As back to school season is now in full swing, it’s important to remember the best ways to keep students safe. Whether on the way to school or even at school, emergencies can happen in an instant. Students need to be aware of how to stay safe. Here are some of the best tips to protect your students this school year.
Transportation
For students walking to school or simply to and from bus stops, traffic is always a concern. Students need to make sure to stay safely away from the curb when walking or waiting. You should also remind them to
always look both ways before crossing the street. Even though this is incredibly simple and perhaps an already rehearsed habit for pedestrians, one moment of carelessness could lead to serious injury.
For student drivers, back to school might mean more freedom to drive and spend time with them outside of school. As exciting as this is, young drivers need to be aware of potential risks when driving. They must drive with seat belts buckled and without the distraction of phones or friends.
School Safety
When at school, students face risks from other causes. For example, it is important to make sure your students are aware of escape routes in case of a fire. Oftentimes, these evacuation and other emergency drills, such as tornado or earthquake drills, are reviewed and rehearsed at some point during the first month of the school year. It is imperative to take time to address these types of situations and how to react to them efficiently and effectively. Examining and practicing these safety procedures on a consistent basis helps to educate students and keep them safe.
Another huge threat is from intruders. Students need to know what to do in case of an intruder, and how to be assured that all necessary steps are being taken to prevent it from becoming a tragic event.
Emergency situations are unpredictable, so it is important to always be prepared. They are also incredibly stressful, so having a simple, yet effective, plan in place is essential Our user-friendly and easily implemented school safety solutions can help prepare and empower anyone involved in an emergency.
Plan and Prepare
In case of an intruder alert, schools need to have safety measures in place. These are designed to prevent as much tragedy as possible. We provide a couple of key items, including our lockdown shades and multiple emergency door lock options door locks. These safety solutions are easy to implement and utilize.
- Hideaway Helper Lockdown Shades. Our lockdown shades are made with fire retardant—NFPA 701 compliant—blackout polyester fabric. They are user-friendly, designed to be quickly deployed whenever needed but not easy for students to mess with. We have standard sizes and customizable options, as well as extension straps, so we can help you protect every window in every room, especially interior classroom door and sidelight windows.
- TeacherLock™ classroom door lock. This locking mechanism is one of the quickest on the market, and is compliant with International Building Code, ADA, and NFPA safety guidelines. It is easily installed and can only be used by individuals with the key—no worries about students using it themselves for any reason. It is used without needing to bend over or kneel, making it easy to activate when needed, even a stressful situation.
- SAFEBOLT™ Barricade Lock. This lock is designed to be fast and effective. With a quick push of the red button, your classroom door is secured in an instant It is installed over the existing cylindrical lock in your door. The lock is only visible from inside the room, and features a high-visibility deployment indicator, so occupants are aware when the door is secured.” It can be opened from the outside only by first responders or faculty members who have the key to unlock the rim cylinder. In addition, the door opens with ease from the inside, so no one can be trapped in the room.
Respond
Tragically, sometimes even preventative measures fall short. In the case of a shooting, teachers need to be ready to respond. We have a variety of response kit options, so you can choose what will work best for your classrooms. Included in our selection are kits with first aid supplies or lockdown supplies
in case the situation lasts for a prolonged period of time.” We also work with
clients to provide custom kits with exactly what they need, so you can be
prepared no matter the situation.
Bleed Control Kits are vital in being prepared for an emergency. In the event of a shooting or other incident that involves injuries, first responders are always on the scene as soon as possible; however, the closest people to the situation are the bystanders. This is why it’s important to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Our bleed control kits all include S.T.A.T. tourniquets, which can be used on limbs as small as 20mm and have a childproof release. You can choose just a single tourniquet, or one of the larger kit options which include gauze, sterile gloves, bandages, and other emergency first aid. You can get sizes appropriate for classrooms or heavier traffic areas like cafeterias and auditoriums
Another emergency kit option is our Classroom Lockdown Kits. These provide important emergency supplies in the event of a lockdown. You can choose from a few categories of pre-set kits including lockdown kits, multiple person first aid kits, and first aid cabinets. You can choose from these standard options, or customize a kit using these items.
- Lockdown kits include materials for discreetly relieving yourself and, depending on the size, water pouches along with non-perishable food, water purifying tablets, emergency light sources, and a flashlight radio.
- First aid kits are designed to provide basic first aid products for groups of up to 25 or 50 people. They include a variety of bandages, gauze, sterile gloves, antiseptic wipes, and other important supplies.
- First aid cabinets have some similar content with the first aid kits but can be mounted to a wall. They also include other, more specific supplies, like iodine, eye pads and eyewash, and instant cold packets.
At School Safety Solution, we are always encouraging schools to be educated about, prepared for, and empowered to respond proactively in any type of emergency, including when an unwanted person enters a building. We must do everything we can to protect students. Using the safety devices highlighted in this article, we can work together to prevent more emergencies from turning into a tragedy. If you would like additional information regarding any of our services, please contact us. We would love to work with you to make your school a safer environment.