Animal shelters are not immune from workplace violence. Shelters often see people in desperate situations, so an incident response plan is essential. A holdup alarm from CRS Notify would be an exceptional addition to any incident response plan to keep animal shelter workers safe during their everyday routines.
Why Use a Holdup Alarm for Animal Shelters?
There are a few scenarios where a holdup alarm for animal shelters would be useful.
One scenario where a holdup button for animal shelters would be useful would be if a worker in the animal shelter needs help quickly. Perhaps an intake worker is helping a belligerent customer. The animal shelter worker could raise a low alert, making their colleagues aware of the unfolding situation.
Another scenario where a holdup alarm for animal shelters would be useful is in imminent danger to workers and clients. An animal shelter worker could raise a high alert, which would dispatch police immediately. CRS Notify holdup alarms connect to 911 via E911 integration. This bypasses the alarm company altogether and sends the alert straight to the police.
Because medications and other drugs are available at some animal shelters, a holdup alarm from CRS Notify would be essential to keep all employees in the loop of what is going on at all times.
How to Avoid Workplace Violence in Animal Shelters
Animal shelters are vulnerable to workplace violence for a few reasons. First off, animal shelters see people in desperate situations looking for a quick and easy way out. Secondly, some animal shelters dispense medications to some of the animals within the shelter.
Surveillance cameras are an absolute must when trying to reduce workplace violence in animal shelters. The shelters that have surveillance cameras not only use them to identify those who commit animal abandonment but to identify those who may commit violence against the shelter workers as well.
Some shelters dispense controlled medications. Certain controlled substances are required by the DEA to be recorded at all times. The DEA advises pharmacies and other places that dispense controlled substances to keep this information stored properly at all times.
Incident Response Plan
An incident response plan is just as important as a holdup alarm for animal shelters. How does the staff need to react in case of emergency? Depending on the type of emergency, it may not be advisable to hit the holdup alarm right away. In fact, many safety and security personnel will advise against hitting the holdup alarm during an active emergency if it is not safe to do so.
In the case of an active shooter, many places will recommend run-hide-fight. Running from the situation is the first thing that people should do. If it is unsafe to run, then people need to hide in a safe place. If all else fails, fighting the assailant should be a last resort.
Conclusion
A holdup alarm should be included in every incident response plan. CRS Notify holdup alarms include the option to raise two alert levels. Our holdup alarms also send alerts to everyone within a network if an alert is raised. CRS Notify holdup alarms are directly connected to 911. This saves valuable dispatch time when seconds matter the most.
Still Unsure About a Holdup Alarm?
Contact us for more information to make the best decision for your holdup alarm.
info@communityresponsesystems.com or 800-533-7201 M-F 8-5 pm CST
