School administrators and safety officials now have a new one-stop resource for free information on the latest school safety news and opinion, analysis on hot topics, and topical resources for improving school safety, emergency preparedness, and communications efforts. We spent the past three months here at National School Safety and Security Services working with our […]
Exercise caution with full scale school active shooter exercises
Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook, we have noticed an increase in first responders, primarily law enforcement, conducting full scale exercises at schools using staff and students. These exercises are also coming under increased scrutiny by the media and broader public, as reported this past weekend in the NBC stories Fake Blood and Blanks: Schools Stage […]
The year 2013: School safety in review
2013: School safety in review January 13, 2014 * The year 2013 was one of the most turbulent years for the school safety field since the Columbine era. Some of the highs and lows in our opinion include: Political Special Interest Groups Hijack School Safety – The attack upon Sandy Hook Elementary School on December […]
Sandy Hook skews focus to security equipment, away from human side of school safety
Surveillance cameras and fortified front entranceways with enhanced access control are among the most common security equipment purchases by school districts reacting over the past year to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Meanwhile, many schools continue to fail to invest the time and resources into the training, planning, exercising of crisis plans, and other […]
10 lessons learned from the Sandy Hook school shootings
Our team’s analysis of the Sandy Hook Final Report released by the Connecticut State’s Attorney continues with 10 key lessons learned for school security and emergency preparedness. While additional details may be revealed in forthcoming documents from the Connecticut State Police, 10 important lessons from Sandy Hook have emerged based upon the final report, information […]
Failed police radios at Sandy Hook raises common safety issue
Connecticut State Police two-way radios did not work inside Sandy Hook Elementary School, according to the Sandy Hook Final Report released last week by the Connecticut State’s Attorney. The failure of the radios to fully work does not appear to have been a major issue in resolving this event. However, it illustrates a fairly common issue we […]
State’s Attorney report: Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings
The Connecticut State’s Attorney final summary report on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings for many is an underwhelming, anticlimactic account of an overwhelming tragedy. No earth-shattering new lessons, but repeated themes of past shootings Rather than revealing a stream of earth-shattering new lessons learned, the report sadly reiterates themes heard over and over again from school shootings of […]
Thanksgiving prayers to those who protect children and schools
I am blessed to be surrounded by wonderful family, friends and colleagues. They are my best supporters and as deserved at times, my best critics. Our school safety consulting team is comprised of school security and communication experts who are not only great, experienced professionals, but more importantly who are great parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, […]
Sandy Hook school shooting report: New lessons or old lessons revisited?
A much anticipated report on the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings is due out Monday afternoon. The Connecticut State’s Attorney will present a summary report on the shooting, although the release of the full Connecticut State Police report continues to be delayed. The tactical response of Newtown Police and other first responders will likely receive a […]