Students at rural school districts often commute in from surrounding tight-knit communities. Many of these students are used to traveling several miles to school each day. From a security perspective, there are unique considerations that rural school districts must have on their radar when making the decision to incorporate new technology. For example, unlike in an urban setting, first responders are not always located within a mile or two of remotely located schools. Decision makers may want to consider incorporating a system that would minimize delays if an urgent response or police presence is necessary. The right technology, accompanied by proper training and emergency procedures can help reduce response time when it is most critical.
Weld County, Colorado
Weld County School District Re-3J in Colorado consists of five public schools and one charter. There are 2,350 students and more than 200 staff members across the district. Weld County is located east of Colorado’s Front Range, the most populated area of the state. The communities in Weld County are small and charming among thousands of acres of agricultural land. The closest first responders within the Re-3J District are the Lochbuie Police Department, a small community, or the Weld County Sheriff’s department in Greeley. In either instance, first responders are likely coming from several miles away due to the remote location and sprawling school district.
In September 2014, the district implemented a Rapid Emergency Response System (RERS) for alerting first responders. It was designed to ensure that police are deployed as quickly and effectively as possible in the unlikely event that students and/or staff are threatened. The technology is meant for true emergencies, such as an intruder or active shooter. In conjunction with the technology, District Re-3J has worked to establish and finely tune a specific protocol for reacting and responding to potential incidents where fast police response is needed.
The Solution
In order to initiate an immediate alert to police, the school district had to find an emergency system that would support that urgency. After reviewing available options, the decision landed on BluePoint Alert Solution’s Rapid Emergency Response System. Funding only permitted installation in one school, and it was determined that the high school would have the most need. Similar to a fire alarm, the system is activated by pulling on a blue wall mounted device that will immediately notify law enforcement, as well as initiate the school’s lockdown protocol. Upon activation, the alert is delivered in the form of an automated phone call that notifies police dispatch of the need. It also connects them to the main phone line of the school to gather more information. If no one answers, there is a list of preset emergency contacts (such as the superintendent) that the system will automatically dial. The pull-stations use redundant systems for fail-safe activation.
Due to the nature of an event that would require this type of response, the district has worked closely with local law enforcement to ensure that protocols are aligned and training is completed both by police and the school for an efficient response. The system also integrates with the PA system, which enables an automated voice message to communicate with those inside the school. The voice recording features a familiar voice - that of the school’s principal to serve as a source of familiarity and to help reduce panic among students and staff. The simple, short message includes a reminder of what to do (lockdown) as well as informs everyone that police are on their way. In addition to the audio portion of the alert, the RERS includes visual alerts throughout the building via blue strobe lights that ensure notification in noisy locations like the gym and cafeteria. Since these systems are built into the building, they are available for use not only during the school day but also for after-school community events.
Altogether, the system includes 16 pull stations strategically placed throughout the academic wings and in the front office of the high school. BluePoint helped identify the most logical locations for the pull stations and strobe lights. The outside of the building, outdoor athletic areas, and parking lot do not have pull stations; however, a select group of staff that accompanies students outside are given wireless mobile pendants that will provide the same activation capabilities as the pull stations at the press of a button. Up to 12 key staff members will have a pendant based on need and their location. Upon activation of a pull-station or pendant, strobe lights outside the building flash to indicate that it is not safe to enter. The biggest installation challenge was integrating the system with the school’s outdated PA system. However, after some additional work, the system was connected and fully integrated with the PA system. Weld County Re-3J plans to possibly add cameras to the overall system in the future, which can be integrated with the RERS through the IP addresses.
“Anytime we do more safety initiatives the parents really appreciate it,” said Greg Rabenhorst, superintendent of Weld County School District Re-3J. “We don’t receive negative comments when we increase our safety planning and preparation. Parents are glad to hear we were trying to update security and improve our security measures.”
Training
Initially, BluePoint conducted introductory system training with staff to help them understand what the system is and what purpose it will serve. A primary focus of the training was to identify situations that would warrant pull-station activation. For example, a fight or similar disruption in the hallway is generally not something that would trigger use of the system. Once the system is activated, police take it seriously and will respond prepared to take on an intruder or active shooter. After the staff had a solid understanding of the system, students were trained on appropriate use. Additionally, the county and local police departments coordinated with the school to ensure procedures were aligned.
To further prepare all parties for the system, regular drills are conducted throughout the year to help students, staff, and law enforcement prepare for actual use of the system. Parents are typically not notified of each drill occurrence but would receive automated messages in an actual lockout situation. Students can help with prevention and are encouraged to notify teachers or school authorities when they see/experience bullying or hear anything that might sound threatening.
The school district also conducts quarterly meetings to discuss safety. Administrators from all six schools and local law enforcement representatives attend, as well as the district-wide resource officer who is most often located at the high school. During the meetings, the discussion revolves around the results of recent security drills, as well as developments or news related to school security.
Results
Fortunately, the Rapid Emergency Response System has not been activated for a situation at the school with the exception of drills. However, there is an increased feeling of security and confidence that law enforcement would be promptly notified in the event it was needed. If it were activated, it eliminates the steps of 1) the designated person dialing 911 and giving location information and 2) having the designated person get to the PA system (activated from the front office) to make the lockdown announcement (something that has been critically lacking in previous school incidents), and students and staff can focus on taking action to protect themselves via best practices lockdown procedures.
“They system is definitely worth it,” Rabenhorst said. “From a perspective of notification, I really think it is highly valuable. However, in order to select the best possible system, a lot of details need to be investigated upfront before moving forward with the installation.”
The school district plans to expand the system into its other schools once they can secure the budget for it.
