Understanding Security Risks

Consider These Practices For Enhanced School Safety

24 September 2017

Javier Webb

Keeping kids safe when they're in school isn't as easy as it used to be. While a violent outbreak is a rare event, you have to guard against one because you never know where or when it could happen. It's difficult to predict which kids are capable of violence and it's even more difficult to keep intruders off the property. Your school needs to implement a safety program to keep all kids and staff secure at all times. The security procedures should make everyone feel safe so they can focus on school and not worry about safety. Here are some ideas that may help.

Restrict Access To School Grounds

Keeping strangers off school grounds is an important security measure. However, parents and vendors will come and go during the day, so you'll need a plan that allows people to come who have reason to be there. Perimeter fencing is one option. This forces visitors to enter the grounds through one main gate that can be monitored by video cameras or a security guard. Once inside the gate, the visitors should be given name tags that identify them as someone who has been screened and granted access to the grounds.

Control Student Access

Students may need to have their access to the school controlled and monitored. Depending on how your school is designed, this could entail controlling traffic so all students pass through one door as they enter the building. Security guards at the door can check for unusual packages and suspicious behavior. You might even consider installing a metal detector at the entry door to check for guns and knives.

Implement Lockdown Measures

A lockdown can keep everyone in the school safe during times of danger. Your school might lock down when a robbery is going on nearby to make sure criminals can't get on the grounds and hide or take students hostage. A lockdown protects kids in classrooms when violence breaks out among students, but everyone must know what to do when a lockdown is underway. Regular lockdown drills teach students how to respond and familiarize them with the procedures.

Students need to know where to go if they are out of the classroom when a lockdown is implemented. Teachers need to know how to lock doors and keep kids safe. You may need to install secure locks or automatic locking systems. If your school has the budget, you may want to upgrade to stronger doors and windows that help seal off individual parts of the building.

A security assessment of your building will identify weak areas and provide you with recommendations for increasing school safety that could include things like video monitoring, hiring security patrols, increasing lighting, and improving student and teacher identification. Keeping kids safe is a top priority so money spent on school safety is worth it. Visit a site like http://www.ssnwhq.com for more help.

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