Emergencies, disasters or critical incidents that occur within an educational setting are every parents’, teachers’ and school administrators’ nightmare. The health and welfare of hundreds or thousands of children and young people could be at risk and dependent upon a thorough and well-executed emergency response plan.
The five basic all-hazard responses that educators teach and drill with students are:
- drop/cover/hold on
- evacuate
- lockdown
- lockout and
- shelter in place
These essentials are proven first steps in an emergency response, and educators discuss and practice these with students, usually on a specific schedule set out by the school board or district.
In the case of a lockdown or shelter in place response, it’s critical that teachers have a means to check in with authorities outside of the immediate vicinity. The method of contact should be predetermined and consistent for all who may be involved in the incident. It also needs to be easy to implement, so that contact is seamless under what may be extremely stressful circumstances.
Lone worker protection – technology for emergency response in education settings
Fortunately, modern technology brings this kind of emergency response tool within reach of public schools, independent schools and post-secondary settings.
Ok Alone’s lone worker monitoring system provides a reliable point of contact through our safety app, downloadable to iPhone and Android as well as iPad, laptop and desktop devices, so your school won’t need to purchase extra equipment. Teachers will find it simple to learn and use, plus the system is flexible enough that substitute teachers can download the app and be added to your school’s roster on a day-by-day basis.
Adding this tool to your school district’s safety policy will give an effective point of contact that strengthens your emergency response plan, and it’s priced reasonably, to fit within constrained education budgets. We even offer a free trial!
Contact us to learn more.
The Ok Alone team writes informative articles about lone working. Through our articles, we aim to educate readers on the benefits and best practices of using our lone worker app, and how Ok Alone can help mitigate risks and enhance communication between workers and monitors. Learn about other areas including legislation, risk management, and legal compliance plus lone worker features such as man down, high-risk check ins and location monitoring.