Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

What Do We Already Have That Can Improve Safety?

  • By Jana Rankin
  • 05/01/17

More than likely, you have your phone within a few feet of you. This is becoming a critical tool for today’s campuses in keeping students safe. Technology now exists that can send alerts directly to a phone that’s connected to the Wi-Fi, which means students and teachers can stay connected to what’s going on in the event of an emergency.

Mobile devices that are connected on a school’s Wi-Fi are using real-time location system (RTLS) technology, like when you “checkin” somewhere on Facebook. RTLS can track the movement of these devices (and therefore the person in possession of a device) within a facility. When an emergency occurs, this technology can act as a two-way communication tool; first, by letting a mobile user know there’s an incident in progress and giving directions, such as “stay where you are,” and second, by allowing the mobile user to let the school know they’re safe and accounted for during the same incident.

We’re seeing that schools require a robust security posture for students, faculty, staff and visitors. Parents and law enforcement are demanding an advanced level of protection in the event of a threat. Installing this kind of technology is cost-effective because it doesn’t require anything more than a Wi-Fi signal to operate. The software can be uploaded to a security official’s or administrator’s computer or mobile device to allow operability and active monitoring, and a school can provide standard operating procedures for teachers directly on a device to help streamline the process during an emergency. The platform can also be used as a communication tool for routine messages, such as a closure or delay due to weather, helping operations run more smoothly.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Jana Rankin is the co-founder and CEO of VuTeur, the market's first emergency management and asset protection solution built on real-time location system (RTLS) technology. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.