School’s Out But Safety Budget Planning Happens Year-Round

Safety is #1 Priority

Ensuring school safety—fire, weather, hazardous material leaks—has always been a priority for districts, parents, and their communities. But, as much as I hate to talk about it, schools must also be prepared for shootings. Even though they happen so randomly, a well-trained staff can save lives. Yet I’ve discovered that many school fire and security systems are not using the latest technology.

We all know that careful planning saves time, money and stress. Since the halls and classrooms are empty for the summer break, the fiscal year ends in June, and preparations are underway for the 2020 budget year, now is the ideal time for school districts to schedule an independent review of all fire and security systems.

Are Your Safety Policies Up-To-Date?

As you go through your school’s safety policies, there are crucial questions to ask that Brothers Fire & Security can help you answer.

1. Do staff know how to use fire extinguishers? Are all extinguishers in working order and recently inspected?
2. Do you have the right emergency evacuation plan and procedures in place?
3. Are your security cameras capturing all angles? Are there any blind spots?
4. Is your card access still relevant, up to date, and able to handle threats?
   • Are you changing the codes on a routine basis?
   • Has access been adequately restricted?
   • Has former employee access been deleted?
5. Is your mass notification system current and does it work?
   • Who’s in charge of the mass notification process?
   • Do you have backups?
   • Do your teams know how to use it?
   • Are teams cross-trained?
6. Have staff and students been trained on the procedures?

Here’s the Drill

Drills are key to ensure school safety and prevent tragedy. Florida-based Guardian Defense recommends fire drills every other month, three emergency and two standard lockdown drills, two bomb threats drills, two hazardous material leak drills, and one severe weather drill during the school year. That may sound excessive, but preparation and repetition are crucial.

While it’ll be up to the school, law enforcement, and emergency services to coordinate the drill process, Brothers Fire & Security can evaluate your school’s fire and security needs and develop a plan tailored to meet those needs. Our bundling services save on service, maintenance and inspections. The result: When classes start in the fall, staff, parents, students, and the community will have peace of mind that their school is doing its best to ensure everyone’s safety.

About Brothers Fire & Security

As one of the premier providers of fire and security solutions in the Upper Midwest, Brothers Fire & Security strives to build long-term, value-added relationships. We work with business owners and property management companies, as well as all types of public institutions to solve fire and security needs. By taking advantage of our integrated bundled services, many of our clients find that they can save 25-30% on their safety services, annual inspections and more. From a single location to franchises throughout the region and the country, our integrated approach saves our clients valuable time, money and stress. We provide fire protection systems, security systems, fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, 24-7 monitoring, fire extinguishers, card access and kitchen hoods.