In order to keep employees, students, customers, and anyone else who may be on-site safe during the coronavirus pandemic, many organizations are putting safety measures in place. These protective measures, as recommended by the CDC, can include:
Requiring masks
Social distancing of at least six feet
Offering hand sanitizer
Regularly disinfecting commonly-touched surfaces
Improving building ventilation
Providing protective glass or plastic barriers where a six-foot distance isn’t possible
Conducting health checks daily
Assessing the risks in the workplace
Encouraging frequent hand-washing
Contact tracing
Some of these, such as the mask wearing, frequently washing hands or using hand sanitizer, and practicing social distancing, must be done regularly and by individuals rather than by the organization. It may be easy for employees or customers to forget some of these security measures as they go about their normal business. So how can companies remind people to continue to exercise all necessary precautions to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Automate Scheduled Reminders
With the MessageNet system, you can schedule messages to launch at any time. These schedules can be either one-time message launches or they can be regular, repeating schedules. Repeating schedules can be set up to launch a reminder message as frequently as you want. You can add as many different timed launches to a message schedule as needed. Each time can also be set to repeat on multiple days. In this way, a message can be set up to launch every hour of the work day on every day of the work week. But which notifications would best help to keep people safe at your organization?
Mask Reminder Notification
Studies done by medical professionals have shown that wearing face masks can help limit the spread of the disease. Although nothing will be 100% effective in protecting against the virus, the more people who wear masks, the lower its chances of spreading. If your staff members cannot safely social distance and still perform their duties, wearing a mask is a good way to help them keep both themselves and others safe.
If employees are removing masks throughout the day for any reason, an automated reminder to put it back on can help them remember. A regular reminder can also help customers or visitors to your organization who may not be familiar with the rules to know before they come in what the expectations are.
Hand-Washing Reminder Notifications
The best way to get COVID-19 particles off of your hands is to wash them with soap and water. Hand sanitizer works well when you don’t have access to soap and water, but washing your hands with soap for twenty seconds will both break down the coronavirus particles and completely wash them away. Employees should be washing their hands any time they’ve come into contact with anyone else or any surfaces that they don’t know for certain are clean. A notification can be sent out reminding employees to wash their hands regularly.
Cleaning Reminders
Another safety measure recommended by the CDC was to regularly clean and sanitize commonly touched surfaces. If a specific person is responsible for cleaning a specific location, a notification can be sent directly to that person. Reminders are especially important for new tasks that weren’t previously a regular part of an employees’ duties.
Health Check Notifications
If your business is conducting regular health checks for employees, you can set up an automated alert to let them know when one is upcoming. If it’s first thing in the morning, schedule the reminder to go out at the end of office hours the day before. It can also be a good reminder for employees who are feeling under the weather to use a sick day so they don’t risk spreading an illness to the rest of the office.
COVID-19, short for Coronavirus Disease 2019, is a highly infectious disease that is caused by a recently discovered coronavirus. A coronavirus is a common type of virus that typically affects the upper throat, respiratory system, sinuses, or the nose. They spread similarly to cold viruses and nearly everyone contracts a coronavirus at least one time during their lifetime, usually during early childhood. Most coronaviruses aren’t very dangerous, but some, particularly those that cause SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) or MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), can actually be deadly.
While COVID-19 is a member of the coronavirus family, it’s considered a novel coronavirus. It’s one of seven known types of coronavirus, joining SARS and MERS as one of the more dangerous types. Most coronaviruses are relatively harmless in otherwise healthy people. COVID-19, a new strain of coronavirus, was discovered in Wuhan, China, and has, as of March 24, 2020, caused 18,614 deaths, of more than 417,698 confirmed infections across the world.
What Is a Pandemic?
The word pandemic refers to any disease that has spread throughout a large region or even worldwide (as opposed to an epidemic, which is only widespread throughout a community). The World Health Organization (WHO), has classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. It has spread far across the world from its original location in Wuhan, China. The COVID-19 virus has hit Italy hard and there are cases cropping up all over the world.
The United States, as of March 24, 2020, has seen 44,183 cases, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and has seen 544 total deaths from the disease. There could be many more cases that haven’t been reported.
What Are the Symptoms of COVID-19?
The symptoms of COVID-19 have ranged from mild to severe and life-threatening. Symptoms can also appear as early as two days after exposure to the virus, but could take as long as fourteen days. Typical symptoms of COVID-19 include:
Cough
Fever
Shortness of breath
What Are the Emergency Warning Signs of COVID-19?
The symptoms above are common and don’t necessarily call for medical attention. However, there are emergency warning signs to look out. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately:
Bluish face or lips
Confusion
Chest pain
Chest pressure
Difficulty breathing
Who Can Get COVID-19?
Anyone of all ages can get the virus. However, fewer children than adults have become infected with the virus and there have been no confirmed deaths in anyone under the age of 19 from the disease. There have been hundreds of thousands of cases worldwide and thousands of deaths. No one is immune and even famous people have been infected. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson tested positive for COVID-19 in Australia and more recently, Prince Charles announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus as well.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Those most at risk for experiencing severe illness or even death as a result of COVID-19 are older adults, pregnant women, people who have HIV, people who have asthma, and anyone of any age who has a serious underlying medical condition. While most healthy adults and children are unlikely to become seriously ill or die from the disease, COVID-19 is extremely contagious and the measures put in place across the world are to protect those who are most vulnerable.
How Does COVID-19 Spread?
Because COVID-19 is a new disease, experts are still learning how it spreads. Currently, the CDC believes that it spreads primarily from person to person through close contact (less than 6 feet) and through respiratory droplets from when someone infected with COVID-19 sneezes or coughs. Although the virus seems to spread primarily once those infected are showing symptoms, it is possible for people to be contagious even if they aren’t showing any symptoms yet.
It is also possible for COVID-19 to be transmitted through infected surfaces. If someone touches a surface or object that has the virus on it, and then touches their face, they could possibly become infected with COVID-19. One of the reasons COVID-19 is such a risk is because it spreads quickly and easily.
How Is COVID-19 Treated?
People who have more mild symptoms of COVID-19 can treat the virus at home. The best thing to do is to stay at home and to treat the symptoms. Stay hydrated, stay warm, rest, sleep, and drink plenty of liquids. A hot shower or a room humidifier can help with a cough or sore throat. You can take over-the-counter medicines to help ease the symptoms. Unless you have severe symptoms, it’s recommended that you avoid going to the doctor. COVID-19 is not bacteria-based, so anti-biotics won’t help to treat it.
If you develop more severe symptoms, including difficulty breathing, you should seek medical attention.
Can You Take Ibuprofen to Treat COVID-19?
The World Health Organization recommends that people with COVID-19 avoid taking medicines with ibuprofen or any other anti-inflammatory medication because there’s a risk that it could make symptoms worse. The current theory is that the anti-inflammatory properties of ibuprofen boosted an enzyme that made coronavirus symptoms worse. The WHO is still investigating the claims, but in the mean time has advised that people take paracetemol rather than ibuprofen unless otherwise prescribed by a doctor.
Is There a Vaccine for COVID-19?
There is not currently a vaccine for COVID-19, although health organizations around the world are working on developing one. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) began a clinical trial into an investigative vaccine for COVID-19 on March 16, 2020. There are in total about 35 academic institutions and companies working to create a vaccine and already at least four have candidate vaccines that are being tested in animals. In addition, the World Health Organization has announced a global trial in search of an effective treatment for COVID-19.
What Does it Mean to Flatten the Curve?
The words “flatten the curve” have been appearing online and in the news a lot since the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus. But what does it mean? The term refers to the graph below. The first curve shows what happens if no steps are taken to curb the outbreak. The second curve shows what happens when measures are put in place.
It’s so important to flatten that curve because hospitals only have so much equipment to go around. There are only so many health care workers. If everyone who is going to contract the COVID-19 coronavirus is infected at the same time, hospitals will be overwhelmed. There won’t be enough doctors and nurses to care for everyone who is ill. There won’t be enough face masks to go around. There won’t be enough ventilators to help the seriously ill breathe. More people would die. By flattening the curve and having more people ill over a longer period of time, there could be enough medical supplies for everyone who needs them.
What Can People Do to Protect Themselves and Others?
The best way individuals can protect themselves is by avoiding exposure to the virus. They can help protect others in the same way by avoiding spreading the disease.
Practice Social Distancing
Social distancing is the practice of staying at least six feet away from other people. The virus is primarily spread through person-to-person contact, so staying out of close contact with others can help prevent the spread. If you are able to stay home from work, do so to avoid exposure. Social distancing also means avoiding large crowds and mass gatherings.
Wash Your Hands
Despite the news stories about people buying up and hoarding hand sanitizer, the best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands with soap and water, making sure to do so for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in a public place, sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose. Soap can break down COVID-19 particles that might be on your hands if you wash for at least 20 seconds. Then, any particles remaining will wash away with the soap.
Hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol is a good option if soap and water aren’t readily available to you. Make sure to use enough that you can rub your hands together for 20 seconds. The disadvantage of hand sanitizer is that although it can help break down COVID-19 particles most people don’t use enough of it for that to happen. Plus, it stays on your hands, so it won’t wash away any COVID-19 germs with it.
Clean and Disinfect Everything
Use household disinfectants to clean and disinfect commonly used surfaces. This includes countertops, tables, light switches, doorknobs, phones, and more. Anything that is used by more than one person should be disinfected regularly to avoid contamination. If new items are brought into the house, such as groceries, those should be disinfected, too.
Don’t Wear a Face Mask
If you are not sick and are merely taking precautions, don’t wear a face mask. They’re in limited supply and should be saved for those who are sick, medical professionals, and people taking care of someone who is sick.
What Are Governments and Organizations Doing About COVID-19?
State governments have been issuing executive orders regarding what people and businesses should do during the COVID-19 outbreak. Indiana’s governor, Eric Holcomb, issued a Stay-At-Home order that Indiana residents should stay home except for:
Going to work
Taking care of other people
For health and safety
To purchase necessary supplies
Large gatherings of 50 or more people are canceled. Non-essential businesses have been ordered to close, although essential businesses and organizations were allowed to remain open because of the type of service they provide.
Restaurants are able to remain open provided they only provide food for carry-out. Sporting events have already been cancelled. Schools and universities are running classes online. THis will prevent lots of people gathering in one location. Grocery stores are implementing measures to keep people from standing too close to each other in line and many are installing sneeze guards to separate customers and cashiers at the check-out line.
What Can Businesses Do to Protect Themselves and Others?
Unless businesses are considered essential, many have been ordered to close by state executive order, as is the case in Indiana. MessageNet Systems is able to remain open to support our customers because all staff are able to work remotely from their homes in an effort to protect both employees and customers from the virus. Any business, whether essential or not, should still plan a response to the outbreak in order to protect both customers and employees
Operate Remotely if Possible
If possible, businesses should operate remotely. Employees should work from home and limit the amount of time spent in the office whenever possible, communicating with each other via phone, email, and instant messaging services. Of course, this isn’t possible for all businesses, but any employees who are sick should stay home. This may mean offering paid sick leave where possible.
Minimize Employee and Customer Contact
If working remotely isn’t possible, businesses should limit the face-to-face contact their employees have with each other and with customers. Employees and customers should practice social distancing and maintain at least a six-foot distance from each other. Try to assign tasks that minimize employee exposure to the virus. Also try to prevent large groups from gathering in one place. Restaurants, for example, are operating on a carry-out-only basis, preparing food only for consumption off-premise. Other businesses may also be able to prevent the need for customers to come into the business by offering carry-out services.
Clean and Disinfect Everything
Any surfaces or objects that are touched by more than one person should be regularly cleaned and disinfected. This can help prevent the virus from spreading through indirect contact.
Have a Plan
Companies need to plan for a variety of possible scenarios in order to keep businesses running during the outbreak. What will the company do if employees are sick and have to stay home? What are the functions most essential to running the business? What can be done remotely? Because of the pandemic, times are uncertain. It’s important to stay flexible and have a plan for a variety of different scenarios, especially with so much unknown about what will happen with the spread of the virus.
Communicate
Communication is key to managing any crisis. With more employees than ever before working remotely or avoiding close contact with each other, online communication and digital technology will be more important to the functioning of businesses than ever before. Organizations can use their existing emergency communication systems to keep employees in the loop on any developments. With the MessageNet system, organizations could send one message that is then forwarded on to signs within the organization’s location, but also sent to all users’ email address, cell phones, and even Twitter.
Chances are good that you can’t imagine not having cellular data (3G, 4G, LTE, etc.) available for your phone. The convenience of having Internet access no matter where you are is now such an intrinsic part of life for many people. Cellular data has actually been around since 1991, when it was introduced as 2G, and has only got faster and faster in the years since. 2019 will see the gradual introduction of 5G!
Mobile Data in Emergencies
Unfortunately, cellular data becomes less convenient in emergency situations. In emergencies, everyone tries to use their cell phones at the same time, overloading the network. Cell towers aren’t meant to handle the volume of traffic that comes from all mobile phone owners trying to use them at the exact same time. Depending on the emergency, there could be physical damage to the towers that prevents phone calls or data usage on cellular networks from going through. In the end, the result is the same – emergencies can result in communication delays that can affect not only personal communications, but also official emergency communications.
For example, cellular networks were completely overwhelmed with communications and shut down during the London Subway Bombing, 9/11, the Boston Marathon bombings, and Hurricane Sandy. After the London Subway bombing, because the network failure impacted the emergency responders’ ability to communicate with each other as well, London authorities invested in communications technology that would be specifically for emergency responders and the authorities. The Boston Marathon bombings sparked rumors that government authorities purposely shut off cell networks so that they could not be used to detonate explosives. Hurricane Sandy damaged the cell towers to the point where extensive repairs were needed before they could be used again.
Depending on WiFi
There’s a reason why most people prefer to connect to a wireless network when one is available. Even if it’s a public WiFi, often it’s faster than using cell phone data and it doesn’t use up your limited high-speed cellular data. Often, there are fewer people using a WiFi network than there are using data at any given time. This may be because of the limits of the wireless signal’s range or because it’s password-protected and only certain people are allowed access to that network.
In an emergency situation, using a wireless network instead of relying on data to send out emergency alerts is preferred. Not only is the network faster and more reliable, but it also may help ease the congestion on an already-swamped mobile network. Some emergencies, like Hurricane Sandy, may also knock out power, and therefore WiFi along with it, but in many cases, wireless networks may still be active even if the cellular networks are down. Cellular service providers may be working to improve their infrastructure so it can more easily handle an increased volume of calls and texts. They already do this for sports games, concerts, and other events that see large crowds in one location. But emergencies can’t be predicted, so it’s best to rely on your wireless network first and leave using cellular data as a backup. It’s also important to have a contingency plan for if both are unavailable.
Sometimes it seems like the only news we see nowadays is of mass shootings. Gun violence is everywhere, from schools to public places. It’s more important than ever before for an emergency communication system to be able to address this kind of emergency with an active shooter alert that provides detailed instructions so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. With MessageNet Connections, you can create an active shooter alert message (and an accompanying drill message) that has both text and audio as well as flashers to get people’s attention more easily. So how can you create this active shooter alert message?
Create a New Message
Log in to the MessageNet Connections Administrative Interface and navigate to the Message Directory. Choose a message to use as a template and click on the question mark button to open that message. To create a new message, first select the Message Directory in which the new message will be saved – if you have an Emergency Message directory, it’s best to save the message there. Then, enter a new name (for example, Active Shooter Alert) into the Message Name field. Once those two fields have been changed, click Save as New.
Send to Sender
Because this message will display on signs, it’s important for it to be set to send to Sender. This means that the message will appear in the Inbox of the user who sent the message. That user can thus maintain control of the message and can cancel it and relaunch as needed, in case there was a mistake, such as the wrong message being sent by accident. If it’s not configured to send to the Sender, then if the Sender needs to close the message, they will have to contact the person who received the message in order to do so. This could take time in an emergency situation that just isn’t available. Sending the message to Sender instead of to another user will automatically send the message to the Inbox of the user who sent it so if any corrections need to be made, it can be done quickly.
In the Send To field, click on the arrow button – this will open a new window with a list of all users in the system. At the bottom is a button for Sender. Click Sender and then OK.
Select Sign and Audio Groups
Messages can be sent to any combination of signs, but for an emergency message, it’s recommended that the message goes to all of them. The MessageNet system automatically creates an ALL SIGNS sign group that contains every sign defined on the system – new signs will also automatically get added to this group. If the available signs have audio capability (Omni devices, MediaPorts, IPSpeakers), there will be a corresponding All Signs audio group.
Click on the arrow button for each of the Sign Group and Audio Group fields. Select All Signs in the window that pops up (or other group if needed). Then, click OK to save the change.
Message Text
The Message field is where the text that will be the body of the message is entered. This is what will be displayed on the signs. For an active shooter alert, it should read something like this: “Emergency Alert. Active Shooter reported. Lock and barricade all doors until further notice. Take cover. This is not a drill.”
Flashers
For emergency alerts, flashers are always recommended. They can get people’s attention much more easily than a scrolling message can alone and they are color-coded so anyone seeing the message will readily understand that it’s an emergency. Omni devices and IPSpeakers have built-in flashers.
To add flashers, go to the Sign Appearance section of the Message Editor. The method for adding flashers is different depending on the device. For IPSpeakers, use the Msg Alarm field and select which combination of flashers is needed for the message. For Omnis, the flashers are more sophisticated and have both more colors and more options. For an active shooter message, either flashing red (for emergency) or flashing blue (for shelter in place) is recommended. Select the color and the action in the Signal Light field. Then, in the Light Duration field, select how long that action should be performed (for example, for ten seconds, thirty seconds, the duration of the message, etc.).
Emergency Alert Status
On an Omni device, the background color of the screen can be changed to reflect the emergency alert status of a message. For example, an emergency message will have a red background, while a shelter message will have red at the top and yellow at the bottom. To set the emergency alert status of the message, go to the Security Controls section of the Message Editor. Select the desired status – for an active shooter alert, either Emergency or Shelter is best.
Save the Changes
Once the changes to the message are complete, it’s important to save the message. Scroll all the way back up to the very top of the message and click the Save button. Then, test the message to make sure that it works exactly as expected.
While it would be nice to live in a world where emergency communication wasn’t necessary, it’s unfortunately not the world we live in. Every organization, from schools to companies should have some kind of emergency communication system. Even the Gotham Police Department has the Bat Signal and the Bat Phone. Most emergency communication systems aren’t quite as simple as flicking the switch on a spotlight or picking up a phone, however, so it’s important to know how to use it properly.
The Problem with Infrequent Usage
Practice Makes Perfect
Using your emergency communication system regularly is key. This does mean running emergency drills on a regular basis so that you can be sure that not only does everyone know how to use the system but they also know exactly what to expect when an emergency alert needs to go out.
Run Regular Drills
Schedule regular drills for a variety of different emergency messages. Make sure your staff (and students, if you work in education) are aware that a drill will be occurring. A staff member who would be in charge of sending the alert in a real emergency should be the one to send the alert for the drill. If you have different types of emergency alerts, such as active shooter, tornado, extreme weather, fire, etc., then you’ll need to run tests for each one. This will ensure that not only does everyone know what to do in an emergency but also that they know exactly what to expect should an emergency arise. Plus, you’re regularly testing the entire system to make sure it functions as it should in an emergency situation, rather than waiting until an emergency occurs to discover that something isn’t working.
Use the System Every Day
Even better than scheduling regular drills is to just use the system every day. MessageNet Connections has many uses far beyond just emergency communication. You can use it for a bell schedule, posting lunch menus, displaying announcements, requesting meetings, contests, trivia, and more. Devices like the MediaPort and the Omni can display videos as well as images, PowerPoints, and text.
MessageNet Connections is far more than just a spotlight in the sky or a phone call to Batman. The system’s versatility gives it a wide range of everyday activities that can be done. The more that is done daily by your staff, the more experienced at using the system they’ll be. If an emergency situation arose, they would already be familiar and comfortable with using the system. Administration would also be more familiar with all of the capabilities of the system and so could design emergency alerts so that they utilize the full potential of the system. Emergency alerts can therefore reach more people in the event of an emergency scenario.
What Are the Concerns About Cameras in the Classroom?
Cameras are everywhere. They’re in our computers and phones. They’re in stores and in cars. In schools, they’re in the hallways, cafeteria, gymnasium, and the playground. Video cameras are a major part of the overall conversation about what can be done to keep students and staff safe. They can be an important tool in monitoring potential threats, recording any incidents that occur, and even deterring crime. So why aren’t cameras more often found in classrooms?
Safety vs. Privacy
A major concern with cameras in classrooms is privacy. Should students and teachers be able to expect any amount of privacy while at school? The majority of cameras in schools are currently located in public areas. People expect to be watched in common areas like hallways and the cafeteria. But classrooms are a different story. There are understandable concerns about what may be recorded and who can see that footage.
Teachers and parents alike may have questions about what the video footage could be used for. Would it be used as a part of teacher evaluations? What about student performance? Being on camera changes how people act – if both students and teachers alike feel pressured by the cameras, they may be less likely to fully engage with their work. They may also feel more stressed from feeling constantly monitored. The overall culture of the school could change, if neither students nor staff feel like they can relax because of the constant presence of the cameras.
A Lack of Resources
Having a surveillance system requires not just the financial means to install it in the first place. It also requires some school staff to have the technological know-how to install and maintain a system. Some may be reluctant to devote more staff time and school district money to increasing the number of cameras, especially when there may already be cameras in the hallways and common areas.
Why Should Classrooms Have Cameras?
Despite the concerns about cameras in the classrooms, there are a lot of advantages, for both teachers and students. They can contribute to keeping students and staff safe in an emergency, but that’s not the only benefit. They can improve overall behavior in everyday situations as well. The important thing is that if cameras are in classrooms, the teacher needs to have control of them.
Teacher Control
No one likes to feel like they’re on surveillance all the time. It’s a lot of pressure and the vast majority of the time, there’s nothing of note to film. But cameras in the classroom can be incredibly useful in the rare instances that there is a problem, so long as the teachers control when they’re on and when they’re not. If the teachers can activate the camera when an incident begins, the principal or other staff can be alerted and there’s a recording of what happened in case there are differing versions of the story. Some students may be encouraged to behave better, knowing that the teacher could turn the camera on at any time.
Emergency Cameras
In an emergency situation, the cameras could prove invaluable to locating and recording the perpetrator. The principal or security staff could have emergency control of the cameras to turn them on and even send the video feed to the police or other emergency responders if needed. Security can see what’s going on anywhere in the school if cameras are also in the classrooms.
Recent emergency events such as school shootings have shown that emergency communication systems need to be more than just audio PA because a fire alarm can drown out an audio announcement. An emergency communication system needs to be both text and audio, as well as have cameras and signal lights to be more effective. But putting all of these different types of devices and systems into an organization can be prohibitively expensive. That’s why MessageNet is introducing the new Omni device – an all-in-one room appliance that is designed to have all of these features and more in one low-cost, easy-to-install device.
The Omni comes with built-in flashers, a high-definition LCD screen, speakers, and a camera. It can connect to external devices such as wireless panic buttons via Bluetooth. It’s easy to install – it mounts on the wall and doesn’t require pulled cable because it plugs in with a PoE power injector that plugs into the wall and connects to the network wirelessly, although a wired Ethernet option is available if desired. It can even plug into a dedicated LCD via HDMI to project the contents of the built-in LCD onto a larger screen. The Omni also has a built-in battery backup so that the device can still function for a time in the event of a power loss.
With the Omni device, organizations can save on both the cost of the device and on the cost of installation while still getting the same features and benefits of the separate communication systems. For more information, visit the Omni web page by clicking here.
The recent increase in school shootings (more school children have died in the US this year as of writing than service members in the military) has also seen an increase in perpetrators making use of the school’s emergency communication system for their own nefarious purposes. The suspects at both Marjory Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida, and at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, pulled the fire alarm, causing students and staff to leave their classrooms, believing there to be a fire drill. In both cases, the very systems designed to keep students safe were instead used against them.
While the fire alarm is easy to access via its pull stations, it’s not the only system vulnerable to unauthorized usage. Most perpetrators of school shootings have been current or former students, or have other ties to that school. Therefore, they are more familiar with the school’s security and could know the number for the PA system and dial it, either to use it themselves or to prevent security or school administrators from using it. As more violent incidents at schools occur, the more future shooters can learn from the techniques of those who came before them.
It is vital to secure the emergency communication system from unauthorized usage. While this may be impossible for certain parts of the system, such as the fire alarm pull station or even the PA, the system as a whole should be protected with user log in and passwords, as well as different classes of user to restrict which users have access to what features as needed. This in addition to using multiple methods of communication could help prevent further misuse of emergency systems. For example, if students and staff are expecting any emergencies or drills to be announced with both audio and visual PA, it would be easier to know that something was wrong and that it wasn’t a real alarm if they heard only the fire alarm.
In emergency situations, audio PA alone often isn’t enough to convey emergency communications to those who need it. For example, in the recent tragic events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, one of the first acts done by the shooter was to pull the fire alarm, which caused many students and teachers to believe that there was a fire drill and leave their classrooms before a code red lockdown could be enacted. More recently, at Santa Fe High School in Texas, the fire alarm was pulled, causing students and staff to, believing there was a fire drill, go outside, where they began to hear gunshots.
Fire alarms, by design, are extremely loud – the alarm could effectively nullify any attempt to communicate via audio PA. In addition, many types of emergencies could render a substantial portion of the victims at least temporarily deaf, also rendering audio communications futile.
To most effectively communicate during an emergency, audio/visual PA would provide both the audio announcement but also a text announcement that would reach people unable to hear the audio for any reason. In addition, text announcements can continue scrolling, preventing people from missing important information. It’s also easier with text announcements to provide different instructions to different locations without the other messages interfering and the message getting muddled or misunderstood.
Even in situations where everyone is able to hear clearly, having additional sources of communication is essential. An audio announcement alone could result in missed information if people were not paying attention quickly enough. Also, any single source of communication could see people seeking corroboration from another source. Audio/Visual PA provides two sources of communication in one and ensures that messages and information reach people in an emergency even in extremely loud environments. Additionally, if all official emergency messages and drills utilize both audio and text, then staff could know immediately that something was wrong if one was issued by itself.
The 21st century has already seen more deaths and injuries in its first 18 years than in the entirety of the 20th century. At the time of writing, at least 13 separate incidents had occurred, causing at least 66 deaths and 81 injuries. In the 20th century, there were far more injuries, but only 55 deaths due to school shootings. The demographic of the shooters has also changed – now a school shooter is more likely to be an adolescent rather than an intruder. Researchers attributed the rise in school violence to a variety of factors, including easier access to guns for adolescents, mental health, and a lack of skills in conflict resolution.
Preventing more tragedies from happening should be a priority, but even with preventative measures in place, it’s vital to be prepared for the worst. A robust emergency communication system is more important than ever to protect staff and students and to save lives. During an emergency, one method of communication often isn’t enough to convey information to those who need it. Multiple methods of communication can provide different information to different groups of people at the same time, from teachers and students in different buildings to notifying parents and emergency responders.
Mass shootings aren’t exclusive to schools, either, and every organization should be prepared. There have also been more public shootings in recent years, including the one in Las Vegas. Having a plan for emergency situations and an emergency notification system to communication instructions to everyone involved is unfortunately necessary. In public locations, texts and other forms of private communication wouldn’t be able to reach most people, but audio/visual PA could still provide the necessary information and instructions. While improved communication can’t prevent emergencies from happening, it can help make the best of emergency situations when they occur.
