School Lockdown: Schools in Kent told to ‘prepare for lockdown’ in event of no-deal Brexit
Traffic build-up near Channel ports could cause air pollution necessitating local schools going into lockdown
Kent County Council has advised schools to brace for multiple effects of traffic congestion caused by disruption at Channel ports following a no-deal Brexit, including the possibility of poor air quality. Their guidance recommends having lockdown procedures in place ready for this potential situation.
Area Education Officer at the council, Ian Watts, commented: “Kent County Council acknowledge that if any schools are affected, the number is likely to be low.
"In the Brexit guidance we are not in any way intimating that a dynamic lockdown would be required that is similar to when an intruder may enter a school site.
"The term lockdown in relation to air quality really means that schools should perhaps consider limiting external movement around the school site if it is felt it may affect pupils and staff in any way."
He also said: “We cannot easily predict the eventual impact of the UK exiting the European Union, but it would be remiss to assume no impact. It is always the case in emergency planning that the worst case scenario should be planned for.”
Current advice from the Government and National Police Chiefs’ Council recommends that fire alarms should not be used to broadcast a lockdown alert, in order to reduce the incorrect response to an incident.
The Department for Education itself has issued draft guidance for lockdown, which it is currently seeking feedback on. The consultation period for this runs until February 2019, with final guidance expected to be published afterwards.
Bodet’s Lockdown Alert System can broadcast unique, customisable alerts to inform your pupils and staff of any emergency situations, activated by a range of remote and wired trigger methods. This allows you to use a range of alerts to differentiate between partial lockdown (for example, in the event of poor air quality), and full lockdown (for more serious situations, such as violent incidents on school grounds). By having clear and effective communication systems installed alongside robust lockdown and evacuation procedures, schools can be certain they are doing all they can to ensure the safety of students and staff.
We would be happy to visit your school for a free demonstration so you can see how our Lockdown Alert System can be tailored for the specific needs of your school. To arrange this, please contact us.
