At Loc Doc Security, we have done quite a few large scale projects for various schools and school systems. One thing we have learned is that there is one peak time to get these projects done: Summer.
Summertime is when most of our school systems projects are being executed, while the students are out and staff is at a minimum. This is crucial, especially when there a huge changes to be made, such as door or lock replacements, or camera installs, where foot traffic can greatly impede progress.
Here are 4 things to consider when planning and budgeting for projects next summer in 2020.
1) Consistent Door/Door Hardware Setup
In a school system, consistency is a huge factor in considering projects for security maintenance. The last thing you want is for each school in your system to have different doors, or even for a single school to have different doors for each classroom. It may seem simple, but keeping consistency in the form and function of a door can have tremendous impact.
It allows for predictable and easy plan of maintenance for all the doors in your system (which can be in the hundreds or thousands for some systems) as well as a streamlined process for parts replacements. Make sure to plan for replacement of doors and door hardware to provide consistency at your facility.
2) Key Schedules
We have all seen the caricature of the janitor or maintenance man walking around the school with a key ring loaded with hundreds of keys. While it is a laughable image, this happens often and can prove disastrous for a school. In these situations, the keys are hard to identify and are very easily lost, sometimes taking months before realizing that a key went missing.
The ideal visible and documented listing of which keys work which doors, and who has access to those keys, with as few keys as possible. Having an organized key schedule allows for accountability and for quick resolution to replacing missing keys. This is also an area where consistency pays off: when your locks are on the same keyway, this allows for a unified key schedule that provides security as well.
3) Cameras
As security concerns at school campuses increase, so does the need for awareness and alertness on the premises. Since a person can only be in one place at one time, it is very important to have a way to see as well as record what is going on in case of an emergency situation.
This can literally save lives in helping to assess dangerous situations before they develop, and also in assisting the authorities with resolving a situation after it develops. When budgeting for the next year, consider the cost and benefit of adding camera system next summer to give your school system better peace of mind.
4) Access Control
Another added security option is an access control system for your schools. With an access control system, you can completely eliminate the need for keys, while seamlessly monitoring and controlling who comes in and out of your building and rooms.
Our Brivo systems are cloud based and can be tied in with a compatible camera system to protect students, assets, and confidential information from intruders and unauthorized entries. As opposed to a key, which when lost will lead to a replacement of key and a rekey of all the cylinders it works with, an access credential (a fob or a card) could simply be deactivated remotely when lost and replaced with a new one. This is certainly a great project to consider budgeting for.
When you are budgeting for the next year you must assess your current situation. Do I have a consistent door and hardware set up that allows for quick and easy maintenance and replacement? Do I have a properly managed key schedule to keep track of keys? Do I have a proper plan for improving the visibility and security of the school campuses? What assets and areas of the school need to be protected and secured via an access control system? Once you have the answers to these questions, contact your locksmith/security provider to gather quotes for your budget.
If you have any questions about the benefits and features of these security improvements, or if you need a quote for upgrading your facility in 2020, email sales@locdeoc.net or call 704-554-6121 and ask for a quote!
Learn More About Camera Systems in the video below!
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