While the primary focus of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) is protecting Ohio’s workers and advocating for them when they’ve been injured on the job, the BWC also understands that safety and security are equally important in preventing injuries in Ohio’s schools. With the goal of reducing and eliminating injuries and illnesses that are commonly associated with providing childhood educational services, the BWC’s School Safety and Security Grant (SSSG) Program allows operating licensed Ohio schools from the grade of preschool through 12th grade access to financial assistance to ensure the safety of their staff and students through the purchase of equipment to improve the security of the facility. Read on to learn more about the SSSG Program and how it can help you create a more secure and safe working and learning environment for teachers and students.
The basics
Through the SSG Program, Ohio schools may receive up to $40,000 for the duration of the program to purchase equipment that boosts the overall safety and security of the school facility, employee safety inventions, or incident response equipment. Equipment purchases are a 3-1 matching grant, meaning that the grant can be used to fund 75% of your school’s purchase, with the other 25% coming from the district, other grant sources, or donations. For a complete list of the eligibility requirements and the School Safety and Security Grant application, check out the complete SSSG Program Policy.
Improving facility security
One of the chief concerns for all schools is the overall security of their facility. While SSSG Program funds provide for other equipment and interventions as well, one of the most popular use of the funds is for the improvement of school building safety and security.
Security cameras are one of the most common ways that schools seek to provide greater overall safety to students and staff. Security cameras allow staff to know who is entering or leaving the building, where individuals are in the building at any given time, and aid in evacuations in the case of emergencies.
SSSG Program funds can also be used to establish secure keycard entry systems. These kinds of access control features can easily be integrated into your school security camera system, triggering cameras to record anytime that an individual is using the access control panel – whether they successfully or unsuccessfully gained access to the facility. This allows you to know which teachers and staff are in what areas of the facility as well as alerting your team to any unauthorized individuals who may try to obtain access to your school.
Banishing bullying
Early and frequent response to bullying behavior is one of the best ways to stop bullying. School security cameras can help teachers and administrators respond to and prevent bullying in real-time when cameras are actively monitored, reducing the rate and length of bullying incidents. Check out Preventing School Bullying Year Round to learn more about how security cameras can help you combat bullying in your school district.
Students aren’t the only victims of bullying in schools. Teachers are often injured when trying to intervene in bullying or school fight situations and need time off work to recover both physically and emotionally. Younger teachers, custodial staff, and other non-teaching and non-administrative staff are often the target of unwanted comments, actions, and even bullying behavior from students. Monitored school security cameras can help administrators respond to these events in real time and make sure that bullies know that they can’t hide from the consequences of their actions.
Keeping students safer
Incidents of violence in schools are increasing. From the number of physical altercations between students to school shootings, the evidence for the need for increased security and safety in schools has never been greater. School security cameras may not be able to prevent all violence in a school building, but it can help teachers and staff spot the warning signs, respond faster, and save more lives.
Mass shootings in schools are a fact of life in America – a terrifying reality for our nation’s youth and their educators. When used in conjunction with other safety measures like access control, locking all doors from outside entry, and metal detectors, school security cameras that are actively monitored can be an effective early warning system for potential threats to your students and staff. Not to mention, schools are given the opportunity to give law enforcement officers access to their surveillance systems in order to respond quicker and more effectively in a lock-down situation.
Nationwide service
Our nationwide network of technicians coordinates with our home office in southwest Ohio to provide security camera installation for schools in all 50 states. So whether you’re located in our local service area or need our nationwide service, our commitment and promise to you are to always exceed your expectations for customer service and professionalism. From our 15-minute guaranteed response on quote requests to our quick response time on phone calls and emails, our commitment to service has always been a top priority. When you need a partner you can trust, who is also a trusted partner in the community, look no further than Camera Security Now.
Our camera service and installation professionals deliver the security camera solutions that your school needs, helping you ensure the security of your students, teachers, and staff. To find out how easy it is to make your school more secure, request a quote today.
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