Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Media contact: Kirk Swauger
SERAPH Inc.
814-233-5769
Toll free: 866-468-7962 ext 802
Swauger1@zoominternet.net FIRST NATIONAL STANDARDS ANNOUNCED FOR SCHOOL SECURITY EQUIPMENT
A coalition of educators, forensic experts and engineers has announced the creation of the first school-based security equipment standards for U.S. based schools.
The standards were developed by the group over a period of one year. The standard titled SERAPH SCHOOL SECURITY EQUIPMENT INITIATIVE provides a professional three-phase systematic approach to using security equipment in an educational setting.
?The standards provide a step-by-step plan of action for school boards and superintendents to assess their true security needs and to purchase only what will solve their problems,? said Andreas Demidont, the coalition?s team leader.
The standard is divided into three elements:
1.Assessment of Management and Needs ? Before security equipment can be placed, a detailed audit of policies, needs and actual management practices must be made. This audit must be performed from an educator?s perspective since this will be the end user of the systems installed.
2.Intelligent Physical Security Approach ? Based on the audit, a plan must developed to determine what is needed based on the specific people flow and management needs of each specific building.
3.Equipment Plan Design and Educational Management ? The plan for the purchase and installation of equipment must be in integrated into the master education plan of the school district.
?This standard will allow all American schools to use security equipment effectively for their educational goals and the daily safety of their facilities,? Demidont said.