Having a technology-driven panic button system in your school is a great addition to your incident response plan, which is important for school safety. Since 2013 there have been over 160 violent crimes in schools, colleges, and universities across the United States. In two years, 53% of school shootings took place at K-12 schools and 49% on college/university campuses.
Why are Traditional Panic Buttons a Mistake?
With traditional panic buttons, the incident has usually already occurred by the time the notification delay goes through- and is often delayed by several minutes. Not only is there a delayed notification, but the panic alarm also fails to provide emergency responders with information about what was happening. Moreover, many of the panic button systems for school safety purposes are activated accidentally. No one ever knows what button the initial alert originated. The traditional panic button system for school safety is still acknowledged by responders with high priority; however, the delayed notification time on the panic buttons that work has proven to be ineffective for a rapid response.
What is the Main Reason to Have Panic Buttons for School Safety?
The idea behind having panic button systems for school safety is to lower the time between the onset of an incident and when responders are on the scene. The goal is to notify responders rapidly. This allows for quick de-escalation of any crisis, which lowers the opportunity of victimization. The large time delay of the traditional panic buttons is the reason why they are rapidly becoming discounted and ruled ineffective by responders.
Does Technology Offer Solutions for Panic Button Systems for School Safety?
Yes! Technology has caught up and revolutionized the way people respond to situations. The increase in global domestic terrorism creates a clear and imminent need to have panic buttons for school safety. People believe mobile apps are the “cure-all” for these types of situations. An app, however, is not solely the best option. Think about if there was an emergency. Would you have time to find your phone, open it, and locate the app to raise a panic? Phone app panic buttons focus more on individuals rather than buildings and people inside.
The key to an effective panic button for schools is to lower the notification time to responders and to integrate internal and external notifications. Combining internal and external notifications means that it notifies everyone within the school while alerting responders simultaneously. Internal and external notifications should be merged into the push of a button.
How Much Should I Budget for Panic Buttons for School Safety?
The key is to find a technology-driven school safety panic button system that offers free system updates to ensure you do not get stuck with an outdated program. Technology is constantly and rapidly changing, just like your school. Look for a scalable system that meets your exact needs and the cost will always offset. Surprisingly, the technology-driven school safety panic buttons are usually priced three to one less than the traditional panic buttons while offering several other innovative features that can easily be molded to your particular needs.
