There have been several cases of insecurity and outright tragedies in our schools. Of late, those incidents seem to be growing in number. If you are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of students in any institution, you must feel concern at this point and seek to find a way to keep those under your charge safer. While certain incidents are beyond your control, such as acts of terrorism on a large scale and sophisticated level, there are certain steps you can take to make most incidents of insecurity impossible.
By taking such steps, you will ensure a consistent level of safety, not a heightened one, only when there are reported cases of similar incidents elsewhere. As with most human reactions, we tend to react mostly when things go wrong. When we have enjoyed long periods of peace, we fall into the vicious cycle of complacency. You can heighten and maintain security by hiring a school safety consultant.
You need such consultancy services for more reasons than that one. There can, for instance, be a repeat of a similar incident in the future. If nothing is done after a mass shooting in the school, for example, another disturbed student may use the same means to cause such a tragedy. But a safety consultant will evaluate the safety loopholes and provide corrective measures to ensure that no such incident ever occurs.
They will also establish a disaster response drill. Should another tragedy occur, you need to have a way to respond such that there are no casualties if possible, the threat is neutralized as fast as possible, and calm, and normalcy are restored in the shortest time possible.
Their services will also enable you, your staff, and even students to recognize early warning signs of an impending disaster. They will teach you how to raise the alarm if need be, when to alter law enforcement officers, and what to do in the meantime.
Their presence will also raise awareness of the realities of the times we live in. As much as it is something that most people may not be willing to discuss, it is unfortunate that in places where they happen, most victims never see it coming. It does not help matters to live in fear, but it helps one prepare better when you are aware of what could go wrong in an otherwise peaceful day. An example is brushing off some hateful and aggressive comments one of the students keeps making, and their suggestions that they will one day harm the others. Taking it as nothing serious is a mistake. But if there is such a school safety consultant on the grounds, you will all learn to take such statements seriously. Prevention has never meant more than in such incidents since there is no cure for death.
There will also be the cultural and societal shift that leads to much safer environments. It is not only safety protocols that are offered by safety consultants. They also look into how all those in the institution relate. Places where there is common decency, respect and civility in the way people address each other tend to be more peaceful and safer. But when there is discrimination, disrespect, derision, cruelty, bullying, and such vices, resentment, and anger builds up, and with no safe outlets, radical measures are the next step.
These consultants offer even more services, which you get to enjoy in your institution once you make an appointment with them.
