5 Technologies that Boost Physical Security on Campus

In the case of an on-campus emergency, alert beacons provide blaring sirens and flashing strobe lights to notify students, faculty and staff that something is wrong. Alert beacons are often installed in strategic locations throughput campus buildings, and can complement other mass notification strategies.

Desktop notifications can be activated through software, or controlled by a third party recipient notification software. If an emergency strikes, a full-screen desktop notification will pop up on computer screens across campus detailing the emergency. The notification will also provide instructions to students, faculty and staff on what to do next during the emergency, and notify them when the emergency has been cleared.

These telephones enable campus personnel another way to communicate safety information verbally. These phones can be built with weatherproof coverings for exterior installations, or stainless steel for interior installations. They can also be paired with management applications to lower system tests and maintenance time. Plus, these phones can reveal its location in case of an emergency, report call activity and can be embedded in a college’s web browser.

When paired with security cameras, some security software enable campus security personnel face-recognition features. These types of security software give campus security personnel the ability to quickly identify faces, recognize which people are and are not allowed on campus, and strengthen access control accordingly. These types of software also give security personnel the ability to pull up stats on certain individuals caught on camera, including gender, race, height, weight and age.

These stations are often seen all over campuses so that students, faculty and staff have immediate access to help in case of an emergency. These stations are built with bright blue beacons, which can be seen from long distances and used to alert a campus of a large emergency. These stations can also provide two-way hands-free communication between a person and security personnel.