Lockdown Systems and Visitor Management Systems – What Are The Differences And Benefits?

Now that the school year is in full swing and budgets are being prepared for next year, the topic of conversation once again is school safety. There are numerous reports about schools implementing new and improved security procedures. Understandably, it is not always easy to make heads or tails of the different technical lingo. For example, you may be hearing a lot about “Visitor Management Systems” or “One Button Lockdown” but really, what are these security tools and what are their differences? More importantly, what are the benefits of instituting them?

A Visitor Management System (VMS) is a complete and systematic approach to managing all individuals stepping foot on a school’s campus. It is a simple tool that schools or corporations can use to completely vet an individual before admitting them inside a facility.

Upon entering a school, or before if you have mantraps, the visitor will be met by a security guard who will ask for proper identification, driver’s license or state ID card. Their identification will be run through the VMS system which will screen that person against the National Sexual Predator database. It will also bring up any critical information that is security centric, such as a restraining orders or custodial flags that might be on file.

Additionally, a log of notes can be kept by school security from prior visits, such as “visitor became verbally abusive last visit” etc. Once the visitor is granted security clearance, they are given a temporary identification badge that is turned in, or expires (changes color), after their visit is complete. With this badge, they are visibly identifiable during their visit. Likewise, anyone who does not have this badge, can be immediately challenged and ushered back to security.

One Button Lockdown Systems give you the ability to lock down an entire school, or an entire district at the push of a button. No one wants to imagine an emergency happening at their local school – but if something did occur, you can be prepared. One Button Lockdown allows designated school officials to push a single button to initiate a chain of events to secure the building. During this lockdown, interior and exterior doors shut and lock, exterior strobes flash to warn anyone entering the building to leave, interior displays on phones and computers flash that a lockdown is underway, a prerecorded announcement by the superintendent or principle sounds on the P.A. system, and if desired alert messages are sent updating parents and staff in real time.

Most importantly, the police emergency management call center is alerted of the lockdown situation with crucial information, location and cause. This emergency button can either be wall mounted, on a computer, or on your cell phone and you can choose to lockdown just your school, or the district as a whole.

In comparing these two security measures, it is evident that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Visitor Management Systems control the flow of visitors into the building to prevent any emergency situation from occurring while One Button Lockdown security systems control the entire environment of the school if an emergency actually occurs. Both security measures, the goal is to identify any potential threats to staff and students, and thwart any sort of emergency should one take place.

Digital Provisions designs customized security solutions that match the safety needs of schools and corporations on Long Island, NY. Contact us today to schedule your FREE Site Security Design.