Crisis Alert Systems to Reduce Response Time

Minutes matter, especially in times of crisis. Getting information to administrators, school resource officers, school safety officers and, in some cases, local and state police, about an emergency in a large building can be a cumbersome process if the right communication tools are not in place. Fortunately, advances in technology have allowed for vast improvements in alerting critical personnel – not only to the fact that there is a crisis, but also directing them to the exact location within a building or on a campus.

Several companies have created solutions that allow schools to empower staff members to initiate a crisis alert. Some systems rely on cell phones and downloaded apps to initiate the alerts, while others rely on RFID badges with an activation button and in-building receivers that have the ability to pinpoint a user’s location once an alert is triggered. These types of systems have the ability to display a map of the facility on the cell phone or computer screen of a first responder (whoever you define within your building or district), indicate the name of the employee who initiated the alert and follow the person live on the map if the individual is moving.

Many of the systems have the ability to empower employees to initiate different types of notifications, such as a staff alert that requests help from administrators and school safety personnel within a building, all the way to allowing any employee equipped with the alert system to initiate a total building lockdown that also alerts local police, fire and EMTs.

A staff alert may be used in situations where there is a defiant student, an altercation between students or a medical emergency for a student or staff member. During these types of alerts, building administrators, school resource officers and other building-level first responders receive an alert on their cell phones or computers and are able to respond very quickly to the exact location of the crisis with just the activation of the staff alert.

In an RFID badge-based alert system, staff members don’t have to be near a classroom telephone or near a call switch in their classroom to request help. They simply press a button on their badge and the alert is sent simultaneously to all building-level first responders. This is especially beneficial for physical education teachers who take classes outside, or performing arts teachers who are often in spaces like an auditorium or black box theatre.

Regardless of the location of the first responders, they are all notified at once and can all begin making their way to the location of the alert. This rapid response design eliminates the need for a phone call to one person, who then has to relay the need for assistance to first responders. These systems remove the reliance on that person being near their phone and not on another call.

Employees can also be empowered to initiate a “code red” lockdown of the entire facility in the event of an active shooter or other mass threat to the safety of building occupants. Some systems also have the ability to interface with electronic door locks, public-address systems and networked devices.

In one example, a “code red” lockdown initiates the following: immediate alert to building-level first responders with a map indicating name and location of the staff member who initiated the alert, immediate notification of local and state first responding agencies, flashing strobes, a public-address announcement indicating that a “code red” lockdown has been initiated, the locking of all programmed doors (including an override of any preset program that had a door unlocked on a schedule), and the display of a “code red” lockdown notification on all networked computers and interactive TV screens, as well as VOIP phone screens.

Regardless of the type of alert, the reduction of response time to any crisis is critical in minimizing risk. These systems often qualify for safety and security grant funds and can make a major difference in ensuring the safety and security of school facilities. Functionality varies by vendor and one system may not work well in your setting, while another would.

As you investigate the variety of options on the market, it is important to remember to involve your technology staff, security staff, buildings and grounds staff, and even your local first responders before making your selection. Ensuring that all of the integrated systems will function well together is a vital step in ensuring that the selected solution will meet your needs.