school lockdown Tag

Lockdown Alarm Systems are instrumental when it comes to providing security solutions. The increased safety they provide is why they have become increasingly common in schools, colleges, universities, shopping centres and many other public and private settings.

Some IP speakers today are so much more than just a Lockdown Alarm System, and it’s this reason why their importance within the education industry is soaring.

Get ahead. Get alert. Get lockdown ready.

What is a Lockdown Alarm System?

A lockdown alarm system is designed to alert people in a building to go into lockdown mode. The system is used in schools and other educational environments, playing a vital part in alerting, and coordinating a lockdown procedure.

Procedures should aim to minimise disruption to the learning environment whilst ensuring the safety of all pupils and staff.

Lockdown systems can be easily activated in various ways, such as a push of a button, a click of a mouse, or a trigger from a 3^rd party product such as an Access Control system.

When Would a Lockdown Alarm System Be Activated?

Lockdown systems are used as a response to any external or internal incident which has the potential to pose a threat to the safety of staff, pupils, and visitors in the school or educational building.

There are a number of situations where a lockdown procedure or system will be activated, these include:

A reported incident/civil disturbance in the local community (with the potential to pose a risk to staff and pupils in the school)
An intruder on the school site (with the potential to pose a risk to staff and pupils)
A warning being received regarding a risk locally of air pollution (smoke plume, gas cloud etc.) or chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants
A major fire in the vicinity of the school
The close proximity of a dangerous dog or other animal roaming loose

Make Protecting People Easy

An audio solution is an integral part of a full Lockdown Alarm System, meaning that an audible alert is heard while other lockdown functions such as doors locking, CCTV recording and emails being sent are being activated.

It is also imperative that any audible lockdown alarms are distinguishable from existing systems such as a Fire Alarm or Class Change in a school.

Create the Perfect Lockdown Solution With Netgenium

With one IP PoE Network Speaker, you have everything you need all in one place.

The Netgenium IP Audio system can offer many features such as:

High quality live or pre-recorded audio announcements via IP Speakers installed on the local IP network.

High quality live or pre-recorded audio announcements via an IP Audio Gateway connected to an existing analogue speaker system.

Multiple methods of activating lockdown such as a swipe of a smart card, a push of a button or a click of a mouse.

Multiple events when Lockdown is triggered such as play a Lockdown Alarm from IP speakers and/or IP Audio Gateway, send email, trigger outputs on IP Speakers and/or IP Audio gateway, send IP commands to other IP devices.

Integration with 3^rd party systems where NGxControl Plus software triggers I/O or sends IP commands to activate other security solutions such as access control or cctv.

Integration with 3^rd party systems where NGxControl Plus software sees an I/O trigger or receives an IP command from other security solutions and then plays audio announcements from the Netgenium IP Audio system.

The IP Audio System can be used for a range of functions, including:

Public Address – Live and pre-recorded announcements can be played to single and groups of IP Speakers. Groups are easily configurable so any announcements can be played to the speakers you need them to be played from

Class Change – Scheduled pre-recorded announcements or audio tones can be played to single or groups of IP speakers based upon a time and day schedule

Lockdown Alarm – A swipe of a smart card, a push of a button or a click of a mouse can send the system into Lockdown mode sending an announcement or audio tone to the required IP speakers

Perimeter Security – Using a PIR sensor or CCTV camera for movement detection can trigger a speaker to automatically play a pre-recorded announcement or audio tone to deter potential intruders

Music Streaming – Stream music from your own playlists or from internet radio stations to your specified IP speakers

What’s more… The system is future proof and offers a level of R.O.I. A system could be installed today to offer a Lockdown solution and could be used for Class Change, Public Address etc. at a later date.

Get the Lowdown on Lockdown

If you’re in installer for schools, universities, colleges, or other public sites, now is the time to start thinking about installing lockdown alarm systems for the new academic year.

Protect the education industry today.

For more information on Netgenium Lockdown Alarm Systems and products, call our sales team on 01772 336 111.

As part of the Ofsted inspection, schools must be able to demonstrate that their lockdown alert is distinct in sound from their fire alert as one means stay and the other means evacuate.

The ALERTEX range of call points and sounder/beacons is the perfect lockdown solution for a school.

The ALERTEX Lockdown system from Luminite is a wireless critical alert system, designed to give a clear alert in the event of an activation.

This is a battery powered system that will, when activated, give an audible and visual Lockdown alert with the aim of minimising disruption to the learning environment whilst ensuring the safety of pupils and staff.

Quick and Easy to Install

Connecting a wired system in schools is costly, invasive and a lengthy undertaking. Alertex units are delivered pre-programmed so once the batteries are inserted units can be screwed in place and the system is ready. This is particularly beneficial for older or listed buildings where civil works are often not allowed.

Minimal Disruption

Schools can carry out silent tests of the system at any time meaning there is no disruption to the school day.

Visually and Audibly Distinct

One of the main advantages of the Alertex lockdown system is that it both looks and sounds different to fire alerts. Sounders, beacons and call points are blue and there are 32 alarm sounds to choose from. Alternatively, sounders can be replaced with annunciators allowing a bespoke message to be aired on activation.

Connect Sites

Many schools and universities have a number of outbuildings and temporary classrooms. Alertex programming allows schools to set different site codes for these areas if they are not part of a lockdown event.

A Connected System

There are a range of additional products in the Alertex range and all of them work on the same mesh protocol including heat and smoke detectors and mobile panic alerts.

An Intelligent System

If required you can add an IP masthead to the system which will give you access to the Alertex PC app designed to monitor and control units. It also allows for email alerts to be sent to key staff to give updates and further information on event activations.

Article by Laura Grainger, Luminite.

For more information on ALERTEX and more Luminite products, call our sales team on 01772 336 111. QED are the main UK distributors for Luminite products.

Lockdown solutions, and how schools choose the best one.

Up until recently, schools weren’t required by Ofsted to have an official lockdown system installed. A simple document with guidelines was considered just fine for a Lockdown Policy.

However, now, Ofsted require schools to have a specific lockdown alarm that is not the same sound as a fire alarm! Why – you may ask? This is because of the NACTSO which advises against the use of fire alarms to “reduce incorrect response to an incident”.

You’re correct in thinking aren’t Ofsted concerned for a school’s performance and learning? Yes, but they will refer to site security and will expect schools to demonstrate the measures in place for protecting pupils, staff and the school itself.

In the case of an emergency, poor acknowledgement of pupil safety will be detrimental to an Ofsted inspection. Therefore, which lockdown system best suits a school’s needs, and whether it’s inline with their policy, is vital informatio

Choosing a Lockdown System

There is little guidance from councils and governments when it comes to choosing a lockdown system, and the NASUWT did recently call on the government to provide schools with nationally recognised lockdown procedures.

Chris Keates, NASUWT General Secretary said: “responsibility for ensuring security and terrorism preparedness should be the responsibility of the whole governing body. It would not be appropriate for the government simply to require schools to have preparedness plans in place and assume that they are able to do this.”

Why would a lockdown system be used?

There are a number of incidents that may instigate a lockdown: postcode wars, an armed intruder, an escalating argument between parents, rogue animals or nearby fires with noxious fumes. So, how does a school alert everyone in a safe manner to find a safe place within the school and stay put?

IP Speakers

IP Speakers produce audio announceemnts but no visual alert. These speakers do require wiring, which takes time and money to install. The advantage, of course, is once installed, the system can be used for any alert (wet play, class room changes). So this option really does depend on the school’s budget.

Using the fire alarm

For smaller sites using only one sound as an alert, it is possible to use fire alarms for lockdowns. However, in schools, using the fire alarm for lockdown prompts confusion: do we evacuate, or do we stay put?

Other voice systems

Are live voice-based systems the answer? Again, there are pitfalls such as language barriers. And as most lockdowns are prevalent in inner cities, this can be a real problem. A lockdown message with a built-in alert on loop can work. Especially if the school has regular lockdown drills. However, these tannoy announcements rarely cover outside areas such as playing fields due to cabling. Therefore, schools with several outbuildings may not be able to use this option.

Alerts via mobile network

Schools will have policies about mobile phones during learning times. Therefore, unless the school looks to providing all staff with a hand held device purely for lockdowns or emergencies, relying on personal phones is a no-go.

ALERTEX School Lockdown Solution

The ALERTEX system offers battery powered units and is deployable anywhere.

ALERTEX offers audible and visual alerts. The alerts are distinguishable from fire alerts, and ALERTEX can be quickly installed on site over a weekend or even at the end of the school day. Resulting in minimal disruption to the learning environment.

With a three year battery life, a maximum of 64 units can be installed per site, up to 1km apart. What’s more, when one ALERTEX unit activates, it triggers all units in range to sound an audible alert or lockdown message, and a flashing beacon light.

Internal and external variants are available with adjustable decibel levels. There are 32 sounds to choose from, or an annunciator variant can be ordered which has a built-in strobe. Choose the standard lockdown message, or the school may wish to record their own.

The ALERTEX PC app also allows one central location (usually the school office) to monitor and control the activated units. From here, the user can reset the system after activation. The PC app also has an email function which advises a specific email group of the severity of the lockdown event.

In conclusion…

It is vital schools conduct and review fire and security risk assessments regularly. Staff should be aware of potential risks and the difference between a fire alert (evacuation) and a lockdown alert (stay on the premises and make your way to the nearest place of safety).

Contact us for more information: 01772 336 111 or email sales@qedgroup.co.uk

Do you service schools & have you heard of the Nexus Lockdown System?

Recent OFSTED guidelines state the LOCKDOWN alert for schools must be distinctly different from the fire alert. We suggest contacting schools in your area for potential site surveys or system installations over the Christmas holiday period.

If the last school holiday period was anything to go by, there was a flurry of orders and schools organising site surveys before confirming installation of the Nexus lockdown system during the Christmas holidays.

If you would like further information on the Nexus range or any marketing material to help you promote this system, please email sales@qedgroup.co.uk or give us a call on 01772 336111.

Nexus Lockdown System

A Nexus system comprises call points with sounder / beacons and sounder / beacons only. The units have a range of up to 1km from each other. All units in range activate when one is triggered.

Many schools will require installation over the school holiday period so now is a perfect time to be speaking to them about NEXUS.

oculi wireless camera

Did you know, theft of construction equipment and machinery costs the construction industry over £800 million a year? Most sites have restricted power supply; therefore making the installation of a full CCTV system impossible.

The OCULi Wireless PIR Camera

OCULi wireless PIR cameras work with security guards to alert them of an event via PUSH notifications to their mobile phone. Superior VGA 640 x 480 colour video starts filming in just a few milliseconds after detection. Therefore, guards can decide on the required response. Improved monochrome night-time clarity is achieved using powerful IR LED lighting.

Two lithium D cells power the OCULi units, with an average life span of around 9-12 months. They are supplied with a non-network specific, EU roaming SIM. Tariffs start at £5.00 per month. Also, you can use your own SIM if required (cloud server fee applies).

Furthermore, OCULi units can be self-monitored or integrated with monitoring centres using the Immix, Sentinel or Webeye platforms.

The NEXUS Lockdown System

HSE Fire Safety guidelines (HSG168) require construction sites to have a VISUAL and AUDIBLE alert to fire.

Nexus battery operated units can be quickly installed on a construction site whilst building is in progress and can be deployed as the site evolves.

Activating one NEXUS unit triggers all units within range to sound an audible alert / announcement along with a flashing beacon.

You can site the units 1km apart and external units are weatherproof to IP66.

Why Lockdown Systems Are So Important for the Education Industry