Summer vacation is over, and soon, students will be returning to colleges and universities to continue their education. Keeping student safety in mind is one of the most important things that administrators can do.
While safety concerns have always been significant, colleges and universities today face a greater variety of potential incidents. Taking a proactive approach by educating and preparing staff ahead of time is crucial.
A Proactive Security Plan Allows Staff and Students to Prepare
Rehearsing a response to violent incidents on campus can save lives. A needs assessment will show areas of risk as well as potential resources available. Having an emergency plan in place, and training staff on crisis intervention are of critical importance.
Teach students to be aware of their surroundings and to report anything that seems odd to a staff member. With active shooters, and vehicle assaults a part of today’s reality, having information ahead of time aids in implementing a response plan.
Keep staff training up to date and do practice drills at regular intervals to help you quickly respond to a violent incident. Other than doing an assessment and having a response plan in place, update security systems to not only handle a crisis but get ahead of it.
Use of Technology to Plan for Violent Incidents on Campus
Evading staff security on a large campus is easily done with so many places to hide. Monitoring through live video surveillance allows you to see not only in buildings, but parking lots, and dark areas as well.
To decrease threats, use surveillance technology to determine which visitors gain access to a building or parking area. Adding audio-based technology to an existing video system allows you to hear loud noises, screams, or the sound of potential gunshots as they are occurring. Gunshot analytics immediately send an alert to appropriate officials.
The early alert allows officials to put the school on lockdown. Not only are students kept safe, but lockdown reduces the amount of chaos that surrounds an active shooter incident. By using technology, you can prevent violent incidents from happening, and should one occur, have an alert system in place.
About IBS Electronics & Security
IBS Electronics & Security is an experienced integrator of burglar alarms, fire detection, video surveillance, access control, and audio/video communications. We have proven reliability and provide customized security solutions that stay within your budget. Let us put our experience to work for you.