With school shootings and other security threats on campus frequently making headlines, many schools are turning to technology to keep students and employees safe. Here are three ways schools can integrate technology into their security plans.
Security Alert Apps
Most students and school employees carry around a smartphone. Many school systems are taking advantage of that fact by utilizing security alert apps as a threat reporting system. Instead of having to rely on systems that require a person to be physically at the intercom mic and have limited reach, schools can now send out alerts to students and employees in real-time from anywhere on campus. This removes the need to relay the message to a person who can access the intercom system and ensures that students who may be outdoors or in a part of the building where intercoms may be difficult to hear can receive the message.
Additionally, these apps often include maps that can pinpoint the exact location of the threat. Some even integrate live video feeds and automatically alert first responders.
Access Controls
Many schools have begun controlling the entry points to campuses by locking doors and installing metal detectors. Schools can now take access controls a step further by installing digital security cameras, intercoms and buzzer controlled doors.
Visitor Screening
Many school systems are abandoning pen and paper visitor logs in favor of more a robust technology-based solutions. Technology can be used to verify visitor’s identities, scan fingerprint databases, log who is in the school and why and issue badges with time limits that change color when a person should no longer be on campus.
Technology has made it easier than ever before for schools to notify students of threats in real-time and to control who has access to schools and monitor visitors on campus. No system is foolproof, but these tools give administrators more options to increase safety on their campuses.
