Page 88 - Security Today, October 2018

COVER STORY
sworn officers of a local police force—can communicate directly with public safety when emergencies arise. These school security officers often act as a “human bridge,” carrying a school radio for day-to-day communications with school staff as well as a more robust public safe- ty radio for emergency coordination.
Beyond the school resource officer and security team, public safety agencies can be reluctant to provide school staff open access to their radio system. Considering the mission-critical nature of their com- munications, agencies have understandable concerns about the risk of accidental radio channel use or cross-communication. We all recog- nize the value of only hearing radio traffic intended for us.
Aside from privacy risks, public safety radios can also be cost-pro- hibitive to equip an entire school staff, and the devices themselves— built to be reliable in the most challenging environments—are larger and heavier than what might be practical for a teacher or administrator. Commercial-grade radios, which still deliver instant communication and purpose-built design, provide a cost-effective solution that includes advanced capabilities and even an application ecosystem to meet the variety of needs of staff throughout the district. The key is to have the appropriate communications device and capability to enhance your daily operations and respond immediately in any emergency situation.
Ultimately, whether it is on a first responder network or a commer- cial radio network, private communications systems ensure schools of capacity, control and reliability during even the most extreme emer- gencies. School districts that build their emergency response plans around commercial carrier networks run the risk of that network
being overwhelmed with traffic at the moment when communications matter the most.
EDUCATORS VOICE THEIR WISH LIST
A Motorola Solutions survey of K-12 educators identified a disturbing gap between the communications and safety solutions schools desired to protect students and staff and the available budget to reach that goal. Almost 70 percent of respondents said insufficient funding was the main reason for not improving their school communications. Funda- mental safety capabilities such as text messaging, GPS location track- ing and the ability to interrupt conversations to give precedence to critical messages were preferred among respondents. Fortunately, a long-overdue focus on school safety across the nation has prompted an aggressive round of grant funding, which schools are strongly encour- aged to pursue.
Preserving the safety of students and educators is a goal that every- one shares. The foundation of that effort is effective emergency com- munications that allow school staff and first responders to interact instantly, without boundaries and with added
intelligence. School officials who pursue such
solutions move their districts and communities
closer to that ideal of a safe, secure environment
where children can learn and grow.
Les Miller is the Senior Marketing Manager at Motorola Solutions.
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