IDC Research reports that 77 percent of smartphone users have their phones on them 22 hours a day. As this number continues to increase, administrators must integrate mobile with their emergency response plans to give greater access to faculty, staff and, in some cases, students.
While a mobile safety platform is critical for accessing crisis response plans and procedures during well-publicized life or death emergencies, ranging from a bomb threat to a hurricane to an active shooter, mobile resources can also be supportive for more common school scenarios. Here are a few examples.
1) Bully Prevention Support
As school administrators strive to create a safe teaching and learning environment, they are taking great measures to create anti-bullying policies and programs as well as detailed guidelines for bullying prevention, response plans and disciplinary interventions based on any reported incidents. Today, with mobile technology, administrators can offer teachers and staff better access to recommended guidelines and steps to be taken to help avert bullying and raise the visibility of any incidents.
When aggressive or unwanted behavior arises among students, steps must be taken to avoid incidents. Mobile apps can be supportive of schools’ bullying and harassment prevention programs and can help mitigate incidents before they occur. For example, if two students are involved in a fight, teachers can create reports and share with mobile technology. Additionally for state reports, many schools are using mobile technology to collect and submit data. This is a more streamlined approach compared to filing cumbersome paper reports.
2) Access to First Aid Resources
Whether a student scrapes their knee, breaks a bone or has an allergic reaction, mobile resources can offer first aid information 24/7. Step-by-step instructions on a mobile device can help teachers and staff follow the best protocols and determine whether a student needs further medical attention. If a student is possibly having an allergic reaction, teachers can view common symptoms and actions to take, e.g., calling 911, assisting with an EpiPen and notifying school staff and parents. By having mobile access to this instruction on their smartphones or tablets, teachers and staff can make quick, informed decisions.
Mobile apps can also detail where to locate first aid supplies in a building, e.g., emergency blankets, caution tape, duct tape, batteries and if a weather alert radio is available. This is beneficial, as traditionally this information has only been detailed in paper-based materials and thick resource binders.
3) Weather-Related Emergencies
School officials must be prepared for any sort of inclement weather, and more importantly know how to react. While static hard copies of emergency action plans are out-of-date almost from the moment they are printed, mobile-enabled emergency plans can offer the best resources for faculty and staff to address any challenges resulting due to the weather. This includes access to policies and procedures due to school closings, delays or early dismissals, even real-time updates based on changing or evolving weather forecasts.
Additionally, with mobile technology, schools can instantly send real-time notifications and make procedures accessible at all times in the event of a severe thunderstorm, snowstorm, etc. Mobile apps open up an additional information source to parents and students so that they can determine if the school schedule is modified or if after-school or evening activities are canceled during the course of the day. It also alleviates call congestion to the school office, as many times a school’s central office line is flooded with calls during inclement weather. With any type of weather event it is critical that these lines stay clear for any emergency calls.
4) Support for Afterschool Programs and Special Events
Many schools offer students extended day child care, recreational activities, athletic events, clubs and other activities to enrich their academic and personal growth. While many school districts overlook the importance of including these programs in their emergency plans, it is imperative to offer faculty, teachers and coaches sponsoring these events quick access to emergency plans.
Whether on a field trip or at an after-hours sporting event, a mobile app can offer important emergency preparedness information when they are at school or offsite at a moment's notice. This includes class rosters, school personnel contact information and important safety procedures for ensuring students are safe when they are at after-school events.
5) Preparing Students Studying Abroad
Many universities have created special emergency resources for their students participating in a study abroad program. Traditionally these plans have been designed and distributed to students in paper format. Today, it is critical to make this information more accessible to students on their mobile devices. Resources for students who are traveling abroad might include pre-departure planning information, flight considerations, travel safety, medical care abroad and emergency contacts.
Additionally it is important to prepare students for common emergencies that can occur when traveling abroad. This might include a lost passport, pick pocketing, minor illness/injury, family emergency at home and/or power failure. Handling these challenges in a new environment can be daunting, however, a little pre-planning and providing response plans prior to an event occurring can help students cope with any emergency events.
6) Providing Intervention and Support
Some institutions are utilizing mobile devices to help students who are emotionally distressed. For example, Providence College uses a mobile app to support its CARE Network, an interdepartmental intervention and support team for students with concerning behavior. As friends, faculty or staff observe signs of students in distress, they can gather response plans and tips or report any warning signs to Providence College’s CARE team via their mobile app. This could include a student with signs of social, emotional, behavioral or medical difficulties related to violent behavior, anxiety, depression, eating disorders or substance abuse.
Distressed behaviors may include:
• Significant changes in academic performance or changes in activities, work or social activities.
• Acting withdrawn, volatile, tearful or expressing hopelessness.
• Acting excessively disruptive in the administrative, teaching or learning environment.
• Difficulty concentrating or carrying on a normal conversation.
7) Guidance During Drills/Building Evacuation
When a fire alarm sounds, in the event of an emergency or a drill, students and teachers need to follow specific procedures. It is critical to know the primary and alternate exits, outdoor meeting points and when it is OK to re-enter a building following a drill. These procedures can easily be accessed by staff and teachers on their mobile devices.
Also, with a mobile platform, administrators can quickly communicate and report on emergency drills when details are fresh. This can help automate and streamline state reporting efforts for school officials, which can be a very cumbersome process. Stonington Public Schools in southeastern Connecticut uses a mobile app to help support their implementation of FEMA’s National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS is a systematic, proactive approach to guide departments and agencies at all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work together seamlessly and manage incidents involving all threats and hazards — regardless of cause, size, location or complexity — in order to reduce loss of life, property and harm to the environment.
Mobile technology helps simplify incident reporting and gives school administrators and emergency personnel confidence that they are establishing a safe teaching and learning environment, as well as meeting local and state safety regulations.
Nick Mirisis is director of marketing and business development at SchoolDude.
