School safety is the number one focus in education systems nationwide. Parents want to know that when they send their child to school every day that they are safe and will be protected from harm. Dangerous situations happen unexpectedly and in an instance. It is important to keep not only the students in these schools safe but, also administrators, teachers, and all staff members.
Sonitrol Security offers a way to combat potential personal harm from dangerous situations. Panic buttons, also called hold-up buttons, are a solution that we provide to protect schools in the case of these emergencies. In this blog we will break down the application, uses, and where to install your panic button for optimal effectiveness.
Panic Button Application
In situations of distress and danger, it is crucial to have the resources at your fingertips to provide safety to those in harm’s way. When pressed, panic buttons immediately send signals to the systems control experts who alert EMS officials for medical assistance or local authorities.
Unlike a traditional phone or cell phone, panic buttons provide a faster way to contact assistance. If a school staff member is in the middle of a dangerous situation whether it be an intruder in the building or a medical emergency, they may be unable to easily access a phone to make a call for help. The panic button does this for them with a press of the button, saving precious time.
Combining a panic button with Sonitrol’s video surveillance and audio technology will ensure your safety needs are met more quickly.
Location of your Panic Button
Our panic button provides a virtually silent response when used. This make it a safer tool to use in emergencies when being discrete is crucial. The location of your panic button in your school or educational facility is important for prime accessibility.
We recommend having more than one located in your building. For obvious reasons, a dangerous occurrence could happen anywhere throughout the school. It wouldn’t be effective to only have one panic button in the school administrators’ offices for a teacher on the other side of the school needs to access it.
For this reason, it is recommended to have a panic button in every classroom in a school to guarantee all students are safe at all times. Other places around the building where a panic button would be beneficial is the administrators’ offices, cafeteria, library, hallways, and gym.
Our panic button technology is wireless making them available wherever they are needed. Teachers and staff members of the school can place their panic buttons underneath desks, tables, or chairs. For mobility purposes, school staff members can even carry their panic buttons on the go.
A couple ways to carry a panic button safely where it is not accidentally pushed is clipped onto a belt or around your neck on a lanyard. It is important to inform students of any panic buttons located around them and how to use them. In the instance that a teacher or staff member was unable to press the panic button when needed, students should know when and how to use one.
For more information on the panic button technology we offer at Sonitrol, check out our latest blog. If you’re interested in learning more about the value of adding panic buttons to your security systems, contact us today!