School Security: Central Command
Every school campus must have an organized, efficient command center and emergency response plan. When properly planned, live video feeds are displayed on large screens in the primary command center while operators and administrators can control a variety of cameras and systems simultaneously. Additional monitors in the command center display intercom operations, access control, fire alarm, and other critical systems. Specialized command center furniture organizes and operates multiple monitors and associated computer hardware.
Incident Command System (ICS)
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute provides a variety of online and classroom training opportunities that cover the wide range of incident command best practices and policies. These policies ensure that the Incident Command System is implemented in every emergency incident. One of the pillars of ICS is establishing a command post where all agency commanders assemble to create a unified command. This post will likely begin at the campus security center and may stay there or migrate to a mobile police command vehicle as the incident unfolds. In either case, security plans must allow for access to security systems from either or both locations. See more about FEMA ICS here.
Primary Command Center
Three primary systems are used to determine the location and scale of the event: the access control system, video surveillance system, and mass communication system. The access control system allows administrators to lock or unlock specific areas of the school remotely. Video surveillance allows administrators to visually verify the situation. The mass communication system communicates important messages to occupants. This same audio system can also send commands to the assailant(s) as the event unfolds.
Mobile Command Post
Once police leadership arrives, the incident command will be shifted from local authorities to multiple responding agencies, creating a unified command situation. It’s critical that access to video surveillance, access control, and mass communication is provided at the mobile command post. Computers with access to the systems must be onboard the mobile command center in advance, or mobile computers must be brought to the command post from the school as the incident unfolds. The computers must have current software versions and be capable of processing significant amounts of video simultaneously. This will allow commanders to track the incident with video verification. The mobile post must also be able to access the fire alarm, intrusion detection, and other systems remotely.
The Right Partner
Our team understands that schools have many unique challenges. We have the extensive school security experience required to ensure security and safety compliance. Netronix begins by evaluating the challenges, performance expectations, and environmental conditions of your school. Input is gathered from the security team, facilities staff, IT department, administrators, and other stakeholders. We perform a site survey, inside and outside, to evaluate the physical layout of the school and uncover potential vulnerabilities. Once the risks and expectations are clearly defined, our team designs a unified security solution. Products from a variety of leading manufacturers are assembled into a custom design and demonstrations of key components are performed onsite.