In June 2025, we saw a surge in high-stakes lockdowns, evacuations and shelter-in-place orders affecting schools, hospitals and local communities across the UK.
Whether it was a real threat or a precautionary response, each incident revealed one consistent truth: when crisis hits, emergency communication isn’t just helpful, it’s critical.
Decision-makers in education, healthcare and public safety must now ask themselves: can our communication systems keep up with the speed and severity of today’s threats?
What happened in June
Several alarming incidents put emergency communications to the test:
- Tamworth, Staffordshire (June 4):
Multiple schools were forced into lockdown after a man was spotted carrying a machete. Armed officers and helicopters were deployed. Rapid coordination between schools and police helped avoid escalation.
- Manchester (June 5):
A man with a knife threatened staff at a doctor’s surgery. Nearby New Moston Primary School went into immediate lockdown. Children remained indoors as police conducted a manhunt.
- Leeds (June 11):
Leeds General Infirmary was locked down after staff opened a suspicious package containing an unknown substance. Hazmat teams responded, and patient access was temporarily halted.
- Middleton, Manchester (June 13):
Reports of a knifeman near two local schools triggered full lockdowns at Bowlee Park Community School and St Mary’s RC Primary. Parents were instructed to stay away as the situation unfolded.
- Milton Keynes (July 1):
Although just outside June, it’s worth noting a secondary school went into lockdown after a 14-year-old was arrested for a serious incident on campus.
These incidents weren’t isolated and they weren’t small. They involved coordinated police responses, widespread public anxiety and moments of confusion that revealed just how fragile many emergency communication systems still are.
Lockdowns are no longer rare and neither are the communication challenges.
The rise in lockdowns and evacuations shows we’re entering a new era of operational risk. These are no longer once-a-year events. They’re becoming regular features in the safeguarding landscape. That’s why mass communication can’t be an afterthought. It must be embedded, tested and ready to act as fast as the situation demands.
What can you do now?
Whether you lead a school, university, hospital, event or large organisation, ask yourself:
- Can we send an alert to everyone in the vicinity in under 60 seconds?
- Are our communication channels integrated and synchronised?
- Have we practiced emergency messaging with real-world scenarios?
If the answer is “not yet,” now is the time to act, not after the next alert sounds. Because in an emergency, communication isn’t just part of the plan, it is the plan.
Take a look at our case studies to see how Audiebant is making an impact and improving emergency communications!
