The Badge Messenger School Safety Blog

The Technology to Help Your District Simplify School Security & Communication

Written by Mike Muggli | Apr 8, 2019

Regardless of the school security system you are currently using, providing a safe environment for your staff and students is of primary importance. The ability to communicate to, and receive communication from, your staff is a critical component of that security system. 

Often, the complexity of a security or communication system is thought to correlate to its effectiveness, but that is not always the case. Over complicated tech can sometimes be counterproductive. Badge Messenger® makes the communication component of your security system, simple, accessible, reliable, and efficient.

The Pros of Badge Messenger

Badge Messenger efficiently complements, without complicating, the communication portion of your school’s security measures. It’s always available and easily accessible. You and your students will feel safer with a dedicated communication system that provides this level of efficiency and the capability to cover the entire school, the surrounding parking lots and ball fields.

Badge Messenger Improves Efficiency in Communication

Our two-way messenger system utilizes dedicated wireless communication enabling prompt responses with a much larger coverage area than WiFi. Imagine your school is in the middle of a catastrophic event and your staff can’t communicate because the WiFi and cellular networks are down or too congested to be useful – not a place you’d like to be. 

The Messenger is Always Available

Our system will operate in a power outageThe messenger’s 24/7 functionality means that even in extreme situations, like a winter storm or earthquake that might take down other network infrastructure, your staff’s ability to communicate their status is not interrupted. The last thing you’d want to be thinking about in a natural disaster is whether you’ll have a way to connect with your staff.

Badge Messenger is Easily Accessible

Often, convenience of communication can play a role in the level of security within your school.  Teachers can attach their messenger in the same ways as a normal ID badge, like a belt clip or a lanyard, making them easily accessible. If teachers are required to use their own devices, like a phone, they may not always be on-hand – and rightfully so. Teachers want to set a good example by storing away tech devices that can be distracting in the classroom.

We've put together a few more pros of Badge Messenger in this video:

 

 

Badge Messenger vs. Phone Apps

Utilizing phone applications for staff communication in both emergency events and regular assistance requests has its drawbacks. Below are just a few of the many reasons why we think using the Badge Messenger system is a better option than phone apps when it comes to your student’s safety.

Should Teachers be required to use their own property for school communication? 

Teacher’s are at the core of a school’s success. They put in extra effort, and frequently wear multiple hats. Often our educators are looked at as nurses, coaches, mentors, and more. On top of all that, should you be asking your all-star staff to provide their own phones to enable the school’s communication and emergency protocols?

The Badge Messenger system is available for a low one-time fee, with no recurring subscription fee, as is sometimes an added cost with phone app solutions. You own it, and you ensure that every staff member is using the same device.

Cell Phones Are Expensive

Think about how much you spent on your last cellular phone. It’s fair to assume it was a pretty penny. Cell phones can range from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars. Now multiply that by your staff count.  Providing phones for the entire staff quickly becomes a costly proposal.

In addition to the cell phone itself being expensive, applications often require an annual subscription. The Messenger is an inexpensive one-time purchase without the annual subscription fees associated with other options. This makes it easy for a school to supply the system to its entire staff.

All Cell Phones Are Different

How many different cell phone models are in use by your staff? Do they all support the same apps? And what happens when the phone receives a software update from the provider? Will an app continue to operate properly? In an emergency event, will all these different hardware devices, with different versions of software function properly? Maybe – maybe not. With Badge Messenger, everyone is using the same device with the same software.

Cell Phones Require Existing Infrastructure

Cell phones need cellular towers to function. In emergency situations, WiFi and cellular networks can become congested, or even unavailable. Reliance on a phone app in those situations may leave you with no way to communicate. The Badge Messenger system doesn’t require any existing infrastructure. It will function regardless of the state of the WiFi or cellular networks, even in a power outage.

Keep it Simple with Badge Messenger

Badge Messenger is a simple to use, easily accessible, and efficient system that provides your staff with the communication capability they need, both for normal assistance requests and in crisis or emergency events.  It does this at a reasonable cost, without reliance on any other external communication systems.