Ecl-ips has an established track record of working with schools to provide CCTV solutions. With the attention of everyone now on getting children back to school safely in September, while still being ready to react in the event of COVID-19 transmission, there are a range of technological solutions we can offer to help.
The UK Government announced in early July that it expected all children to return to school in September and classes or year groups would become bubbles rather than the maximum number of 15 as was recommended before the school holidays. Strict hygiene rules, frequent cleaning and social distancing were still recommended, with large gatherings, such as school assemblies, still banned.
Within a large secondary or high school campus there maybe a need to keep the numbers of children and staff to a particular level within certain buildings. To assist with this Ecl-ips can offer occupancy counting as part of an Avigilon CCTV system.
This feature is available if you have Avigilon’s H4A or H5A cameras and have upgraded the Avigilon video management software to Avigilon Control Center 7.6.4 and are using Avigilon Cloud Services (ACS). It is also available if you have third-party cameras attached to an Avigilon Artificial Intelligence (AI) Appliance. The cameras should be specially placed at the entry and exit points of a building or area to monitor traffic. The specialist Ecl-ips team can help you do any necessary upgrades to your existing CCTV system and ensure your cameras are sited properly.
AI-powered video analytics detect and classify a person crossing the entry or exit point and automatically translates these analytic events into entry and exit events. These events will be visible through dashboards in ACS for managers to determine how many people are inside a school building so that social distancing can be maintained.
Avigilon has also developed embedded analytics within the H5A camera that will identify breaches of social distancing guidance and send alerts to those managing the CCTV system. The technology can also demonstrate to those managing schools where there are potential bottlenecks and so social distancing will be difficult. This will allow headteachers to make changes within the buildings, for example, by introducing more one-way systems to reduce the numbers having to be in close proximity to each other.
Ecl-ips can integrate the Avigilon CCTV system with IP enabled speakers and a SIP microphone to provide an audible warning to people if they are breaching social distancing guidelines or to ensure more staff or students do not enter a busy building. We also offer this technology in order to provide schools with a lockdown solution which is useful for schools concerned about other safeguarding issues and managing other risks such as a serious fire, a terrorist or pollution incident near the school grounds. The government published security guidance earlier this year outlined the need for schools to have lockdown plans.
If you want to talk to a team that is familiar with dealing with schools, and has established CCTV technology experience, about how we can get everyone back to school safely contact Ecl-ips.