In an ideal world, schools wouldn’t need to spend any time worrying about taking proactive steps to ensure the safety of students and staff, but the threats that today’s schools face are too serious to ignore.
In recent years, a number of violent incidents at school campuses at all education levels have heightened awareness around school security and safety, and more and more communities have recognized the need to take action. So in an effort to curb the risk of violence by preventing unauthorized access to facilities, many schools across the country have implemented the use of ID badges.
An ID badge system is a cost-effective solution that can help to increase security measures and is relatively simple to put in place. And schools can enhance this system even more by using bold, color-coded badge buddies, which allow for quick and easy identification.
So how exactly can these colorful additions to ID badges enhance safety and security at schools? Here are a few ways.
Preventing Unknown Individuals from Entering the Premises
Whether a student, teacher, or member of the maintenance staff, it’s important to be able to identify every individual to keep tabs on who belongs on campus and who doesn’t. After all, hundreds of people can be present on school campuses at one time. And on college campuses, the numbers can reach up to the thousands, with larger universities even averaging tens of thousands.
With big color-coded squares containing text that signifies a person’s role, badge buddies make it easy to recognize who does or doesn’t belong at a school.
Easily Recognize Staff Members
If emergencies ever arise on campus, it’s essential that students are able to quickly identify school staff members who can help them. Featuring bold text that can be seen from a distance, badge buddies can help speed up the identification process when it matters most and time is of the essence.
The ability to easily recognize school staff members, students, and faculty can save precious minutes, if If an incident occurred that required securing the campus. Additionally, staff members with special skills, like CPR, can have those skills indicated on their badges, making it easy for both students and other staff members to seek their specific assistance if needed.
Blocking Unauthorized Individuals from Restricted Areas
Through quick and easy identification, badge buddies can help to make sure that students or any unauthorized personnel don’t gain access to areas they’re not supposed to be in.
This, for example, could mean preventing a student from getting into a faculty-only area, or a teacher from accessing a maintenance room that could contain items or machines that might be harmful if handled by someone uncertified to use it.
Schools can also enhance security for restricted areas even more by pairing badge buddies with modern ID badges equipped with access code systems. These ID badges only allow entry to specific rooms through the scanning of a barcode printed on it.
Clarity on Visitors
At an elementary school in the Metropolitan School District of Mt. Vernon in Indiana, staff members were shaken at the sight of a man dressed in camouflage gear and wearing a gun. Thankfully, he turned out to be a conservation officer visiting a classroom.
But this incident prompted the school district to implement required ID badges for all visitors.
Although the reason for the conservation officer being at the school was justifiable, it’s understandable that staff members who were unaware of his visit were concerned.
Pairing ID badges with badge buddies that clearly indicate not only the fact that someone is a visitor, but the reason for their visit can help offer staff members and students peace of mind.
If the conservation officer would have worn a visitor ID badge paired with a badge buddy that, for instance, read “Visiting Speaker” or “Visiting Lecturer,” staff members would’ve had clarity into his presence and may not have been so alarmed by the sight of him.
By adding a colored badge buddy card behind ID badges, staff members and students will be able to recognize who is or isn’t allowed to be on campus, easily identify school personnel during any emergencies, have clarity on why guests are visiting, and have peace of mind knowing that restricted areas are well protected.
So not only do badge buddies help to enhance security measures, they also offer a sense of safety to everyone on campus.
If your school has an existing ID badge program, or if you’re looking to implement one, Specialist ID has a wide range of products to fit your needs. From badge holders in a variety of styles to a huge selection of pre-printed or custom printed badge buddies, and even carabiner-style badge reels that are ideal for backpacks, you’ll find an assortment of ID badge accessories for your program.
Plus, there’s no minimum order required. So you can purchase in bulk for your entire school or just simply order what you need when you need it.
And if you ever need help with your badges, feel free to contact us. The Specialist ID team is here to help!