Fast, reliable, verified emergency police and mass notification needs to be an integral part of the school safety planning playbook, security experts all agree.
An emergency communication system—also known as a mass notification system—helps a school reach every group in its community with important information and notifications in real time. With a modern emergency communication system, schools can enable fast, reliable delivery of mass notifications to any size audience, on any device, over any communication channel.
An emergency communication platform is an essential tool in keeping everybody safe and informed during emergency situations such as active shooter incidents, lockdowns or evacuations, and natural disasters.
During a critical event, time is the most important factor. Being able to identify that a threat is real and knowing where the threat is located in a facility is critical to providing the fastest response. Not knowing what the emergency is, or where it is coming from means the loss of not just seconds, but minutes during which the event can escalate. Verification through traditional channels can be problematic.
Verified notification saves precious minutes
Today, notification systems integrate emergency signals with audio and video verification. This integration provides valuable information to be presented to first responders, better preparing them to assess the situation.
Meanwhile, within the school itself, triggering a lockdown can be as easy as pushing a designated alarm button on a wall or using one that is hidden under a desk or appears as an icon on a desktop. The latter two are especially important if someone encounters a situation and doesn’t have the ability to physically call 911.
Many notification systems are engineered today to alert law enforcement officials (and other first responders) of the threat of a violent attack. These devices can be strategically placed throughout a facility, allowing for personnel to alert a threat from anywhere in the facility. These are augmented with portable devices that can be worn on lanyards by school administrators and key school personnel.
Both are connected to either local police departments, if allowed, or monitoring stations, and to the school’s emergency notification system. When a wall unit or portable device is activated, the police alert system automatically contacts first responders, with minimal human action, and automatically communicates the threat situation throughout the building via automated public address warnings and flashing blue strobe lights.
Moreover, it lets the intruder know that law enforcement officers are on the way and provides police and administrators with the initial location of the threat. From there, school safety response protocols are activated.
“When it comes to any type of school emergency; whether it’s a violent intruder, a fire, explosion, or some other dangerous situation; seconds count in getting police and other first responders to the scene,” says Clay Crost, director, Education Market for Sonitrol Great Lakes. He adds, “Having a robust emergency notification system in place is a vital part of any school safety and security protocol.”