Are Schools Ready For Emergencies?
Are parents confident that their child’s school is prepared for an emergency? Parental confidence starts with emergency readiness and instant communication in a crisis. The difference between a school that is ready and one that sits vulnerable is rooted in their communication technology and training.
How can parents have confidence that their children are in good hands at school during an emergency?
The answer has a few different components: Emergency Preparedness, Trained Staff, Communication Technology, and Constant Communication.
These principles, alongside top tier life safety communications like CareHawk, are the backbone of parental confidence in schools.
Emergency Preparedness
Having a plan and ensuring that all staff and students are aware of it is crucial. Emergency preparedness is the differentiation between saying a school is safe and a school actually being safe. School administration must share the emergency planning with families prior to each semester. The plan must include details of lockdown protocols as well as a clearly defined area of refuge. A printed safety document outlining their evacuation plan, as well as, when the school will conduct different drills give parents comfort and confidence. It shows that the school spent time learning about how to best serve students and ensure their safety.
Trained Staff Programs
Training staff is simple enough for one day. But with ever-evolving threats and the technology needed to overcome those threats, ongoing training of the most current protocols and technologies is essential. Parents must be made aware of the staff that is trained and what they are trained in. The right tools with trained staff makes those tools efficient; a school with efficient tools builds confidence in parents.
Communication Technology
A plan is only as good as the technology at hand. For schools, especially larger schools with a lot of moving parts (administration offices, classrooms, cafeterias, outdoor areas, etc.), a communication system that can’t reach every single person is simply not an option.
CareHawk systems are designed to be a scalable communication system for any campus or district. The CH2000 intercom and paging platform and Spotlight are just two examples of what sets CareHawk apart.
Spotlight converts your school floor plan into an interactive dashboard for everyday and emergency communication. Administration needs to have the ability to communicate with voice, tones, and visual messaging to individual classrooms and the facility as a whole. Fast classroom communication means quickly figuring out where the emergency is specifically located within the campus. This will get first responders to the emergency more quickly. Modern and easy-to-use platforms mean efficiency and effectiveness. They add another level of confidence for parents.
Constant Communication with Planning
It’s easy to say communication is key. But what does the practical application of this actually look like for schools looking to bolster confidence in their student’s parents?
Firstly, know what needs to be communicated. This includes a safety plan, school security measures, staff training, technology installed or being installed, and anyone that is coming on campus as a contractor. Keeping the information to what the parents need to know and not just telling them every single detail will build the confidence needed.
Secondly, how is this information going to be communicated? Non-immediate communication can go through channels like newsletters, school board meetings, emails, and the school website. Immediate and emergency communication can be sent directly by text, email, and phone.
Confidence Starts With CareHawk
In today’s climate, the worry of emergencies looms; many parents worry everyday about their children at school. Through emergency preparedness, trained staff, communication technology, and constant communication, parents can be confident that a school is ready for the threats that may come. Contact one of our experts today!