Page 82 - Security Today, April 2021

"When these disparate systems are tied together, they can be used and monitored simultaneously, helping to automate many processes."
Automation and Controls
With 80 million students in schools across the United States, it’s becoming increasingly impor- tant that schools take advantage of the rapidly advancing technol- ogy available to them. Today, pen and paper information tracking and communication methods are no longer efficient or even capa- ble of meeting the needs of our schools and student populations. Rather than relying on manual tracking and communication, schools should invest in solutions that automate these processes. Implementing these new technolo- gies and procedures can feel intimidating, but they don’t have to be. Ultimately, these chang- es will create a more organized and reliable environment for teachers, students, and administrators.
Automated Alerting
One of the first steps that administrators should take to improve automation within their schools, is to integrate their existing technologies all onto a single automated alerting platform. This includes fire/smoke detection, door access control, security cam- eras, phones, PA systems, and more. Even a school’s desktop monitors and TVs can be tied into the platform. When these disparate systems are tied together, they can be used and monitored simultaneously, helping to automate many processes.
For example, many schools use door access control systems to manage who is coming in and out of their buildings. Many of these systems still require that someone stays at the front doors to see who is there to permit or deny entrance. Instead, when this system is tied into the same platform as the rest of the school’s technology, this process can be automated to save time and improve safety. Rather than waiting by the doors, an employee can receive an alert on their phone containing detailed information such as “Entry request at entrance 1.”
The alert can even contain live video feed
pulled from the security cameras at the entrance. Now an employee is able to permit access directly from their phone with the push of a button from anywhere in the build- ing. Not only is this safer than an employee being visible from the entrance, but it gives them the ability to do more than sit and wait for someone to arrive.
In our current climate, this can be espe- cially important when maintaining a safe and secure environment for students. A goal of every school across the nation is not only getting students back to class but keeping them there. Automated alerting is another tool for helping eliminate in-person contact.
Mass Notification
Once a school is equipped with an automated alerting platform, they can use mass notifica- tion. Mass notification is perfect for getting the right information to the right people in the shortest amount of time. A school can upload the contact information of their faculty, student base and their students’ parents/guardians.
If there is a school closing, assembly announcement, new information regarding school COVID-19 protocols, or the need to communicate anything, it can be done quickly and easily. Administrators can even send notifications to assigned groups, such as the boys’ basketball team and their par- ents, all teachers, the seventh grade class, etc.
This can be especially useful in the event of an emergency. If there is an unexpected school evacuation or lockdown, the informa- tion moves quickly, but it is not always accu- rate. Rather than parents panicking and showing up to the school or calling in, they can be given the right information as soon as possible with mass notification. These detailed notifications can arrive via text mes- sage, voice call, email, or all three for increased redundancy. This gives parents peace of mind and allows for a direct line of communication, rather than word of mouth.
Mass notification is also useful for address-
ing non-emergency situations before they become a major problem. For example, if a cafeteria refrigerator is being monitored, when the temperature drops below a safe level, an alert can be sent out to the mainte- nance staff and administration. When made aware of this problem, school staff can remedy the situation before the food spoils, prevent- ing major monetary losses and the urgent problem of replacing the food supply for the school to be able to operate as normal.
In-room Communication Portal
and Analytics Dashboard
When a school is using an alerting platform, an in-room communication portal and ana- lytics dashboard can be implemented and tied in as well. An in-room communication portal can receive important safety alerts like the school’s other devices, but it also auto- mates and simplifies many processes for teachers and school personnel, such as recording attendance, providing students a bathroom pass, and even monitoring stu- dents’ moods and behavior.
When all of this information is recorded using the in-room portal, it can then be pulled and automatically organized for easy viewing on the analytics dashboard. This allows for school personnel to keep track of the information that’s important to them, so they are able to take action on any concern- ing trends or patterns that emerge.
Plenty of schools use physical bathroom passes so personnel can determine if stu- dents have been permitted to leave their classrooms, however, a physical bathroom pass does little to keep track of students’ behaviors and they don’t help in case of an emergency such as a fire, lockdown, or evac- uation. Instead, a virtual hall pass can be given to students through the in-room com- munication portal.
When a student needs to exit the class- room, their teacher can mark that specific stu- dent as being out of the classroom. Not only is
30 campuslifesecurity.com | MARCH/APRIL 2021
By Amy Jeffs
Improving Schools
How to integrate automation and controls seamlessly