WSI Comandix - Eastern DataComm

How to Keep a School Site Secure

WSI Comandix on September 2, 2021

Providing a safe learning environment through ‘smart’ on-campus security is one of the most important responsibilities for schools across America.

Over the past few years, school security has been prioritized with greater investment of time and resources in safety measures. It’s a school’s direct responsibility to implement solutions that consider the various nuances of a school’s environment. From implementation of best-practice protocols and training, through to preventative technologies and systems to heighten the on-campus security and capabilities in times of an emergency – schools are capitalizing on more sophisticated ways to keep schools’ sites more secure.

Here are some of the most effective strategies and methods that your school can implement to advance its school site security.

Safety Prevention

The physical safety of students is the primary concern for all education providers in America. Therefore, the first and most important step to upholding school security is adopting a School Emergency Operations plan. This allows you to implement a security infrastructure that provides protection, enables students to attend school with peace of mind, and fosters an enhanced learning environment.

All schools must have an emergency plan in place to outline necessary protocols and ensure student safety in an emergency. When reviewing your emergency plan, it’s important to outline all protocols in a systematic and logical manner. Involving a multitude of stakeholders during the planning process is also beneficial to ensure no procedures are overlooked.

Another key prevention method is creating a positive and supportive environment in which students help one another, discourage violence or bullying, in turn helping promote a safer school environment. Combining a strategy that facilitates security protocols and student-based support has proven the most effective way to foster a supportive and safe learning experience.

Safety Monitoring

To help facilitate the long-term well-being of staff and students, it’s necessary to monitor your school regularly. Adopting the most advanced technology into your school security systems allows you to monitor who is entering and leaving the school grounds at any given time. It also enables you to understand the school community and interactions within the space giving credence to addressing issues at their core.

One key technology that schools can incorporate into all security monitoring procedures is video surveillance, providing your school with 24/7 coverage of who is on the premises and their movements. Having the ability to monitor your school site at any given time allows you to reduce external threats and offers greater perspective in an emergency. The addition of cloud-based solutions can enhance security controls and allow a deeper understanding of how your school operates. When an emergency does arise, features such as motion sensors allow you to find footage of specific regions and can receive vital information to act quickly against any threat towards student safety.

Safety Warnings

A coherent school emergency operations plan ensures that both staff and students have a thorough understanding of protocols associated with an emergency event. However, a plan of action is not enough. Efficient communication is a vital factor in your ability to react to an emergency or threat. Alerting emergency systems facilitates the communication of essential information and enables you to inform staff and students of the important updates during an emergency.

The LENS solution can address communication needs and provide reassurance in the event of a lockdown or emergency. LENS is an emergency notification system that fully automates communication processes during an emergency. LENS promptly notifies proper authorities and everyone in the school grounds of the emergency. This integrated technology solution greatly improves your school’s ability to respond to a threat or an emergency; helping to protect staff and students 24/7.

It’s vital to ensure your school site is safe and secure to protect your students and teachers. By implementing the right processes and procedures, your school can facilitate a positive learning space for students. This will ensure that staff and students have the right knowledge and awareness to handle situations as they arise.

For more information regarding emergency notification solutions like LENS and video surveillance, contact Eastern DataComm for a consultation to adopt the most appropriate solutions to protect your school.

School Safety During an Emergency

WSI Comandix on August 10, 2021

When an emergency strikes your school, the situation must be handled quickly and effectively to minimize further risk and incidents. Does your school provide a safe school environment during an emergency? It’s vital that each situation has been carefully planned for and that a comprehensive implementation plan is actioned.

There’re many school emergencies that can occur such as: fires, floods, student injuries, dangerous animals, gas leaks, missing students, hostage, or bomb situations and many other events. When your school can effectively manage an emergency, your school has the opportunity to provide additional support to students and educators, while developing effective coping mechanisms for everyone involved.

Here’s what your school should be doing to keep safe in an emergency.

Regulatory Compliance

Schools must be aware of the latest local regulations and written policies and procedures when it comes to handling emergency situations. If your school wants to effectively manage emergency situations, you can regularly practice, monitor, and review existing policies and procedures with educators, and pass on the necessary information and steps to students. By doing this, your school can ensure both students and educators are clear on the complying with legal and organisational regulations. If you want to be proactive and maximize your school safety, you can display a floor plan of the school with the required steps and procedures near exit doors and in classrooms. This enables students to easily review the required actions for an emergency and become familiar with them.

Delegate Educator Roles and Responsibilities

For a school safety plan to be successful during an emergency, it’s essential for the roles and responsibilities to be delegated to the appropriate educators and employees. These roles should be frequently discussed in meetings and practiced each month for everyone to be aware of what their role entitles and what their responsibilities are in the event of an emergency. The safety of students is the number one priority of schools and it’s important you do everything possible to maintain a safe environment for everyone.

Develop Evacuation Plans

Evacuation plans are used when a school must immediately leave the area as the school facility is no longer safe and there’s risks of danger to the wellbeing of students and educators. Evacuation plans are vital and must be implemented and practiced in all schools. To further protect the safety of your school, you can display the plan on a map in a prominent area throughout the school so it can be reviewed. The one-page map must be simple and have an assemble location and step-by-step overview of the evacuation process.

Here are 7 key steps in an evacuation plan:

Sound the school warning alarm
The nominated employer or supervisor can dial 911
The nominated employee can collect an emergency pack (mobile, first aid, attendance list and records)
All educators must direct students to the nominated assembly locations (often a large open space such as an oval or sports court)
Check student attendance list
Wait for emergency services and agencies to attend
Remain at assembly location until advised by emergency services it’s safe to return to the school facilities.

Plan for School Lockdowns

In some emergencies, your school employees can manage a lockdown without the need for emergency services. More serious situations like threats of violence from intruders will require emergency services. When emergency services are needed, the school must act fast by locking doors, closing windows, and getting students and educators to hide under tables and stay down low out of site from intruders.

Here are 8 key steps in a lockdown plan:

Sound the school warning alarm
The nominated employer or supervisor to dial 911 (if required)
Immediately lock all doors, windows, and access points, while closing blinds (if available)
Ensure everyone is hidden and stays down low out of site from the intruders
Check the attendance list of students
Educators should provide support to students – try to calm them down and remain quiet
Liaise with emergency services and delegate communications across the school
Remain in lockdown until emergency services give all clear

Improve School Safety with an Emergency Pack

If your school is organized and prepared with an emergency pack, you can improve your school safety during an emergency. An emergency pack contains a range of supplies that might be required should an emergency situation occur. Your school can ensure the emergency pack is always prepared by scheduling monthly checks during your audit and practice of emergency plans. What should your emergency pack contain to improve school safety during an emergency?

Portable first aid kit
Portable emergency contact list (laminated to prevent damage)
Tissues
Plastic bags
Fully charged mobile phone
Copy of evacuation and lockdown plan and procedures
Reading books to entertain distressed students
Bottled water and plastic cups

An emergency pack can contain a range of items which can be tailored to the needs of your students and your school.

To improve safety during an emergency, your school must constantly review existing plans and procedures, undertake audits and find new ways to advance your plans and procedures, educate both employees and students and regularly practice the required steps and procedures with employees and students. By considering these factors and implementing new precautions to ensure your plans are up-to-date and effective, your school can provide a safer school environment during an emergency. By having a clear plan for the management of emergency situations, your school can quickly reduce the risks of harm and closely monitor students who are unable to concentrate or cope during an emergency.

What Teachers need to do in an emergency lockdown

WSI Comandix on July 30, 2021

Your worst nightmare is here. You’ve heard an alarm, there is an intruder in your school. Do you know what to do in a school emergency lockdown?

An emergency lockdown is used when a threat or incident occurs on the school premises. When a lockdown takes place, teachers must act quickly, and undertake tried and tested procedures and precautions to ensure a safe school environment for students.

5 Ways to Improve Schools Safety

WSI Comandix on July 19, 2021

School safety is an ongoing and complicated issue for many schools in the US, whether you’re an educator, administrator, student or visitor, a school environment must always be safe, and schools must do everything in their power to prevent intruders and other potential dangers. It’s a school’s responsibility to build a positive and safe climate that supports learning and protects students and employees from danger whilst on the premises. It’s a reasonable requirement for students and educators to feel comfortable and safe when in a classroom. Here are 5 strategies to help your school provide a safer environment.

1.Practice Emergency Plans

Schools should make safety a priority and conduct monthly safety drills to assess protocols, educate students and ensure facilities are secure. By regularly practicing emergency drills including lockdowns, evacuations and emergency communication protocols, students can become familiar with the drills and act quickly during a dangerous encounter. When practice drills experience issues, it offers schools the opportunity to develop and update emergency plans and procedures to deliver a safer environment for both students and educators.

2.Monitor School Visitors

Visitors entering the school must report to the main office, sign in and wear a visitors’ badge. Schools can then inform administrators and educators to report strangers and intruders when they’re not wearing a name badge. By monitoring school visitors, it allows your school to be proactive in its approach to increase safety.

3.Create A Supportive Environment

Creating a safe and supportive school environment delivers school-wide behavioral expectations and enhances a nurturing school climate. One of the most effective methods to deter drugs, bullying and violence is to create a supportive environment where students will feel less inclined to engage in problematic behaviors. Students who genuinely care and respect each other are more likely to contribute towards a safer school environment. When faculty create an environment that incentivizes students to support each other, it creates an ecosystem that prevents violent acts from occurring at school, creating a positive social culture and increase academic results.

4.Involve School Counsellors

To improve the safety of your school, you can equip counsellors with programs that aim to reduce aggression and dysfunctional behavior. When students are provided with the right information and activities to learn self-control, emotional awareness, social skills and problem-solve without verbal or non-verbal abuse, it can immediately create a safer school environment. Counsellors are an important service that schools should utilize to help students and provide the right resources and materials to overcome behavior issues.

5.Leverage Partnerships

Schools can use information from students, educators, employees, parents, and caregivers to analyze their opinions of school culture and climate. This information can be used to work towards a safer school and develop improvement plans. Schools can further leverage partnerships with the community to enhance safety measures for students beyond the school property, including Neighborhood Watch programs and the Police. Taking these extra measures can help your school create a supportive environment where students feel safe and connected.

Administrators can simply reinforce school safety practices and procedures, however, to improve school safety, students and educators must work together to develop a strong supportive environment and correctly implement emergency safety plans. It’s not easy to encourage students to follow through with visiting a counsellor or immediately conjuring a supporting climate, it takes time and ongoing effort. Schools can work towards these outcomes and improve safety by reinforcing existing safety measures while implementing new safety measures, monitoring school visitors, and leveraging new community partnerships.

How to Protect Schools from Intruders

WSI Comandix on July 15, 2021

Every school has a duty of care to provide a safe environment for students and educators. School is more than just a place to prepare you for a job, it’s a place for students to grow, interact with others, develop their skills, and get a real education. It’s for this reason schools must provide a safe working and learning environment for students, to help them achieve their best academically and develop socially. One of the many responsibilities of schools is to take the necessary preventative measures and protocols to protect students from intruders by implementing an efficient safety plan. Here are some ways your school can protect students and educators from potential dangers like intruders.

Eastern DataComm New Website Launched

WSI Comandix on March 29, 2021

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our newly designed website. Visit us at https://easterndatacomm.com/ to see the new website. After four months of work and commitment, we are delighted to reveal our new website officially on March 23, 2021. We wanted to make the new website user-friendly, easy to navigate and align with our new brand.

As an innovation leader in communication solutions, we need to make our customized solutions easy to understand, and our services are accessible for our existing and future clients. We strive to provide the most comprehensive solution on the market with our LENS (Lockdown & Emergency Notification System.

Our objective with this new website is to provide our visitors an easier way to learn about Eastern DataComm’s services and review information based on your Industry or interest.

We hope you have a great experience as you explore our new website.

The Role of Technology in K-12 School Safety

WSI Comandix on January 29, 2018

Years ago, K-12 students had fire drills and “say no to drugs” programs. Some school districts also had students practice using emergency exits on buses. Today, there are lockdown drills to protect students against shooters and terrorists. There are extensive programs about bullying, sexual assault and weapons. Although serious violence is relatively rare, most schools are affected on some level. The wide range of threats facing K-12 schools today not only threaten the lives of students and staff, but they also affect educational performance and outcomes.

Schools are increasingly turning to technology to enhance safety and prevent, intervene with, and respond to incidents. In the report, The Role of Technology in Improving K-12 School Safety, the RAND Corporation examines the current state of school safety practices, technological solutions and challenges. School safety experts were asked about the benefits and drawbacks of the following 12 technologies:

Entry Control Equipment. Remotely controlled, electromagnetic door locks make it easier to control access to schools.
Identification Technology. ID badges, parking stickers and biometric scanners allow authorized and unauthorized personnel to be identified more accurately.
Video Surveillance Technology. Cameras record activity, serve as evidence and identification tools, and deter criminals who fear being monitored.
Communication Technology. Two-way interactive systems make it possible to alert law enforcement to incidents and suspicious activities and individuals.
School-Site Alarm and Protection Systems. These tools alert school officials and emergency responders and protect students and staff during a dangerous situation.
Emergency Alerts. Automated notifications such as emails and text messages keep people informed and prevent the spread of unsubstantiated rumors.
Metal Detectors and X-Ray Machines. Handheld, walk-through and x-ray equipment help security teams prevent weapons from entering schools.
Anonymous Tip Lines. Phone hotlines, voicemail systems and websites enable students to report incidents or suspicions without fear.
Tracking Systems. Mobile applications and GPS devices allow student movement to be tracked.
Maps of School Terrain and Bus Routes. Geographic information systems (GISs) help emergency responders plan for crisis by plotting school terrain and transit routes.
Violence Prediction Technology. Predictive analytics software helps to predict the location, time and perpetrators of violent behavior.
Social Media Monitoring. Automated content monitoring tools can identify warning signs or even capture evidence of bullying and other threats.

Despite the benefits, there are potential risks associated with adopting technology to improve safety. Student privacy could be compromised. Violence prediction tools could result in unfair treatment of certain students, and both perpetrators and victims could be falsely identified.

Technology can have a negative impact on how students view their schools, which must strike the right balance between ensuring safety and feeling like a prison. K-12 districts also struggle to find the best ways to invest in safety solutions, which can be cost-prohibitive.

Three of the top five technologies with the least concerns are communication technology, alarms and emergency alerts.

Video surveillance systems are also widely used — 60 percent of public and 40 percent of private schools reported using video surveillance cameras. Schools use video surveillance to monitor vulnerable and high-risk areas, for visual enhancement during emergency events, and also as a deterrent.

Eastern DataComm’s LENS (Lockdown and Emergency Notification System) provides reliable, immediate and automated communication in case of an emergency. One-button notification allows you to instantly and automatically alert all students and staff of an emergency or threat. LENS can be integrated with existing infrastructure and communication systems The solution can also incorporate wireless radio to activate outdoor strobe lights, speakers and sign boards across school grounds. Emergency notification software can be configured to automatically notify administrators when 911 is dialed or a lockdown or evacuation is initiated. The system can be activated through any phone using a four-digit code.

Eastern DataComm also offers industry-leading video surveillance solutions, along with the expertise to help schools take maximum advantage of them. Our specialists can also help schools use compression and data optimization techniques to reduce the storage requirements of video surveillance, as well as comprehensive network and cabling integration.

Cost-efficient solutions enhance safety, security and day-to-day communications in schools and municipalities. Contact us to schedule a consultation.

Video Surveillance Compression that Delivers Both Efficiency and Image Quality

WSI Comandix on January 15, 2018

Video surveillance consumes a ton of storage capacity and bandwidth. The higher the quality of the video, the more it consumes. For example, 1080 HD video requires as much as 10.5GB of storage per minute of video. This is why video data footage should be compressed. Compression reduces storage requirements by reducing the number of bits in a video file.

There are two types of compression – lossy and lossless. With lossy compression, the video file “loses” data, which can result in lower quality. Video uploaded to the Internet typically uses lossy compressions to minimize the size of the file and maintain a reasonable level of quality.

No data is lost with lossless compression, but the compressed video file is typically the same size as the original file. This is why lossless compression is typically used for file transfers, not to reduce storage and bandwidth requirements.

There are three common data compression standards. MPEG-2 is a lossy compression that can reduce the size of a video file by up to 30 times. It is typically used for DVDs and streaming of video and broadcast TV on mobile devices. The primary drawback of MPEG-2 is that it’s inefficient and requires significant processing power.

JPEG 2000, which incorporates both lossy and lossless compression, requires less processing power and offers better image clarity than MPEG-2. However, JPEG 2000 is also inefficient, and complex textures, lines and curves can result in image quality degradation.

Used by YouTube, Blu-Ray and other popular formats and platforms, H.264 has until recently been the most efficient video compression standard. But H.264 requires even more processing power than MPEG-2 and is sensitive to motion complexity and speed.

The newest standard is the high-efficiency video coding (HEVC) standard. Also called H.265, HEVC is capable of delivering the same quality as H.264 but with half the bit rate at any fixed bandwidth. HEVC is used by Netflix, Amazon and other popular streaming services, and is the optimal standard for video surveillance.

Panasonic’s i-PRO Extreme video surveillance platform, a native, end-to-end HEVC/H.265 compression system, is available in the latest Panasonic cameras, recorders and management software. The i-PRO Extreme platform delivers enhancements in three key areas – compression, visibility and reliability.

HEVC/H.265 compression reduces streaming and storage requirements by about 50 percent compared to H.264 while maintaining high image quality. Panasonic’s Smart Coding technology reduces bandwidth requirements for relatively still scenes. Auto VIQ (Variable Image Quality on Specified Area) automatically analyzes scenes for motion and intelligently reduces bandwidth even further. Combined, the two features improve efficiency by up to 75 percent.

The new H.265-enabled cameras include an H.264 compatibility mode, enabling organizations to migrate portions of their video surveillance system to the new standard at their own pace. Organizations can maximize existing investments in H.264 products while reducing costs and future-proofing their networks.

Panasonic i-PRO Extreme cameras can automatically capture high-quality images, even in poorly lit, constantly changing environments. When in Intelligent Auto Mode, i-PRO Extreme optimizes image quality by automatically adjusting camera settings in real-time according to current scene dynamics and motion. Additional features include color night vision, smart facial coding, auto-failover and robust security.

The right compression technology is critical for high-quality, highly efficient video surveillance. Let us show you how Panasonic’s i-PRO Extreme platform can bring the benefits of HEVC/H.265 to your video surveillance system.

Is It Time to Move Your Phone System to the Cloud?

WSI Comandix on December 26, 2017

Many organizations are using the cloud for some of their communications and collaboration tools. The cloud reduces or eliminates capital costs for on-premises hardware, offers more flexibility, shifts management and maintenance responsibilities to the cloud service provider, and allows you to pay as you go for what you need.

Organizations are also moving their phone systems to the cloud. With a cloud-based phone system, phone service is delivered through the Internet. In addition to placing and receiving calls, features such as voicemail, call routing and call forwarding can be accessed through the cloud provider.

Although adoption of cloud-based phone systems, such as 8×8, is on the rise, many organizations have reservations, which are largely based on misconceptions about how a cloud-based system works. A common misconception is that when you move your phone system to the cloud, control of the phone system goes with it. However, a cloud-based phone system actually gives you more control and makes it easier to manage. The system is easier to deploy, and settings that apply to an individual user or the entire organization can be changed remotely via a web-based interface. Services and users can be added and removed as needed without complex implementations and reconfigurations.

Call quality is another longstanding concern about cloud-based phone systems. For many years, this concern was justified due to interference issues and a lack of bandwidth. The near-ubiquitous availability of Internet bandwidth and better technology have overcome these challenges, and organizations are able to monitor their cloud-based phone systems for call quality. Also, a cloud-based system can be integrated with an on-premises system so you don’t have to move the cloud in one fell swoop.

Cloud-based phone systems deliver real business benefits that go far beyond cost savings. You can pick and choose advanced features and applications that you might not be able to afford in an on-premises system. You can integrate communications systems with business applications, processes and workflows, which improves productivity and efficiency. Also, the cloud is built for the mobile workforce, allowing anytime, anywhere communication. Built-in redundancy and disaster recovery allow your employees to stay connected to colleagues and customers, regardless of weather, a power outage or other disruptive events.

There are certain features to look for in a cloud-based phone system. It should be easy to manage and make changes as needed without IT involvement. It should offer both mobile and desktop applications instead of trying to make one version work for both. Look for high-definition audio to ensure high call clarity, as well as applications for instant messaging, video and audio conferencing, and presence. Security must be a top priority. Look for a system that uses advanced data encryption to prevent unauthorized interception of business calls.

Although a cloud-based phone system is easier to deploy than an on-premises system, careful planning is required to ensure a smooth implementation.

Eastern DataComm can design your system around your business processes and goals, configure your system to do what you need it to do, and help train your employees. Let us help you choose and implement a cloud-based system that boosts productivity, efficiency and the bottom line.

Technology Upgrades to Help Schools from “Falling Back”

WSI Comandix on November 6, 2017

It is now the end of Daylight Savings Time and schools need to set all of their clocks to “fall back.” While most of us are trying to get accustomed to the time change, a complex routine is playing out in many schools across the country.

IT administrators must go through the painstaking task of resetting the school’s bell schedule. School districts typically have a wide range of clocks, some of which are set by opening the cabinet and entering numbers on a keypad, others which require knowledge of complex codes. Newer clocks were programmed to automatically update for daylight savings time — that is until Congress extended it in 2007.

The clocks and bell schedule isn’t the only antiquated technology schools must contend with. In many schools the paging system is at least 30 years old — sometimes even older. The “brains” of these systems is a head-end unit the size of a refrigerator that’s housed in the main office. A microphone is used to make an announcement, which is amplified by the head-end and sent out to hardwired speakers throughout the school.

These giant head-end units are a wiring nightmare and weren’t designed for today’s needs. These systems also typically have one zone, meaning that messages go out over every speaker. Administrators may get annoyed with having to listen to morning announcements, and neighbors complain about hearing announcements from the outside speakers. At the same time, issues with wiring and bad speakers often create no-coverage areas throughout the building.

These systems would be obsolete if it weren’t for the need to make emergency announcements. However, it seems almost futile and depending on the situation dangerous, to run to the main office to make an announcement that most likely won’t reach everyone.

To better meet their school safety and emergency notification objectives, schools should upgrade to a modern head-end unit with a zone controller that enables messages to be directed to appropriate areas of the building. For example, morning announcements can be directed only to classrooms while emergency announcements go to all speakers.

A modern head-end unit can also be tied to an IP phone system, allowing school officials to make announcements from any phone in the building. This is extremely beneficial in an emergency. With Eastern DataComm’s LENS solution, if the principal sees a dangerous situation, she can go to a nearby phone, dial in a code, and make an announcement and notify students and staff of an emergency without having to run back to the main office. In addition, modern head-end units typically have an override port to ensure that an emergency announcement gets control of the speakers.

In order to maximize your investment in communication and school safety technology, existing wiring and speakers that are still functioning may be able to be reused and augmented with additional speakers to cover hallways and other areas with no coverage. Most school paging systems installed decades ago were intended for morning announcements, so additional speakers are generally needed to ensure that emergency announcements can be heard throughout the school no matter where you are on school grounds.

It’s imperative that you work with a team that understands schools and knows where there may be areas throughout school grounds that are not covered by your existing speakers.

Schools should also consider implementing a modern bell schedule with an easy-to-use, browser-based interface. This eliminates complex configuration during the beginning and end of Daylight Savings Time or when schools have delayed openings, and ensures the time is always accurate. It also allows the bell schedule to be tied into the paging system so that a bell or other tone can be played over the speakers rather than actual bells installed throughout the building.

At Eastern DataComm, we’ve worked with over 100 schools in NJ and NY Metro Area. We understand the technology challenges schools face and have developed practical, budget-friendly solutions to maximize investments. Let us help you upgrade your bell schedule, paging system and emergency notification system to relieve maintenance headaches and improve your school safety preparedness.

Author: WSI Comandix