At their core, robust security systems are about peace of mind. Businesses use security systems to ensure no assets, trade secrets, or company equipment get stolen. Events use them to make sure attendants are safe and authorized for admission. The list goes on.
However, there is one area where “peace of mind” takes on an even more significant meaning: schools. Parents want to know that their kids are safe—whether those kids are daycare attendants, elementary students, high school teens, or fully grown university goers. It is the role and responsibility of schools to protect this most vulnerable, precious class of people.
And one of the best ways to protect them is with a visitor management system. The best visitor management solutions combine reliable hardware like time-sensitive badges and access control readers with cutting-edge software. Crucially, they allow only authorized individuals to be on the premises while recording a detailed log of visitor records.
In this post, Avon Security Products explores the manifold roles of a great visitor management system in keeping our schools safe.
Controlled Access: Reducing Intruder Risks and Elevating Student Safety
Perhaps the most significant role of a visitor management system is gatekeeping. It is a foolproof way to keep unwanted people, including intruders, out of schools.
These systems instantaneously sort authorized individuals from unauthorized individuals by scanning either expiring or non-expiring badges. As such, they head off any potential threats before they have an opportunity to get through the door.
Custodial Responsibility: Authorizing Pick-Ups and Drop-Offs
Expiring badges (that is, badges only authorized for set periods of time) are a fantastic way to manage custodial responsibility.
Naturally, parents do not want unauthorized people picking up their children and taking them away. Yet, every day, parents send custodians to retrieve kids from school—grandparents, older siblings, family friends, etc. To manage who can pick up and drop off kids, a visitor management system with expiring ID cards for schools grants temporary authority to individuals expressly authorized by parents.
Visitor Records: Reference and Investigation Data
Let’s say a kid decides to play hooky (a tale as old as time). Or, more concerningly, let’s say there was an incident at the school. In these unfortunate cases, parents and administrators (and occasionally law enforcement) would want to access in/out logs for reference and investigation.
Sophisticated visitor management systems allow these authorities to track the traffic at the door, thereby establishing timelines that aid in both internal and official investigations.
Attendance Logs in Case of Drills and Emergencies
In/out logs also play a critical role during drills and emergencies. They can inform school administrators who entered vs. who left the building to help them account for every student. This is especially relevant in higher education settings where the students themselves carry badges.
Pre-Approvals for Seamless Safety
Lastly, visitor management systems pre-authorize individuals for a seamless system of granting access. No more lengthy sign-in processes or manual logs stacked away in towering file cabinets. This turnkey approach to visitor management frees up administrators to focus on their core competencies, including managing student safety in other ways.
Curious about implementing a visitor management system in your school? Visit the Avon Security Products main page to buy security products in Canada, or contact us for more information. Together, we can make schools a safe, seamless place to nurture young minds.