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- 1. Top Considerations When Selectinga Campus Crisis Management SystemIn this time of drastic budget cuts across education, school districts face tough decisions when considering using precious funds for outside emergency preparedness help.
- 2. Prepared Response is just one of many crisis management programs offering services in the educational arena.Simplicity is betterComplex user interfaces are VERY difficult to use during an emergency.
- 3. They are especially hard to read and navigate on smaller (screen size) computers which are often deployed in emergency vehicles.
- 4. PreparedResponse has worked with first responders across the country to present clear and actionable information in the most demanding environments.Be Wary of “Bells andWhistles”Many solutions with great features rely heavily on downloadable third party applications such as Adobe®,Apple QuickTime®, or special JAVA™ plug-ins. Most first responder agencies will not allow them on staffcomputers (for security), downloads take too long in emergencies, plus these plug-ins are not licensed for use in life safety emergencies. These features are often inoperable during an emergency.Avoid Internet-OnlySolutionsMost first responder agencies DO NOT have reliable Internet access in the field.
- 5. Ensure that crisis management systems are available both live on the internet and also fully functional without an internet connection via a secure USB thumb drive or remote system.Security and Reliability AreEssentialRemote systems and USB thumb drive-usable systems should be encrypted and have an automatic data update feature.
- 6. Ensurethat a provider has multiple (redundant) geographically separate data centers to make certain your data is available at all times.Ensure You Can Update theInformation YourselfFeatures such as 360˚ views, scalable CAD floor plans and layered maps cannot be updated without the necessary photo equipment, software and training.
- 7. Even static images with embedded text require special technical skills and software.
- 8. For ease of updating, all text should be separate from images, and no photo editing program should be required to update your data.Ensure You Get LiabilityProtectionBe certain that your provider, their partners, and their subcontractors have adequate insurance and liability protection, since this is mission critical technology.
- 9. Ensurethat any subcontractors (especially technology) have adequate coverage and warranties. Most third party software warranties often WILL NOT cover use in life safety emergencies creating additional liability for your district.Close Cooperation with FirstResponders is EssentialOne of the key ingredients to mitigating a large scale emergency is the time spent before the emergency to create pre-plans and practice a coordinated response with facility managers, fire, police and other first responders.
- 10. Make sure your choice isn’t a software only solution, but contains a large collaborative element to ensure that all stakeholders can work together seamlessly in a crisis.School Safety Funding Opportunities Available to DistrictsGrants- U.S. Department of Education offers the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) grants. There are also a variety of grants available from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the COPS grant program from the U.S. Department of Justice.
- 11. Annual Capital Budgets- An increased emphasis on safety andsecurity issues throughout school facilities allows for facility safetyproducts to be implemented through funding for infrastructure projects.
- 12. Private Foundations- Groups across the U.S. fund special programs promoting safe schools.
- 13. Legislature- Statewide systems can be funded bystate legislatures, as has been done by the state of Washington.Rapid Responder Implementation ProcessPrepared Response brings together all key stakeholders -- facility staff, local responders, mental and public health personnel, local government, and safety personnel to build team consensus and develop effective emergency plans and community-wide readiness. The project is managed following a five-step process specifically designed to increase a emergency readiness capacity.For more information about Prepared Response you can visit the links below. http://www.preparedresponse.com/default.htmlhttp://www.preparedresponse.com/media/case_studies/lewis-clark_case_study_rev.9_08.pdf
- 14. Helpful websitesThe two following links are from the US Dept. of Education. They provide helpful information for schools as they try to implement or evaluate current school crisis management plans.http://rems.ed.gov/