Page 88 - Security Today, September/October 2024

ACCESS CONTROL
12
ALLEVIATING STRESS, BUILDING CONFIDENCE, AND CREATING SAFER SCHOOLS THROUGH EMPOWERMENT
AUTHORS
MARK BERGER IS GENERAL MANAGER OF SECURITECH AND VP OF SPECIAL SECURITY PRODUCTS FOR ASSA ABLOY DOOR SECURITY SOLUTIONS,
AND GUY GRACE, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF PARTNER ALLIANCE FOR SAFER SCHOOLS (PASS) AND K-12 NATIONAL SECURITY MANAGER, ASSA ABLOY DOOR SECURITY SOLUTIONS
A n active shooter situation is of- ten cited as being extremely rare among school violence incidents in our country. Nevertheless, when one occurs, it’s always devastating, often unpredict- able, and evolves quickly. Whether at a school, a house of worship, or anywhere
for that matter, one is still too many.
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) states, “Amid the chaos, anyone can play an integral role in mitigating the impacts of an active shooter incident.” CISA goes on to say that because these events are often over within 10 to 15 minutes and sometimes before law en- forcement arrives on the scene, it’s critical that individuals be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with such scenarios.
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ASSA ABLOY DOOR SECURITY SOLUTIONS
That may seem like a daunting ex- pectation at first glance, especially in K- 12 settings. However, educating students and staff about steps they can take and technologies that are in place to protect their safety is proving to be empowering, reassuring, and ultimately a stress reliever.
IT’S ALL ABOUT LIFE SAFETY
As we often share, stress is a wall between students and absorbing information – a barrier to learning. Establishing and maintaining a unified life safety system that involves the active participation of students and staff helps alleviate that stress. It instills a greater sense of control, responsibility, and well-being. And it dem- onstrates that a district is fully committed to creating an environment for success.
Of course, unified life safety pro- grams extend well beyond active shooter events. They ’re also about empowering people with the information and skills to respond effectively to situations like tor- nadoes, medical emergencies, and other threats, including potential attacks from wild animals, which occasionally happen in some parts of the country.
Districts need to take an all-hazards approach to life safety. This requires con- ducting regular and consistent risk as- sessments to understand and address emerging concerns. Such an assessment revealed that a proposed detox center was going to be located three blocks from a school, opening the potential for threat- ening encounters with those struggling with drug addiction and possibly even