SCAD Safety discusses campus preparedness in light of Florida shooting
The February 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, prompted a discussion across the country concerning school safety and preparedness in the event of an active shooter.
SCAD Vice President for University Safety John Buckovich said SCAD’s strategy in such an emergency is comprehensive and multi-layered to ensure the safest possible learning environment for our students.
“We have fixed-post security officers, patrol-based security, uniformed off-duty police officers, over 900 surveillance cameras — not just in our buildings, but around our buildings — and a number of state-of-the-art technology-based systems, all of which are monitored by a 24/7 Security Operations Centers,” Buckovich said.
SCAD is routinely at the forefront of innovative strategies and technological advances to keep the community safe, according to Buckovich. SCAD was the first university in the nation to implement Secure Campus, an exterior and interior gunfire alert technology that listens for and alerts University Safety and the Savannah and Atlanta police departments with an immediate notification in the event of gunfire on or near campus.
“This enables us to dispatch emergency personnel to any scene without waiting for someone to call 911,” Buckovich explained. “SCAD was also the first university in Georgia to use LiveSafe, an app-based solution that encourages interaction between the SCAD community and University Safety, through which students can send video, pictures and text messages.”
Detailed tips and instructions in the event of an active shooter on campus can also be found on the SCAD website under “Emergency Preparedness.” Through measures such as those listed, Buckovich said he and his team are able to continuously observe what’s happening on each of SCAD’s campuses and keep in real-time touch with members of the community and city authorities.
According to Buckovich, the safety of SCAD students, neighbors and families is paramount. Buckovich said he and the entire SCAD safety team consistently review their strategy to meet the needs of our immediate community and implement programs to stay lockstep with the highest standards of safety and security, including Secure Campus and LiveSafe.
“Unfortunate events like the shootings in Florida increase nationwide attention, but this is our focus every day, monitoring and enhancing the safety, security and positive campus experience for staff, faculty and students,” Buckovich said. “Throughout the year, we provide regular emergency response training to members of the SCAD community, including active shooter response and threat assessment process. For students, these trainings are offered the moment they step foot on campus in the First Year Experience course.”
In addition to the workshops and forums hosted by University Safety and the general safety tips and tools through SCAD’s BeeSafe initiative, Buckovich said students are always welcome to reach out to him or SCAD’s director of security in Atlanta or Savannah to discuss safety tips. He also encourages students to stop by the Security Operations Centers to see firsthand the technology and personnel measures SCAD has implemented.
In the case of a traumatic event, SCAD students also have access to resources including the university’s Counseling and Support Services, where students can receive free individual counseling with credentialed professionals as well as access support groups, educational workshops and self-help resources.
Buckovich said his University Safety leadership team is led by expert law enforcement professionals who have decades of experience in public safety, emergency readiness and organizational security — which includes FBI expertise — across SCAD’s global campuses.
“Across the nation, some universities are self-contained while others are interwoven within the community,” Buckovich explained. “The partnerships we’ve created with Savannah and Atlanta’s local police and emergency management agencies as well as national government bureaus are all aimed at keeping our students, faculty, staff and campus safe…Our security network is vast and sophisticated, and it makes for the safest possible environment for students and the entire SCAD family.”
