Schools are one of the safest places for kids to be. But in a world where everyone is always connected, it’s important to stay on top of potential threats and know how to respond when they arise. This is why so many schools have deployed student safety alert systems. These technologies are used by teachers and staff members to report dangerous situation, like weapons, drugs, or simply anything that may seem out of the ordinary.
What are Student Safety Alert Systems
There is no question that the safety of students and staff is a top priority. Parents place the responsibility of their children’s wellbeing in the hands of the school faculty every day. While parents may not be able to be there themselves, they want to know the school is able to protect and prepare their kids in any situation that may arise. A student safety alert system is an emergency communication system that allows for rapid transmission of information between students and staff during emergencies.
Setting up a safety alert system is an important part of keeping students safe, as well as ensuring that they’re ready for any type of situation. Not only that, but it will also help keep everyone in the school informed about what’s going on at all times and guarantees that everyone knows where to go when something happens. A school safety alert system should be able to send alerts in three ways:
- Test message (SMS)
- Voice call
What Situations Require a School Safety Alert
Schools face a variety of situations every day, but on occasion there are situations that are considered emergencies. These circumstances will need to be dealt with quickly to ensure student and staff safety. The school safety alert system operates as a threat event system for emergencies that include:
- Lockdowns
- Active Shooters
- Fire
- Severe Weather Events
- Natural Disasters
- School Threats
How Do Student Safety Alert Systems Improve School Safety
Use the Power of Technology
You can use technology to improve school safety in many different ways, for example you can use it to communicate with students, teachers, and parents. Communication between students and teachers is a vital part of school life. A student safety alert system allows for real-time communication
Give Authorities a Heads-Up
Police need a heads-up. While it’s important that students and teachers know about the student safety alert system, it’s equally important for school officials to notify law enforcement personnel. The police are the only ones who can make sure your students get to where they need to be safely. Law enforcement can also make sure that whatever situation is happening is not escalated, and that things don’t get worse than they already are.
Students Are Carrying Phones
Today, many parents are providing their kids with mobile phones as a safety precaution, giving them peace of mind and a form or direct communication. With the increased use of mobile phones by children and young adults, this makes it easier for schools to inform not only students but parents and school faculty as well of emergency situations that may occur.
Adding an Extra Layer of Proactive Protection with onGuard
Using technology to keep students safe is a critical component of any school safety plan. While having a safety alert system allows faculty to act quickly to protect student at a moment’s notice, some situations can benefit from a proactive approach. Netsweeper’s onGuard adds an extra layer of protection, going beyond static lists of basic internet filters with real-time, comprehensive monitoring, reporting, and alerting of online and offline activity to allow for early intervention. onGuard detects keywords and phrases and recognizes the warning signs of issues such as depression, suicide, self-harm, and cyberbullying. onGuard technology allows schools to keep students safe proactively as an addition to their school safety plan and procedures.
Conclusion
In the end, student safety alert systems can be a great way to improve school safety and keep your student safe, by providing immediate communication in case something goes wrong on campus and action needs to be taken quickly. There’s no question that the safety of students at school is a main concern. While parents may not be able to physically check on their child or children every minute of the day, they do want to know if something happens at school. Incorporating a student safety alert system and online monitoring services like Netsweeper’s onGuard solution can provide parents and educators peace of mind for kids in their care.