by Taylor Tandy | Lockdown
Understanding Comprehensive Crisis Management Plans
A comprehensive crisis management plan is a meticulously crafted document that outlines strategies, protocols, and responsibilities for responding to a variety of emergencies. These can include natural disasters like earthquakes, fires, and severe weather, as well as human-made crises such as active shooter situations, chemical spills, and health emergencies. Here at Haven, we think through these scenarios, and how to prevent them, everyday. We believe it is important that crisis management plans ensure that every stakeholder, from staff and students to law enforcement and emergency services, knows their role and understands the necessary steps to take.
Elements of a Comprehensive Crisis Management Plan
- Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis:
Before creating a plan, it’s vital to assess potential risks and vulnerabilities unique to the environment. This might involve evaluating the location’s susceptibility to natural disasters, potential security threats, and the overall infrastructure’s resilience. If you are looking to improve your building’s safety, Haven could be a perfect fit.
2. Clear Communication Protocols:
Effective communication is the cornerstone of crisis management. The plan should outline how information will be disseminated to all stakeholders, including students, staff, parents, and the media. This includes utilizing various communication channels such as text messages, emails, and public announcements.
- Role Assignments and Responsibilities:
Designating roles and responsibilities ensures a coordinated response. From first aid providers to evacuation coordinators and liaison officers with emergency services, each individual’s role should be clearly defined.
- Emergency Evacuation and Sheltering Procedures:
The plan should provide step-by-step instructions for evacuating the premises or seeking shelter during different types of emergencies. It should also identify assembly points, safe zones, and primary and secondary evacuation routes.
- Resource Allocation and Logistics:
Addressing the practical aspects, such as resource allocation, transportation needs, medical supplies, and provisions for vulnerable populations, is crucial for a smooth response.
- Training and Drills:
Regular training sessions and drills are essential to ensure that everyone is familiar with the plan and can respond instinctively. These exercises should simulate different scenarios to test the effectiveness of the plan.
Implementing the Plan: Collaboration is Key
Creating a comprehensive crisis management plan is just the beginning. Successful implementation depends on collaboration and coordination among all stakeholders. Schools, businesses, and communities should establish partnerships with local law enforcement, emergency services, medical professionals, and mental health experts. Regular meetings, joint training exercises, and simulated emergency scenarios enhance preparedness and foster trust among key players.
Final Thought
The development and implementation of a comprehensive crisis management plan demand foresight, strategic thinking, and a commitment to protecting lives and livelihoods. By addressing potential risks, fostering clear communication, and promoting collaboration, institutions can ensure a coordinated response to a range of emergencies. These plans empower individuals to react swiftly and effectively, making a profound difference when disaster strikes. In a world where uncertainties are a constant, investing in crisis management is a testament to our commitment to resilience and safety.
by Taylor Tandy | Lockdown
Today more than ever, building security is of paramount importance. Luckily, with the advancement of technology, there are now innovative solutions that can enhance the safety of spaces we work in and cherish.
What is the Haven Lockdown?
Haven Lockdown presents an innovative approach to security that focuses on bolstering the protection provided by your door. Unlike traditional locks, the Haven Lockdown’s unique design enables it to withstand substantial force and battering, making it significantly more difficult for potential intruders to break in. The lock is 10x stronger than a conventional door lock.
Key Features and Advantages
- Strong and Durable Construction: The Haven Lockdown’s construction is robust and designed for durability. Crafted from military-grade materials, it is capable of resisting forceful entry attempts, providing teachers, church leaders and building managers with a reliable barrier against intruders.
- Integration: The lock can easily be integrated into a building’s existing security system, and controlled via smart phone, key phone, or local panel.
- Compatibility: The Haven Lockdown is designed to be compatible with a wide range of doors, making it a versatile choice for any building. Whether you have wooden or metal doors, the Haven Lockdown can likely be seamlessly integrated.
- Peace of Mind: Ultimately, the most significant advantage of the Haven Lockdown is the peace of mind it offers. Knowing that your building’s security has been enhanced by a robust and innovative solution can significantly reduce the stress associated with safeguarding your class or congregation.
Guardian Angel Program
If you’re intrigued by HavenLock’s revolutionary approach to security, you can try it out for yourself! Haven is donating up to three HavenLockdown units to eligible schools, daycares, and places of worship to help protect our community from active threats with the strongest, most code compliant lockdown system ever made.
The first step is to speak with a Haven specialist to verify if your school, daycare, or place of worship is eligible for the Guardian Angel Program. Prior participants in the Guardian Angel program are ineligible. Some restrictions may apply based on your state of residence. Fill out the contact form below to connect with someone at Haven to learn more.
by Taylor Tandy | Lockdown
In an increasingly interconnected and unpredictable world, the paramount concern for governments and organizations is the safety and security of their citizens, employees, and children. In response to this need, the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies (SAFETY) Act was enacted in the United States. This legislation, signed into law in 2002 as part of the Homeland Security Act, aims to encourage the development and deployment of innovative technologies and services that can effectively counteract and mitigate the risks posed by acts of terrorism.
Origins and Intent
In the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the United States recognized the need to bolster its defenses against terrorism. However, this also highlighted a problem: while advanced technologies and solutions could play a pivotal role in averting potential threats, the fear of legal liabilities deterred companies from investing in and implementing such innovations. The SAFETY Act was signed into law as a solution to this predicament, providing a framework that not only encourages the development of anti-terror technologies but also shields their providers from undue legal repercussions.
Key Provisions
The SAFETY Act is structured to incentivize the private sector’s engagement in enhancing national security through technological advancements. It provides a mechanism by which companies can obtain legal liability protections when their products or services are designated as “Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technologies” (QATTs) by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These protections extend to claims arising out of acts of terrorism and apply to both the providers of the technology and their customers, including government agencies.
To achieve this, the SAFETY Act establishes a thorough and rigorous evaluation process for determining the eligibility of technologies and services for designation as QATTs. This process involves comprehensive assessments of the technology’s effectiveness, performance, and potential impact on national security. Once a technology is designated as a QATT, its providers benefit from liability protections that cap their liability in the event of a terrorist attack.
Encouraging Innovation and Preparedness
The SAFETY Act’s core purpose is to create an environment conducive to innovation and preparedness. By mitigating the legal risks associated with deploying new technologies, the legislation incentivizes both established companies and startups to invest in the research, development, and deployment of cutting-edge solutions designed to thwart acts of terror. This, in turn, encourages an ecosystem of security technologies that can enhance the nation’s overall resilience to emerging threats.
Looking Ahead
As the world continues to grapple with evolving threats, the SAFETY Act stands as a testament to the United States’ commitment to fostering innovation and preparedness in the face of terrorism. By providing legal protections to those who develop and deploy anti-terrorism technologies, the Act strikes a balance between encouraging progress and safeguarding against potential liabilities. As the landscape of security threats continues to shift, the SAFETY Act serves as a reminder that collaboration between government and the private sector is crucial in creating a safer and more secure world. Haven LockDown is a proud supporter of the SAFETY Act and stands behind its purpose as we deliver best-in-class door security technology.
by HAVEN team | Lockdown, Schools, Security Tips
The best strategy to improve school safety is to be familiar with lockdown procedures. Events like the Columbine and the Sandy Hook shooting have taught us that, unfortunately, school shootings are becoming more common as the years go on. Understanding the right procedures and security measures can make a difference between life and death for your staff and students.
An emergency lockdown happens when there is danger, and faculty and staff need to ensure the safety of their students by acting quickly and efficiently. It’s crucial that all staff members be trained and educated on how to handle emergencies in dangerous situations.
Why Should Schools be Better Prepared?
In the last couple of years alone, the United States has seen an uptick in the purchasing of guns and mass shootings. The gun violence archive has counted over 300 mass shootings this year, painting a scary picture for the months to come. To help create more situational awareness, schools should take extra precautions if an emergency ever arrives at the school’s doorstep. These include extra security measures like lockdown doors, knowing how to spot a potential threat, and adding additional lockdown procedures.
There are multiple different events to be prepared for. The types of emergencies that require extra lockdown procedures include:
- Active shooter or mass shooting
- Hostage holding
- Protests and riots
- Natural disasters
Now that you know what kind of events require extra precaution, here are a few tips to consider to better prepare you for an emergency.
Know the Layout of your School
While this seems self-explanatory, you would be surprised at how many faculty members do not know the full layout and available exits in their school. Teachers and staff should be aware of all classrooms, room numbers, hallways, and exits within the school. Knowing this information will be crucial to making decisions and communicating during a hostile situation.
Plan How to Barricade your Classroom
Assess the environment of your classroom and plan how you would barricade and lock the doors. Arrange furniture, your desk, and the students seating in strategic ways in the room. Planning how to handle a true lockdown beforehand will ensure better protection and preparation for your students while in the classroom.
Utilize Alternative Evacuation
In the instance that there is an active shooter in the hallways, or the doors are barricaded, understand how to utilize the windows for evacuation purposes. This depends on whether it is safe enough to climb out the windows in an emergency. Practice opening the windows in your classroom so that you are prepared if you ever need to use them as an evacuation tactic. If your classroom windows do not open, you may have to break the window if necessary.
What to do if a Lockdown is Issued
Utilizing the above tips could help make an attack harder when you are better prepared for it. Each school may have a different set of lockdown procedures to know. However, below are the most common lockdown procedures all faculty, staff, and students should abide by.
- Lock the doors and windows
- Turn off the lights and close the blinds
- Instruct the students to stay quiet and away from any doors and windows
- Silence all technology like computers and phones
- Count every student in the room
- Wait until further instruction
General Sequence of Events during a Lockdown
Each lockdown is unique based on the circumstance. However, a lockdown is typically the same sequence of events, meaning it’s more than possible to prepare as best you can for any situation. The first thing that will happen is the sounding of an alarm. An alarm is set off to immediately notify the staff of an intruder or a natural disaster. This is the first step in the lockdown procedure, and upon hearing this signal, faculty and staff should prepare accordingly.
The second step is to commence the lockdown procedures for the specific disaster. This is where teachers lock the doors to their classrooms and get the students away from the doors and windows. Someone will call 911, where the police should arrive, and implement further instructions on how to proceed. During the lockdown, teachers should maintain a secure classroom. Teachers should keep the students in a safe area away from the doors and windows, and should not open them under any circumstance unless told to do so. Teachers should also take a head count of their students, and if any are missing, notify someone immediately.
After the event has passed means it is the end of the lockdown and is safe for teachers and students to come out of their classrooms. The school principal should also notify the parents of the students if the parents do not already know.
Teachers should constantly be prepared for a lockdown, and practice these drills with their students. The more everyone is prepared, the safer the environment is in case of a tragedy.
Sources:
https://www.adt.com/resources/school-lockdown-procedures
https://www.alicetraining.com/alice-institute-training/7-tips-setting-classroom-support-alice-concepts/
https://easterndatacomm.com/what-teachers-need-to-do-in-an-emergency-lockdown/
https://www.weareteachers.com/lockdown-drill/
by HAVEN team | Lockdown, Schools, Statistics
At the time of writing this article there has been 27 school shootings in the United States in 2022, and there will no doubt be many more before the end of the year. School systems across the country are scrambling to implement safety measures that will protect students from the threat of active shooters, but taking such measures requires allocations to their budgets which just don’t exist.
There are solutions to increasing much needed school security, with funding that exists through Federal Grants that can be secured to cover the costs for active shooter door locks such as the school lockdown systems provided by the HAVEN Lockdown.
Listed below are 2 Grant Programs that can help schools obtain the funding they need to secure their schools, and lower the potential for tragic loss from active shooter incursions.
The ESSER Fund
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund is a federal funding program that was approved by the Department of Education and is directly used to assist state education agencies (SEAs), which is then allocated to school districts, also known as local education agencies (LEAs). Although originally intended for COVID-19 aid, this fund also helps schools by investing in infrastructure, and provides emergency financial assistance for a variety of necessary projects to school districts across the country. The program is available to K-12 institutions until September 30, 2024.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program
This grant provides funding from FEMA for the support to nonprofit organizations (such as schools) that are at high risk for active shooter incursions or terrorist threats. The purpose of this grant is to add physical security enhancement such as what HAVEN Lockdown provides with their lockdown systems that prevent an active shooter from breaching classroom doors.The intent of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program is to integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. It is also intended to provide greater coordination / collaboration for emergency preparedness activities among public and private community representatives, as well as state and local government agencies.
Contact HAVEN to Learn More
For more information about how you can obtain federal funding or to schedule a consultation with HAVEN, please fill out the form below and we will get right back to you.
by HAVEN team | Lockdown
We want to hear your voice—and you can win big!
Our schools should be havens—places to nurture young minds and engage the next generation of leaders and deep thinkers. Tactical training and defensive drills shouldn’t be part of the curriculum; teachers shouldn’t have to feel that they’re putting their life on the line to teach reading and math. Creativity, passion, kindness, and curiosity belong in our classrooms. Armed intruders do not.
At HAVEN, our mission is to make every school in America safer and less vulnerable to active threats. We know our teachers and children deserve more, and we know that teachers are incredible advocates for themselves and the children in their care. That’s why we want to hear from you this holiday season. Snap a picture of your classroom (make sure none of your students are in the photo!) and send it to us with a brief statement to tell us why you’d love to have Lockdown at your school. Tell us about your classroom and all the amazing things happening inside it; tell us about your kids; tell us about your passion. Inspire us and teach us about everything that’s worth protecting. We want to hear your voice, and we want to keep you safer.
Share your “All I Want for the Holidays” story and you could win school supplies for your classroom! If we publish your photo and story as a finalist, you’ll get a $50 Staples gift card to purchase supplies for your classroom. We know you’re going to wow us, so we’re planning to have lots of finalists! If your essay is selected as the ultimate winner, you’ll get a $500 Staples gift card.
Just upload your classroom photo (NO KIDS PLEASE!) below, and include your statement about why you’d love to have Lockdown at your school. A few quick notes: You can be creative with your classroom photo—it doesn’t have to be a shot of the entire room. Feel free to show us your favorite spot, your kids’ favorite spot, or maybe even the place where your kids have to go during lockdown drills. When it comes to your statement, be as personal as you can without using names or revealing details about students or other teachers. Tell us a compelling story with your words and your image, and you’ll be a winner! You can composes your statement right in the window below, or cut and paste it in. (The window looks small, but there’s no character limit, so type away!) Any questions? Reach out to support@havenlock.com!
HAVEN values teachers, and we want to hear what you have to say. Thanks for all you do.
