Category | News

Security systems to provide better communication in campus crises

Published on July 22, 2008 by The Sentinel

  This fall will see the continued growth and installation of an early
warning system across campus, which will include the use of cameras,
communication through cell phones and e-mail and eventually an intercom
system and warning sirens in several locations.

 
    Knowing how to react during a time of crisis is often the difference between a close call and a catastrophe. Determining whether to seek a safe spot or evacuate is often something the average faculty or staff member has never had to do—nor would they likely be able respond properly, with limited knowledge of what is going on elsewhere across campus.

    It is Robert Lang’s job to oversee the completion of a system to connect the school’s security, and prepare it for a crisis situation. That is why he was hired, in May 2007, to oversee the completion of an early warning system which will eventually ensure seamless communication across campus.

    Lang is the university’s assistant vice president for strategic security and safety, and chief security officer. He has come to KSU with experience and expertise drawn from years as homeland security director at Georgia Tech; he was also an Olympic Village security planner during the 1996 Olympic Games.

    To begin, the campus itself must be connected. According to Lang, much of the preliminary infrastructure is already installed. “There are pockets of cameras across the campus,” he said.

    The cameras have not been actively monitored in the past, they have been watchful so that in the case of an incident, there would be film to reference. Lang’s plan is to ditch the reactive plan.

    “What we want is to be a little more proactive,” he said. His vision is a security system that has quick response, and maintains the goal of preventing, rather than solving, crises.

    “Right now, we have closed-circuit TV monitors, about 360 cameras now,” he said. The new central parking deck has 100 by itself. The goal is to include these cameras, and also enlist a batch of other tools that will connect the campus.

    Cell phones are utilized in the security plan, through a notification system called ConnectED that sends voice messages and short-message-service (SMS) texts to every student and staff member who is in the database. The system also sends e-mail warnings.  The database can currently reach over 35,000 members of the KSU community.

    The university will eventually have a system of warning sirens as well, at four key points that will reach the entire campus.

    Each building on campus will also have its own “crisis manager,” a program that is unique to our campus, providing training for these individuals in first aid, bomb threat response, terrorism and fire extinguisher use, among other things.

    “Most campuses don’t have an integrated plan,” said Lang. “We are striving for that.” What campuses usually have is several systems of security that do not work together as one larger, cohesive plan.

    As with any technology, there is always the possibility of glitches and setbacks. The school’s plan, however, is to drill these systems, and fix any issues that crop up.

    “My philosophy is not to say that our system is perfect,” said Lang, “but rather to say that we are making progress in our ability to prevent, mitigate, respond and recover from any incident. And the only way to [do] this is to test it regularly and vigorously, and not be upset when things don’t go smoothly, because in real life, it never does.”

    Indeed, this outlook is one of the reasons President Dan Papp hired Lang. “Dr. Papp wants to make sure that his vision of a safe and secure environment is realized,” said Lang. Papp mentioned Lang directly in his State of the University address last year, to make clear how serious he is taking the issue of campus safety.

    In terms of finding the money to finance such security, Lang made clear that lack of funds will not be an excuse for lack of security.
“We’re moving forward—and aggressively— rather than waiting for money to come in,” he said. He has a grant request on his desk right now that would give the security budget “about $350,000-worth of equipment and training towards [the university’s] goal.”

    KSU officials are trying to find the right approach to get everyone involved in the project of security.

    “Rather than just sitting back,” waiting for something to happen, “we want to be out there in the front,” Lang said.