Of the hundreds of school shootings that have taken place in the last 50 years, only a few have involved the attacker having to physically break into the building, either through a window or – as in the case of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting – through a glass door. While there is technology available to mitigate that risk even further (including several brands of bullet- and impact-resistant glass), Advanced Data Risk Management LLC President and school security consultant Dan O’Neill says that perimeter security should only be one factor in eliminating easy targets for active shooters.
As school shootings continue to plague American communities, both large and small, school administrators and security experts need to look at the issue of minimizing risk from multiple angles. One of the most important issues is how to help or enable local law enforcement to respond as quickly as possible. This is the purpose of duress alarm systems, more commonly known as panic alarms.
Preparing for active shooter threats is an increasingly common challenge. Although these events are a low-probability risk at any given site, the magnitude of improperly handling an event of this nature can have devastating effects on your business (i.e. negative PR, public perception, lost sales), your company culture, and possibly even your career.
An independent report on the 2012 theater shooting that killed 12 and injured 63 others highlights communication problems between firefighters and police officers surging into the area but says first responders should be proud of their efforts to treat the wounded.
Depending on the environment you’re in, physical safeguards such as desks, railings and panic buttons can be helpful deterrents. “You don’t want to make it look like a prison, but at the same time, you can make minor modifications that help protect.
BEST 40H Visual Indicator Thumb-Turn option from STANLEY Security
September 1, 2014
The indicator uses simple, bold, color-coded “secured” (red) and “unsecured” (green) visual indication to ensure the door has been locked correctly and quickly.
Having Lock-Down Protocols are useful, however it can delay law enforcement’s entry time. Do not expect to always escort law enforcement to threat areas; directions and diagrams are very helpful.