Incorporate Active Shooter Technology Into Your Emergency Response Plan

Nobody likes to think about an active shooter breaching school grounds and firing a gun near students and teachers. But if you run a school in San Antonio, TX, critically thinking through an emergency response plan for an active shooter is a crucial and necessary part of your job.

An active shooter system is a valuable aspect of an emergency response plan for schools. Gunshot detection technology automates important actions that must be taken at the time of a shooting: alerting the police, notifying students and teachers, and locking down the school. A detection system works faster than human responses do, ensuring swift action and communication when you need it most. 

If you’ve recently installed gunshot detection technology in your school, consider our tips for implementing it into your existing response plan. 

SEE ALSO: How Gunshot Detection Helps the Police Respond to School Shootings

Test the System

Run regular tests to ensure your active shooter system is functioning correctly post-installation. The worst time to find out a gunshot detection system has malfunctioned is after an active shooter has already fired a gun on campus. We recommend running system checks when school is out of session — winter break, spring break, or summer vacation. 

Coordinate with your local police department for controlled scenarios. Have officers fire carefully-controlled live ammunition on-campus. Once shots are fired, confirm that the police received an alert from the system, lockdown measures activated, and mass notifications were sent. 

Hold Trainings

Be transparent with teachers, staff, and the community at-large about the technology you’re using. Explain how the detection system works and how it’s being implemented into the school-wide emergency response plan. 

One of the primary benefits of a gunshot detection system is that it takes some of the responsibility to respond off teachers and staff. Inform teachers that once a gunshot is detected, the system will automatically contact the police, notify everyone on campus, and lock down the school. With those crucial steps handled, teachers’ sole focus can turn to the safety of themselves and their students. 

Prepare Templated Communications

When an active shooter system detects a live shot, the system will trigger mass notifications to teachers, students, staff members, parents, and the surrounding school community. Be proactive by preparing templated messages beforehand that are ready to go out immediately. 

You can create and segment multiple messages for different groups of people. Once a gun is fired, students and teachers need to know what steps to take and how to signal for help. Parents and the community need to know that an active shooter is on campus and to stand by for more information. Once the shooter is apprehended, a second set of messages needs to be sent. Students and teachers need to know it’s safe to come out, and parents need to know where to come pick up their children.

By having all these messages drafted beforehand, you can act faster and ensure streamlined communications throughout an incredibly stressful situation.  

When it comes to school safety and protecting our society’s most precious members, it’s always better to take proactive measures to prevent tragedy. Now is the time to implement an active shooter system in your San Antonio, TX, school. Call ASAP Security Services at 877-418-ASAP or fill out a contact form to schedule a consultation.