Safety and Security Part 2

As a continuation of the previous blog on safety and security, this installment will discuss man made threats and offer up a few suggestions as how to look for improvements to the safety and security of your school campus.

As we discussed previously, natural threats can come in many forms. Man made threats are no different and can come many forms as well: unauthorized campus access by a parent, a students or group of students, or strangers. You can have terroristic bomb or gun threats, hazardous chemical accidents or have an active shooter on campus.

Controlling unauthorized visitors on your campus starts with your school setting parameters and controlling the access of all doors. One way to do this is by installing an access control system with proximity card readers. Doors can be automatically locked down to control access only at certain times of the day. You enter these control points by having a prox card. If you don't have a card, you must enter at the point of control, usually the main entrance through a secured vestibule. The secure vestibule allows the visitor to enter the building but then must go through the office area to continue into the facility. At this point the visitor must sign in and receive a name badge or some similar recognition that identifies them as a visitor. A key aspect of design in this area is to have windows for staff observation of the entrance and the parking areas. These windows need to have a clear view, keeping vegetation trimmed appropriately. 

Virtually every school district deals with terroristic threats in the form of called-in bomb threats or similar type violence. The district's policies and procedures in dealing with these threats need to be clearly outlined to all employees and students drilled in evacuation procedures. A key to limiting the calls is student awareness and involvement in helping apprehend the perpetrators. Social media has been one way of intelligence gathering that has proved successful.

In regards to hazardous chemicals, do you know what is travelling on your highways? Do you have rail lines adjacent to your property? Do you have chemical storage or processing plants nearby? By knowing what is around you, you can effectively have a plan in place for these type of chemical accidents.

You must have a lock down protocol in the case of having an active shooter on campus. What are the lines of communication between the office and teachers and teachers to the office? Practice both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques. You must have the ability to lock doors from the inside of the classroom and to cover any glass areas. Drills with local law enforcement agencies will help solidify these procedures and recognize any gaps that you may have in your security plan. One item that we are doing as an architectural firm is providing the law enforcement agency a master plan of the schools in their jurisdiction. With this information they can have accurate layouts of the schools and increase their effectiveness and responses to the threat. 

Here are some keys to improving security through facility design;

* Protection from vehicular dangers - consider parking and drive locations and the use of bollards, don't place gas meters or electrical transformers where they can be hit by cars.

*Building entrances- limit points of entry before and after school, provide one single highly visible entrance during school.

*Situate trash bins in only one area 150' away from the building

*Filter all building ventilation and place intakes in concealed locations

*Secure all exterior electrical panels and air conditioning disconnects

Other ideas for securing your facility can be found by contacting 'Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design' (CPTED) at www.cptedsecurity.com 
They offer many suggestions on surveillance, natural access control, territorial reinforcement through passive barriers and natural landscaping. Many of these design guidelines can be accomplished with little or no extra cost as the design professional becomes aware of your need to secure your campus.

Michael King AIA