Every institution is unique, but the need to prevent emergencies and act quickly when one occurs is always the same. Here, at VIPER, we share some recommendations to strengthen safety protocols in educational institutions.
It could be a teacher falling, a gas leak or even an earthquake. Educational institutions such as universities, colleges and schools are exposed to all kinds of incidents, so having a safety system is essential to their operation.
There are minimum regulations that govern how these institutions handle emergencies, but the specific characteristics of each school community, as well as its location and infrastructure, make it essential to set up its own preventive protocols and to review existing ones constantly.
So how can a school make sure its emergency plan succeeds?
At VIPER we propose 5 key points:
1- Versatility:
We need to consider every scenario and build a safety plan that works for every possible emergency: natural disasters, severe weather alerts, criminal acts, student accidents and many others.
2- Multichannel:
Given the diversity of the school community, we need communication channels suited to each group of users. It is also essential to keep contact details up to date so the message arrives on time.
3- Guidance:
Once the emergency has been announced, ongoing guidance is crucial, with clear and precise instructions so the situation stays under control at all times. We want to avoid crowding or other chaotic situations with students, which would only make things worse.
4- Roles:
Everyone must know what to do in a critical situation, because each person plays an important role in managing an emergency. Preventive communication and drills are a great help here.
5- Evaluation:
Let’s use experience to improve, evaluating both drills and real emergencies to decide which aspects of our plans should change in the future. Recording information and using it afterwards is key, so we recommend keeping data digitized and organized.
A technology ally
All of this may seem complex, but with VIPER MASS, our emergency mass notification system, educational institutions have a great ally. We have built a simple, intuitive platform that makes communication easier during an incident, using several channels such as the VIPER App, SMS, phone calls, email and WhatsApp.
For example, with a simple button panel, a school can immediately alert students, teachers and staff about an evacuation. At the same time, parents are informed of the situation, even if they are not on site. The message arrives through the right channel at the right time.
VIPER MASS technology was developed to strengthen emergency plans and make them easier to manage. Being prepared for incidents ensures a safe learning environment that can save lives.