Page 74 - Security Today, November/December 2023

SECURE CAMPUS AN ANNUAL SECURITY CHECK-UP MONITORING YOUR FACILITY CAN HELP MITIGATE THREATS AND UNNECESSARY RISKS AUTHOR MONIQUE MERHIGE IS A FREELANCE WRITER BASED IN PORT ST. LUCIE, FL, AND IS THE PRESIDENT OF INFUSION DIRECT MARKETING. IMAGE MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM J ust like going to the doctor for your annual health check-ups, the same holds true for schools who need to go through an extensive security check-up annually. The main reason is to ensure they are fully prepared for any type of emergency that arises on school grounds. The first step in preventing a tragedy is early detection of the situation, just like detecting an illness such as cancer in its initial stages before it spreads. The health of a school’s security system is crucial to keeping staff and students unharmed. Early detection can help eliminate the safety threat before it becomes a life- threatening event. Creating a safe environ- ment across schools and campus settings has become a true necessity. In today’s world, there are so many dangers rearing their ugly heads in schools from fire hazards, vaping issues, chemical/ air quality issues, active shooters, and so much more. The goal of any campus-style setting is to create a safe and secure en- vironment by staying aware about what is really happening in your building. Having a simple, easy-to-use way of monitoring your facility can help eliminate the threat and mitigate risks early on. Whether you are a school looking to elim- inate vaping or control who is accessing your building, an integrated security solution can help accomplish this. Over the years, too many emergency situations have occurred in schools and other campus facilities throughout the country due to a lack of sufficient security. During an emergency, response time is critical, and having alerts sent immediately to designated security staff and campus administration can make the difference be- tween life and death in certain situations. Active shooter incidents have become a serious situation over the years and con- tinue to be a major concern. There have been at least 58 school shootings in the United States so far this year, as of Oct. 3. Nineteen of those were on college campuses; the remaining 39 were on K-12 school grounds. This is alarm- ing and shows that our schools need to act and conduct annual assessments regard- ing school safety. Awareness is key when it comes to educating school districts and college campuses on the latest security technology available. By understanding the technology and how it works, school administrators can make better decisions when investing in physical security technology. CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH Getting a clean bill of health can be chal- lenging in our personal lives and in the classroom. How do schools receive a clean bill of health when it comes to security? The following steps are an effective way to start the path to a healthier school environment. Internal audit. Schools should assess the current security procedures in place. Make sure your staff fully understands the safety protocols through clear communica- tion. Safety procedures should be updated and shared with all staff members annually. “” “ACTIVE SHOOTER INCIDENTS HAVE BECOME A SERIOUS SITUATION OVER THE YEARS AND CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR CONCERN.” 30