How Audio Technologies Contribute to Educator Safety

It is more important now than ever that educational campuses employ a total safety and security solution. Now that many institutions have returned from the digital to the physical classroom, deploying security measures like video surveillance and audio monitoring solutions in tandem, in order to ensure total situational awareness and educator safety, is critical.

A Changing Landscape

Students from kindergarten to college witness and experience safety and security threats, such as bullying, hate speech, fights, drugs, etc. on a day-to-day basis. According to the most recent School Survey on Crime and Safety, 7 percent of students reported being called hate-related words at school, 22 percent reported being bullied, and 71 percent of public schools recorded one or more violent incidents. In the years since the outbreak of COVID-19, these issues have only worsened.

“I have observed an increase in bullying over the last few years,” said psychiatrist Leela R. Magavi, MD. “Children, adolescents, and adults of all ages have shared that they are experiencing a higher frequency and severity of bullying in disparate settings including online, school, work, and even home.”

Though it is also the responsibility of faculty and staff to ensure their students’ safety, it is primarily the duty of on-campus security personnel and first responders to protect students and visitors from immanent threats. Industry-leading security systems, outfitted with video surveillance and audio monitoring technologies together, make sure that happens.

Audio and Educator Safety

Whether deployed in common spaces, such as entrances, hallways, or cafeterias, or in classrooms, office spaces, or on buses—microphones, intercoms, and two-way speaker microphones integrated alongside video surveillance creates a security ecosystem that gives staff the ultimate threat control, as voices, names, languages spoken, and direction of speech represent vital pieces of situational intel that cameras simply can’t capture.

Whatever the scenario, audio technologies equip security personnel to do more than just react to security threats—they give the ability to act proactively. Audio devices are essential for broadcasting safety messages, in the event of a high-risk scenario, shelter-in-place, or evacuation. They also help educators announce routine reminders, such as wearing a mask during a severe virus outbreak.

Additionally, audio can be used as a verification system that helps identify real threats and dispatch first responders with the most information related to the event as possible, guaranteeing faster intervention and greater prevention of campus violence.

Key Takeaways

For every safety and security need, there is an audio device purpose-built to address it. Whether its aggression and explosion detection software for situational awareness, two-way speaker microphones for visitor management, or active speakers for outdoor or open-area announcements—there is a device out there for every campus.

When it comes to proactive safety measures, outfitting your security system with the industry’s best eyes and ears is a field-tested, industry-trusted strategy for keeping students, staff, and faculty safe.