Why Need Panic Button on Student ID Cards?
A 6-year-old boy’s tragic death in Dubai
In June 2016, Dubai media reported the shocking news of a 6-year-old Indian boy who died after he got left behind in a Dubai school bus for several hours.
The boy had fallen asleep after he had got on the school bus in the morning.
When the bus arrived at school, all the other children de-boarded the bus, but the boy got left behind. Later, when the school ended, the child was found by the driver while he was taking the bus out to drop the students back home.
Other Incidents of School Bus Deaths
Such incidents are rare in the UAE, but have been reported previously as well. In September 2018, a child in Saudi Arabia died suffocating on a school bus after the driver forgot to check if the vehicle was empty.
In October 2014, a 3-year old girl, studying in KG-1 of a private school in Abu Dhabi, suffocated to death after being forgotten inside the school bus.
In yet another incident that occurred in April 2008 in Abu Dhabi, a four-year-old boy died in the hospital after being found unconscious on a school bus.
Aftermaths of School Bus Deaths
Such incidents led to severe consequences, including huge penalties and fines, and even jail term for one of the school’s principal, bus driver, and supervisor.
They also sparked a major discussion around child safety in school buses and called for serious measures to be undertaken to curtail such incidents.
Eventually, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Knowledge and Education directed all schools to have cameras and sensors fitted into their school buses to detect the presence of a child, even after the bus engine is turned off.
Industry Growth
These tragic incidents also led to the rapid rise of the industry for school bus security and student tracking systems.
The student ID cards equipped with panic buttons were introduced in the market and they became increasingly popular.
Need for Instant Help
Since the need for raising an alarm and receiving immediate assistance in a dangerous situation can occur at any time, advanced panic-alerting solutions become very helpful particularly for school children.
How Panic Button on Student ID Card Can Help?
When it comes to student safety, it is often impossible to handle an emergency or dangerous situation alone. This is where technology becomes extremely useful. There are a lot of panic-alerting solutions available in the market today that can provide the necessary support during emergencies and take student safety to the next level.
Let us explore.
Personal Bluetooth Device with Panic Button
The Bluetooth ID Card functions as a regular cardholder where a standard ID card and an Access Control card can be inserted. The built-in wireless Bluetooth unit combined with a panic button is strategically placed on the back of the ID card that allows panic alerting and positioning.
The button is hidden from the eyes of the people. This is how it works. School children are asked to wear a personal bluetooth device around their necks at all times. During an emergency, when the student presses the device’s built-in distress button, it sends an immediate notification to the Emergency Response team of the student’s location.
It also sends an alarm signal to the nearest help available. The student’s current location dispatched along with the alarm signal helps school authorities to provide timely assistance when needed.
Student ID Card with GPS Tracker & Panic Button
A well-designed GPS card along with the panic button is completely portable and easy to use. By leveraging the latest features in GPS technology, these cards provide quick and easy access to student location data. They enable real-time tracking and are ideal for students.
Students can easily fill in their basic details on the card and use it as a Student ID card. This card also has an in-built tracker that enables school authorities to get the child’s real-time location via GPS. The one-button alarm function ensures the safety of the child in an emergency.
The SOS panic button on the identity card equips students to call for immediate help during an emergency or a life-threatening situation wherever they may be.
Key Features of a Smart Student ID Card with Panic Button
1.Location Tracking
The GPS and online positioning helps school authorities to obtain the real-time location of the students with accuracy. This makes sure that students never get lost when they are away from home. They system allows student’s location data to be viewed on a mobile phone, desktop, or tablet.
2.Emergency/SOS Panic Button
When there is an emergency, the student can press the panic button to send an immediate notification to school authorities along with an accurate location.
3.Two-Way Communication
GPS ID Cards and mobile phones can communicate with each other
4.Long standby time
With this feature, there is no need to worry about charging the battery. You can keep the device on stand by for a long time and keep the asset active.
- Remote Voice Monitoring
- Notification to parents via Mobile App when the emergency happens
- Geofence setting for arrival and departure from home and school alarm
- Other Safety features
- Lightweight, portable, and easy to carry
- History tracking
- Automated Reports
Conclusion
The safety of school children is most important to schools and parents alike. A top-of-the-line school bus tracking system can be easily connected to a GPS tracker and a panic button on student ID cards.
This can help school authorities to track the real-time location of students and help save their lives when stuck in a dangerous situation. So, are you using any advanced school bus tracking solution that can ensure the safety of students when they ride the school bus?
