There is an undeniable need for safety training and increased safety measures in schools. Safety systems and training tools aid in preparedness in the event of an active shooter situation. By following tailored training programs that offer unique and engaging materials, students and staff benefit from detailed instruction that equips them for any scenario.
Our Comprehensive Safety Training Programs
The LockOut Co. collaborates with Homeland Security, law enforcement, and educators to create the most advanced lockdown safety training programs. Our training team teaches students, staff, administrators, and local law enforcement how to respond to various alerts from The SmartBoot System™. Members of our safety team lead guided lockdown drills at each facility to introduce the system and specific lockdown procedures, working hard to create an inclusive and immersive experience for staff and students.
The LockOut Co. understands the significant relationship between a fast-acting security system and successful training. While our team advocates for strong security measures in schools, they are also mindful of the impact that active shooter training has on staff and students’ mental health as serious topics are covered in an active shooter training program. However, the underlying safety messages must be understood. That is why we tailor our training programs to different audiences. The comprehensive programs ensure students, staff, administrators, and law enforcement learn about The SmartBoot System™ in terms they understand.
Age-Appropriate Safety Training
When working with students, our trainers explain safety equipment and lockdown procedures differently based on age range and cognitive abilities. Using age-appropriate language helps students learn about serious topics in terms they understand. For example, our trainers interchange terms such as: “bad guy” instead of “active shooter” when addressing young students. While with high school students and adult audiences who understand the severity of a lockdown situation, our team members speak candidly.
Bobby The Boot
Young children may struggle to understand what is happening during a lockdown situation. They may be aware of a dangerous situation without fully grasping the imminent threat. That is why our student training program includes visual tools to aid comprehension and retention.
Bobby The Boot is our mascot and classroom safety hero. He helps young students grasp lockdown training concepts while making them feel more comfortable during times of high stress. Bobby The Boot is a cornerstone of our student safety training. Students see him in his comic book, during student training sessions, and when he visits K-5 classrooms. Bobby’s main goal is to make students feel safe in the uncharted territories of danger.
Our team created learning materials and designed the comic book to have the highest absorbency rates for a younger audience. According to popcultureclassroom.org, “When kids inevitably come across a word they don’t know, comics provide a visual “clue” on what the word means… visual context not only enables kids to learn the meaning of words more quickly, the visual associations help them retain and recall those meanings in the future.”
Our Bobby The Boot comic book features a simple storyline outlining each lockdown step. It provides children with visual clues to connect important training concepts to The SmartBoot System™. Presenting students with visual and contextual clues helps them retain important information and lockdown procedures.
For neurodivergent learners, our team created a social story workbook. It centers around “I Statements” to help students picture themselves in the lockdown scenarios presented. The workbook engages students with the character Shelly The Shield. Shelly’s mission is to familiarize children with The SmartBoot System’s™ visual alerts, audio alerts, keywords, and lockdown steps.
Guided Lockdown Drills
Once The SmartBoot System™ is installed, The Lockout Co. runs every school through guided lockdown drills. The average guided training day includes two phases. First, our training team gives a presentation on the system. This presentation, held in front of students and staff, optimizes valuable learning time. Our training team demonstrates how to deploy The Boot™ and return it to The SmartBox™. They also teach everyone about the alerts to look and listen for. Second, the school will undergo a full lockdown drill minutes after the presentation. Doing so ensures maximum information retention. For all K-5 schools, once the drill is complete, Bobby The Boot™ will visit each classroom.
Ongoing Safety Training
In an era where safety concerns are skyrocketing, safety drills are no longer a formality. Lockdown drills reinforce protocols, increase readiness, and reduce panic during critical incidents. Whether students and staff are returning to school or it’s their first year on campus, everyone must understand the safety equipment and protocols of the facility they are in. That’s why schools must provide ongoing safety training. To ensure that everyone is completely trained, we offer recurring training sessions through our service contract. These training sessions act as a refresher and reinforce prior training for returnees while introducing The SmartBoot System™ to those who are new.
Final Thoughts
Safety training is not one size fits all. It should be tailor-made to meet your school’s specific needs, target audience, and available safety equipment. When training is engaging and memorable, students and staff retain vital safety information they can refer to during an emergency.
Working with a team of safety experts is an easy way to provide relevant safety training for students, staff, and administrators. The Lockout Co. team works with schools to assess current safety plans, make revisions, implement new lockdown protocols, and provide top-tier safety training.
Contact The Lockout Co. to see how your school can benefit from tailored safety training programs.
