Keeping Kids Safe at School

While school safety can be a hard topic to discuss, it’s becoming increasingly prevalent in school districts around the country. Locally, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s (CMSD) Department of Safety and Security has employed a network of professionals whose main objective is to provide a safe and orderly learning environment for more than 36,000 students.

In a large-scale technology upgrade initiative that began in June of 2023, Harrington Electric Co. was brought in as part of a team of experts charged with upgrading and installing a vast array of intrusion and video surveillance systems at more than 90 school buildings operated by CMSD.

The project – which will run through 2024 – was made possible through a series of federal and state safety grants designated to help schools create environments that are secure and welcoming for teachers and their students. The grants pay for such physical security expenses as new security cameras, public address systems, automatic door locks, visitor badging systems, and exterior lighting.

Harrington’s team of professionals is working alongside CMSD contractor, Security 101, a nationally-recognized leader in the security industry that provides system design, engineering and installation of electronic security systems.

According to Christina Lutz, systems specialist estimator and project manager for Harrington Electric Co., the job involves the installation of cabling and upgraded devices to support each school’s network of surveillance and intrusion systems. And the broad-based project is not without its various challenges.

“The work involves a number of older buildings that were built with thick concrete and plaster walls and ceilings, which require some time to navigate through to develop pathways for cabling,” Lutz commented.

Then there’s the challenge of working during regular school hours when students are in class. “Student safety is our first priority while we’re on the job,” Lutz emphasized. “Our team is trained to clear out work areas when students traverse down hallways, and are very careful to make sure tools, ladders and other equipment don’t get in the way. We work closely with custodians and administrators to make sure we’re not posing any hazards while the kids are in the building.”

Harrington Electric Co. is honored to be a part of CMSD’s ongoing initiative to provide safety and security systems in the District’s school buildings. Such preventative measures ensure safe environments for students to learn, and can greatly limit a school’s vulnerability to intrusion and other security incidents.