial buildings and schools with the latest in access control, video surveillance, intrusion and fire alarms and intercom technology. With our security solutions and a well-developed plan in place, your staff members, students and their parents will have greater peace of mind while school is in session.