We sat down with David Djordevic, Estates & Facilities Manager at Preston College, to discuss how the Audiebant Lockdown & Communication system has played a key role in enhancing campus security and communication, especially in crisis situations.
Here, David shares his insights on the system’s impact and its contributions to the college’s day-to-day operations:
The importance of communication during critical incidents
“Events in the world mean that a college is a place of potential threat,” he shares. “We want to make the campus as safe and secure as possible. Audiebant has provided us with a quick communication tool, allowing us to send messages—whether it’s a lockdown or evacuation notice—instantly to staff and students. It plays a crucial role in our wider critical incident plan.”
Flexibility in crisis situations
“The nature of a threat can vary, which means we might be locking down the whole site, securing just one building, or evacuating specific areas. Being able to target messages to particular zones is essential, and Audiebant offers that flexibility. Whether we need to issue a lockdown or evacuation message, it allows us to be specific, clear, and fast in our communication.”
Using Audiebant for everyday campus communication
“We use it for things like reminding students to wear their ID badges or where they can vape on campus. We also remind them to keep the campus tidy and to safely store their bikes in our cycle shelters. It’s not just for emergencies—it helps keep things running smoothly, too.”
Improving campus atmosphere
“The music we’ve been playing through the system adds energy and vibrancy to the campus.
There’s a calmness too—having that background noise seems to help with student behaviour, creating a more relaxed atmosphere.”
Inclusivity and Reaching All Students
“It’s also important to note that within the system, if you need to put bespoke announcements out, the system uses AI technology.
The announcements are very clear, very calm and again, we’ve not had any issues with regards to staff ever being locked in in the buildings because everyone can now hear the system”.
Supporting SEN Students with Audiescreen
David Djordevic spoke about the importance of the Audiescreen system for the college’s large number of Special Educational Needs (SEN) students, particularly those with hearing and visual impairments. He explained, “The Audiescreen software is going to be very useful for us at the college. We have a large number of SEN students, for instance, so the more medium that we can get our messages out effectively, and the better, because obviously we want to make sure that all our students and our staff are safe and get the messages.” With existing screens around the college, including in classrooms and noisy areas such as catering outlets, the ability to deliver messages both audibly and visually is crucial in ensuring everyone is informed and secure.
Ensuring Compliance with Martyn’s Law
David also discussed how Preston College is actively preparing for Martyn’s Law, the legislation aimed at improving safety across public venues. He stated, “We’re also obviously very aware of Martyn’s Law, the legislation that will be coming in, potentially in 2025 and making sure that we do everything that we counter comply with that, and that includes making sure that every system we have in place, as well as being well drilled and well organized, reaches everyone it needs to reach.” The college is focused on ensuring that their systems, including Audiebant, are not only well-organized but also reach every corner of the campus, guaranteeing quick and effective communication during critical incidents.
David concludes by highlighting the essential role Audiebant has played in the college’s communication strategy. “Audiebant has been an essential part of our communication strategy, both for emergencies and everyday operations. It’s quick, reliable, and effective. It’s become a vital tool in keeping the campus safe and organized, and we’re very happy with the results.”
