Benefits of an Emergency Preparedness App for Educational Institutions

In light of all the violence that’s occurred in schools across the United States in recent years, it comes as no surprise that politicians and school officials everywhere are seeking out solutions to increase security on school grounds and campuses across the nation. One of the first measures that school officials have taken is to examine their current safety protocols to identify areas that can be improved to increase security on campus. Having an emergency preparedness plan in place in combination with the use of an emergency preparedness app, is the best way to keep students, faculty members, and the public at large safer.

Mobile Apps and Software Keep Information Flowing

Many schools and campuses have added an emergency preparedness mobile app as part of their defense and information systems. The use of smartphones has steadily increased over the last few years, with close to 70% of American adults now reporting they own at least one smartphone. Schools, universities, and educational facilities that offer an emergency preparedness app have a direct line to send alerts to people who have downloaded the app, regardless if they are students or not.

Features And Benefits of Emergency Preparedness Apps

Unlike other mobile apps geared towards providing entertainment, emergency preparedness apps have a broad range of technology integrated to assist in controlling and containing various situations that can occur on school grounds, dormitories, and numerous outbuildings that serve students and faculty members. This type of mobile app can get configured to contact first responders including fire, EMS, and law enforcement in the case of an emergency. Mobile apps that include the floor plans and interactive maps provide responders with instant access to critical information concerning the layout of the building(s) where they’re providing response services. By having this data readily available, responders can assess the situation and determine a course of action, including selecting entry points to the building. Additionally, having this critical information easily accessible is helpful in reducing the overall response time, which is always helpful when people’s lives or safety are in danger.

Drills And Training

It’s also worth noting that the primary focus of an emergency preparedness mobile app is to provide guidance in times of crisis. Regular safety drills and training work in conjunction with a mobile app to provide information on what protocols students, faculty and visitors should follow during an actual emergency, regardless if it is a weather-related emergency (severe weather conditions) or a physical threat (such as violence or unauthorized intrusions). A mobile app provides everyone with instructions on what course of action should be followed based on the situation, including evacuations, lockdowns, or intrusions. Education is key to keeping everyone as safe as possible in times of crisis. For added safety, outfitting classrooms with remote alert systems that give teachers, professors, and other key staff members to alert authorities in the case of an emergency calmly. The faster that emergency personnel can respond to any incident quicker to minimize the risk and provide help when it’s needed.

Mobile Accessibility Is Convenient For All

In some school districts, tech-savvy administrators are making the decision to offer a mobile app in place of bulky paper copies of their student handbooks and crisis management plans. Not only is this approach to information distribution eco-friendly, but it also makes accessing this critical information easier for anyone who is looking for the data. Students, parents, grandparents, guardians, faculty and staff, as well as general community members, are all welcome to download the mobile app for their personal use. In ‘non-emergency’ situations, the mobile app is ideal for communicating regular updates including school news and other related school business.

Keep Parents “In The Loop.”

A mobile app that’s used to share critical safety news gives school administrators the ability to remain in contact with parents and guardians if there is an emergency. It may also be used to provide emergency instructions or timely updates on the situation, so instead of not knowing what’s happening, they get a direct response from school administrators. It’s a lot more reassuring to get official updates firsthand than to try to sort through false or inaccurate information getting disseminated by third-party reporters who may not have access to all information surrounding the situation. This ‘one to many’ method of sharing news and updates helps keep phone lines in the school from getting jammed with incoming calls from worried parents, so administrators can make outgoing calls to authorities and emergency personnel if needed. As you can imagine, an emergency on any campus has to get addressed quickly, professionally, and thoroughly, so making sure that the school’s phone system isn’t tied up with exploratory calls from concerned parents and news outlets is paramount.

Launch An Emergency Preparedness App The Easy Way

Emergency preparedness apps are the solution to keeping everyone a little safer and more secure when they are in an academic or educational setting. Further, when technological safeguards like this are in place, your educational facility builds more trust with the community, which is always important when you’re entrusted with the lives and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and young adults. If your school or school system is looking to streamline the way you distribute information regarding campus emergencies or incidents, a mobile app is the most affordable and direct way to connect with your audience.

For people and administrators who need a hand with launching and deploying a mobile app to support their educational facilities, the team at Colleen Eakins Design is here to help. We help clients establish a mobile app presence, and we’d love to help you, too! Our mobile apps can be customized to meet all of your school’s requirements for sharing important updates, data, and other information to streamline your everyday business operations. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your mobile app Project. Click the button below and fill out the form to start the conversation today!