Advantages of Two Way Radios in K-12 Schools for Student Safety?
What are the advantages of two way radios for student safety in schools? It’s the 21st century. Do we even need radios when everyone has cell phones?
Yes. Radios are still useful in the 21st century, and schools are the ideal place for them. They’re not just for the emergency scenarios that grab the headlines, such as natural disasters and school incidents. Two way radios can help a school run more smoothly on a regular basis, and keep students safe in everyday situations.
From playground injuries, when a nurse or other staff must be notified quickly, to parent issues, to everyday operations, two way radios are a faster and easier way than cell phones to ensure student safety and keep the school as a whole running efficiently.
Two way radios permit school staff to communicate easily with one another to manage assemblies, sporting events, pep rallies, fire drills, recess, school carnivals. and everything in between. They can ease the logistics of dealing with a large crowd, whether it’s at a sports event, loading the buses for a field trip, or the cafeteria at lunch time. Teachers, bus drivers, coaches, custodians, crossing guards, playground supervisors and administrators become a more effective team when they can communicate more easily. If a student is injured on the playground, the office can be notified immediately, instead of sending a frightened student to run to the office with a message that might be garbled, or using a cell phone that must be dialed. If someone suspicious is on the grounds, a custodian or crossing guard can alert the office discreetly. Two way radios improve faculty effectiveness and ensure student safety and security.
Superior Privacy
Student privacy and confidentiality are of paramount concern to all schools. Two way radios preserve privacy. While an intercom or PA system broadcasts information to everyone, a two way radio allows the principal to speak to one or more faculty members without anyone else overhearing. When choosing two way radios, there are numerous options that allow for totally private communication that can’t be heard on any other radio in the area — not even with a scanner.
Cost-Effective Solution
Since Socrates taught in Athens, no school has ever had a large enough budget. We know that your budget is limited and that you don’t want to waste the funds you have. There are many affordable options when it comes to two way radios, and you’ll soon discover that they’re not simply a luxury. More efficient communication leads to the smoother operation of your school, and far easier management of events — meaning you can have less staff on hand for them. In an emergency, two way radios can quite literally be a life-saver, and you may even find that with improved communication and efficiency, you are able to lower school costs.
What Kind of Radio Do I Need?
One concern we hear from many of our K-12 school customers is that the radios won’t work in their buildings. There’s almost no reason that would be the case, especially when you go with UHF (ultra high frequency) radios. The higher the frequency of the radio, the better the in-building penetration will be, even when communicating through multiple walls of steel and concrete.
The top radios we recommend for K-12 schools are:
- Motorola DTR650 – One of Nova’s number one selling radio for schools. Operating in 900 Mhz frequency, it has excellent in-building penetration. The digital signal helps with privacy. It comes at a very reasonable price with an excellent battery life.
- Motorola BPR40 – Excellent priced radio. It works in the UHF frequencies, so it has adequate building penetration. This is a great radio for schools operating on a restricted budget.
- Motorola CP185 – The CP185 is a great analog radio. With a digital display for easy channel notification and a long life battery, the Motorola CP185 radio will help keep your students safe.
Contact us if you are interested in purchasing two way radios for your school. We’ll be happy to help you find the correct model for your needs or start with the FREE Portable Radio Selection Guide below.
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