Access, Emergencies and Experience

  • By Lindsay Page
  • Apr 07, 2016

ISC West brings so many different companies and products to the security industry, but access control and emergency notification solutions always hold a high interest to me. I was able to sit down and chat with Karen Evans, president and CEO of Sielox, a company who specializes in those exact solutions; plus, they've been in the business for almost 40 years. That type of long-term experience is rare and is a great accomplishment all on its own.

As I spoke with Karen, she offered to show me a demo of Sielox CLASS-Crisis Lockdown Alert Status System. Of course I didn't refuse. This software solution is impeccable, and is so simple to operate that I could instantly understand why it's such a popular choice for schools. CLASS allows users to track and report status of each room in real time, which can be programmed to show eight different conditions-green for "all clear", for example.

Teachers, admin and other users can instantly check the status or send an alert and communicate with first responders if necessary. Witnessing this solution firsthand made me realize just how important something like this could really make a difference in schools. It could keep a conflict between students from escalating into something more by simply allowing the teacher to send an alert for help with the situation, all in the blink of an eye.

With all the violence in schools today, I think it's great to know that there are solutions like this out there. It could certainly give parents some relief in knowing that help could be on the way in seconds, whether it's an emergency that needs first responders or simply a student who needs medication. Having instantaneous response to whatever situation it may be could make all the different in the world.

About the Author

Lindsay Page is the editor for Campus Security & Life Safety magazine, and the senior editor for Security Today.

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