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How effective is your school Lockdown procedure?

Push just one button to Broadcast preset or live audio messages?

When reviewing your school’s lock-down provision, your tannoy system is a good place to start.Southern Communications can set up a tannoy system, to reach classrooms and outside areas, easily controlled through your telephone system in the event of complete or partial lockdown.We understand that every school has different needs, and we are committed to helping our customers to find the solution that works best for them and their pupils.

Our services include

• Ensure clear communication to control Lockdown

• Keep everyone safe with security notifications from secret signals to protect staff and students during evacuation

• Broadcast clearly to classrooms, corridors and playgrounds, from school phones or mobiles with voice paging

• Scheduled bells, tones and announcements

• Play Background music
  

Many situations could trigger a Lockdown and it is important to be prepared.

• An intruder on the school premises

• A threatening telephone call

• A disturbance in the local community

• A danger on or near the school premises

• A warning of air pollution such as chemical, biological or radiological contaminants

There is little that can be done to prevent an attack, so it is vital that schools are prepared. Having efficient communication systems and clear evacuation and lockdown procedures in place will give you peace of mind that you are doing all you can to keep your pupils and staff safe.

Procedures and Testing

Every school will have a fire evacuation procedure. But not all have a documented and tested lockdown procedure, putting staff and pupils at risk. Testing procedures, such as Lockdown and Fire drills prevent unnecessary alarm when a real situation occurs.

Southern Communications provide all you need to make sure you have an effective Lockdown process.

What a Lockdown process may look like:

• A pre-recorded alarm and message is played from the tannoy.

• All outside activity stops immediately and pupils and staff to return to the building

• Pupils clear the corridors and report to the nearest classroom

• Pupils move away from windows and get under the tables

• Pupils are told to stay as silent as possible

• Teachers lock their classroom doors

• Lights are turned off

• Window shutters are pulled down (to prevent any intruders from seeing in)

• Pupils and staff await further instructions through the tannoy

• Parents are informed

Equipment

Do you currently have the appropriate equipment and infrastructure in place to support your Lockdown plan? The following checklist might help you to ensure you are fully equipped to carry out your Lockdown procedure:

• A lockdown tannoy system which can cover all classrooms and outside areas

• Encrypted call recording (in the event of a verbal threat)

• Door entry systems to con

• Physical Security Measures (a paging/man-down system)

School Attendance & Information Messages and Phone Lines

Filter absentee calls away from busy school receptionists.

Parents and staff can report absentees via an automated service with pre-recorded greetings and voice prompts. The absentee messages can then be sent to an administrator via flashing LED lights on the handset and/or via email messages.

Emergency, School Trip & Information Services

Using direct-dial technology, pre-recorded messages can be played to parents who call the “Information” number.

A minibus information service can be used to update callers on anticipated time of return, useful when trips are delayed. Messages can be recorded & changed remotely via mobile phone when away from the school, handy during school closures.

Bullying Lines

Using a dedicated direct-dial telephone number, set up a confidential school bullying line. Inbound calls are directed straight to a dedicated voicemail box and the resulting messages are passed to an administrator via email and/or the desk telephone.

Centralised Messaging

Display message notifications in centralised locations, such as staff rooms. Enabling teachers
to dial in and pick up messages from any campus handset.