Creating a Safe, Secure School Campus
As gun violence on school campuses continues and criminal activity in communities remains a constant threat, the need to design a safe and secure campus environment has never been more important.
Recent violent events on school campuses, including deadly shootings in Illinois and Virginia, provide all the supporting evidence needed to remind school administrators that student safety should always be a top priority.
Several daily newspapers report that more college students are being attacked off campus in their surrounding communities.
Schools may not be able to prevent violence from occurring on and off campuses, but measures can be taken to ensure students are quickly warned of dangerous situations. There are also steps schools can take to inform students, faculty and visitors when they’re outside of the campus’ safe environment.
By implementing an effective wayfinding system, schools can help ensure safety and security for students and faculty who may encounter a crisis situation.
With the right signage, new students and visitors can easily navigate the campus to find where they need to go in case of an emergency.
Boundary Signage
When considering a sign program, designers and administrators should always thoroughly analyze campus environments and facilities, including exterior and interior signage and evacuation maps.
Campus boundaries should be clearly identified so visitors and students can clearly understand where the campus starts and ends. Signage should also clearly identify all of the various buildings on the school’s grounds, including maintenance and grounds keeping buildings that aren’t designated for student activities.
Border signs help define a school’s campus. At Marquette University, located in urban Milwaukee, border signs are placed on street lights and pillars along the campus boundary. The signs, which include the Marquette University name and school colors, help new students, parents, faculty and other Marquette visitors identify where the campus ends.
These types of signs are vital to students living in urban environments for the first time. While safety isn’t 100 percent guaranteed on campus, students are often safer within campus borders. Knowing and recognizing where the campus begins and ends helps students be aware of their environment and feel more secure. In addition, they can prepare themselves for leaving the campus and take the necessary precautions.
Digital Signs
In the past year, digital signage has become increasingly popular in school settings. Technological advances allow sign manufacturers to use the signs as communications systems.
With digital signage, administrators can deliver messages campus-wide instantaneously from a computer, which can be a huge benefit in a crisis situation. Many colleges have started sending out emergency e-mails and, cell phone text messages.
Digital displays are typically installed around the common areas of a campus, such as student unions, outside corridors, libraries, public hallways, residence halls and laboratories. Digital signs usually consist of an LCD television screen that has various functions.
For example, some digital systems show a variety of timed messages. Others have the capacity to provide real-time data, such as whether a computer lab has available computers or if a class has been cancelled. These signs also provide the opportunity to allow public service departments to override the display system and send emergency messages.
Wayfinding Systems
It’s equally important to upgrade directional emergency evacuation signs and maps. After renovations or new construction, students, faculty and visitors may not know the most effective route to safety.
During these types of projects, work with a sign provider who can assist with upgrading the campus’ interior wayfinding signage. A good sign fabricator will walk the campus and involve staff and students to design the most efficient wayfinding sign system. In addition, they should be able to provide signage that is easily updated, should the school go through future expansion or renovation.
In addition, it’s important to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which has specific rules to follow regarding signage. If an emergency situation occurs, students and faculty with disabilities must be able to understand signs so they can safely relocate to a secure location.
Most universities also have a number of foreign-born students, making it crucial to consider the specific needs of these individuals when designing a sign system. While all languages cannot be placed on signage, having universal visual cues like shelter and police symbols helps to convey those types of messages. Visual cues also let students, visitors and faculty know when they’re near dangerous or hazardous areas, such as chemical laboratories, and which exits to use in case of a fire.
Creating a Sense of Comfort
Having the right type of signage can help students, faculty and visitors identify the school’s campus, serve as a communications system in case of an emergency and get everyone on campus to safety in dangerous situations. Parents will feel a sense of comfort knowing that their children can easily navigate the school grounds.
To ensure the safety and security of students and faculty, include a well-designed and effective signage component in all renovation and expansion construction projects.
Paul Poblocki is vice president and general manager of Poblocki Sign Company in Milwaukee. He can be reached at (414) 453-4010 or by email at pbp@poblocki.com.