Schools such as Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute have initiated a lockdown practice. This is a procedure implemented by many large American schools following the 1999 shooting at Columbine, Colorado.
In crisis situations, such as an armed gunman roaming the school halls, all classroom and school doors are immediately locked preventing anyone from leaving or entering. Blinds are pulled and lights turned off to make it difficult for a shooter to locate targets. This is increasingly becoming the norm for several of the Greater Toronto school boards. But is it enough?
Jennifer Brown, editor of Canadian Security News, reports that according to Minaz Jivraj, a Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School board security and safety officer, "If police and security officials know something is happening at a school, the question parents and community members will inevitably ask is: What did you do to make sure my child was safe?"
Besides lockdowns, is there anything else that can be done to ensure security? David Poirier of Lenbrook, Canada says there is.
"Maintaining order and enhancing student and staff safety are the reasons why schools, colleges, and universities are now using two-way radios in addition to their phone and intercom systems. Two-way radios are part of a solution to many areas of school activity and student safety," says Poirier.
Putting two-way radios in the hands of teachers and school staff improves communication and safety. Staff using two-way radios can alert school security to potentially dangerous or suspicious situations quickly. One user can alert all staff of any situation in seconds. Communicating in a crisis situation is immediate, discreet, and effective.
"It also means that teachers or staff not in classrooms, are notified of the emergency," continues Poirier.
About two-way radios, Shelley Jones, Administrative Assistant at Ecole Greenfield School, Edmonton, Alberta agrees, "This has become a great tool for communication and safety in our school."
Two-way radios like the Motorola radios are easy to use. Unlike phones which are one-to-one, a two-way radio can alert as many people as there are two-way radios. Group talk is important to get immediate action.
When there is a security concern teachers and staff can talk to all classes or staff at the same time. Two-way radios are the only form of communication that offers group talk as opposed to one to one.
With tighter budgets, business two-way radios are an affordable solution to staying in touch in areas of security concerns, and focus on incident prevention.
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For further information or interviews contact:
Peter Turkington
Strategic Communications Solutions
Public Relations Specialists
ON BEHALF OF LENBROOK CANADA
Direct Phone: 905.901.9218
Email: pturkington@statcommsolutions.ca
Web: www.stratcommsolutions.ca
Peter Turkington
Strategic Communications Solutions
Public Relations Specialists
ON BEHALF OF LENBROOK CANADA
Direct Phone: 905.901.9218
Email: pturkington@statcommsolutions.ca
Web: www.stratcommsolutions.ca
