There are many different options in keeping school zones safe, but one of the most effective is to have a school zone that is indicated by flashing beacons. With these systems in place, there is a constant need for adjustments and updates that need to occur if there is a time change or if there is a change in the operating times for the flashing system.
To avoid these issues, which can be costly as well as aggravating, many schools are turning to the technology offered with an IP time clock. This provides a completely manageable flashing beacon system that a school administrator or designated technician or school district administrator can adjust and change. To make this even easier, new systems can be managed by a cell phone or through the schools private intranet or the school internet.
These systems also use radio frequency (RF) for the gateway, the sending unit or the actual IP time clock, to signal the turning on and off of the roadway flashers and beacons.
Security
These systems come with their own software, and require authorized authorities to have a secure password and login to get into the system. There will also need to have a host computer, which will typically be at the school, and there will need to be a dedicated IP address and port for the actual IP clock, which forms the gateway.
This gateway can be positioned at a location where it is convenient. It does not need to be on the school property, nor does it have to have a line of sight to the roadway beacons and flashers. In fact, these gateways can even be located in a central location that is miles away from the town or city where the school is located.
Programming
The best models and designs in IP time clock systems will allow for multiple schedules and multiple time clocks to run off of the same gateway. In some systems, one gateway can control up to 120 clocks, which is an important consideration in urban areas with a large number of schools.
These systems will allow the user to establish standard schedules for school days, non-use days for holidays, and other types of specialized schedules as required.
Finally, a top safety feature to consider with these systems is an automatic notification in the event of a failure, a power outage, or if the system is being manually overridden. This provides an extra layer of security and safety that is essential for schools to keep in mind.