Cell Phones Have Become a Safety Necessity in Schools
“Our nation's schools must be safe places to learn, where students feel connected and supported.”
--Betsy DeVos, U.S. Secretary of Education
SHIFTING MINDSET
While cell phones were once viewed as a distraction in the classroom, that mindset is shifting. In a study sponsored by the NIJ (National Institute of Justice) in the 2009-10 school year, 74% of public schools recorded at least one incidence of violence, which includes serious violence and fights, physical attacks, or threats of physical attack. If a cellular signal is weak or non-existent, the safety of staff and students is at risk.
In that same study, it revealed the two most pressing School Safety Concerns:
- Two way communication between teachers and emergency responders
- The integration of fragmented and outdated school safety policies, procedures, and training.
RELIABLE CELLULAR SIGNAL HELPS CREATE SAFE SCHOOLS
Strong cell coverage is essential to effective two-way communication. Teachers and students inside your school must be able to connect with emergency responders outside of the facility.
CHALLENGES TO INDOOR CELL RECEPTION
- Many schools are constructed of thick, signal-blocking concrete and brick, which prevents a cell signal from entering or leaving the building.
- Weak or nonexistent cell signals can also be problematic in classrooms located in a basement or lower level.
- Poor reception makes it nearly impossible to communicate critical information via phone calls or texts messages from inside a school.
While we don’t want to expect tragedies to happen, it’s important for schools to have appropriate measures in place in the event that it does--and there are solutions.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN MAKING YOUR SCHOOL SAFE
Contact us for a free consultation regarding cell phone signal amplifiers (repeaters/passive DAS system) and safety for your K-12 school.