Q: Are there “no-cost” ways to make our facilities safer?
A: The short answer is yes. Creating a culture of vigilance can be done without spending a lot of money.
The long answer is yes, there are many low-cost steps you can take. Consider whether your school has addressed these points.
Access and Egress
- Sign-ins & out procedures ($0—just training)
- Badges: color-coded & destination specific ($100–200)
- “Escorting” visitors to intended destination ($0)
- Limiting points of entry (doors, windows, skylights, etc.)—keeping them locked ($0)
- Being mindful of stairways, bathrooms, etc. (“alone places”)
- Keeping line-of-site open (e.g., shrubs, bushes trimmed from windows allowing one to see campus from inside).
Open Campus Issues
- Protocol for use by outside groups/neighborhood kids ($0)
- Periodic check of playgrounds, fields, and athletic equipment ($0)
- Safety sweep: before school opens have a team walk the campus to check for any untoward issues (open door, broken window, unfamiliar car parked on campus, etc.) NOTE: Important to train NOT to investigate—call 911 for suspicious entries, etc. (If done by volunteers—$0)
- Involve first-responders (police, fire fighters, paramedics): have them tour your campus offering suggestions ($0)
“Stuff That Does Cost Money"—But Not A Lot:
- Signage ($500–1,000)
- Monitoring via security cameras ($1,000)
- Card-swipe system ($2, 000—3,000)
