There are a few things that every school should have, including several safety essentials that will help everyone feel secure when they are in the building. Schools are open throughout the year, and there are hundreds if not thousands of students roaming the halls every day. Without these safety essentials, the students would be less protected, and they would not be prepared if an accident happened.
First Aid Kits
This is a safety essential that everyone should have in their home, and it should be a requirement for every classroom in a school. Accidents are accidents for a reason, and no matter how much you prepare, you’ll rarely know in advance if something will go wrong. Be prepared for incidents like this by having a first aid kit that includes bandages, gauze, trauma pads, gloves, scissors, and tape. They may not be able to heal someone entirely, but they can help mitigate smaller issues until the medical professionals arrive.
Fire Alarm Systems
Schools are big buildings, and there are many ways that a small fire could start and go unnoticed for a while. Thankfully, fire alarm systems work in various ways, mainly by detecting smoke or carbon monoxide. These detectors signal the fire alarm to go off and alert everyone in the school that they should evacuate, but it also alerts local fire departments to investigate the issue. You should check fire alarm systems regularly to ensure the horns and strobe lights are functional and that detectors and pull stations are working.
First Aid Clinics
On top of first aid kits being available in classrooms, each school should also be equipped with a first-aid clinic that students can go to whenever they encounter an issue or feel sick. Teachers are not equipped to administer treatment in the most effective way, but clinic authorities should be able to. They can also hold onto medications and EpiPens for students with more severe or recurring illnesses.
IT Protections
An aspect of safety that many fail to consider is online security. When students use school-provided computers or are on the school's network, they should be protected from anything that is not school-appropriate. This protection can be hard to institute, as the internet is often a lawless place, but there are firewalls and other monitoring services available to guarantee students are safe and protected when online.
These are just a few of the safety essentials that every school must have, and if your school does not have them, you should look into making changes. These essential items are the bare minimum necessities; without them, students are more prone to incidents and missing out on the proper care they may need.
