NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio, May 2, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Columbia College in Columbia, S.C. has chosen NaviGate by Lauren Innovations as a clearinghouse source for all of their critical information. Starting out with a plan to map out the campus building by building, Columbia will provide floor by floor documentation for each building on campus with accompanying GPS coordinates and documentation. The NaviGate system will also aid in better management of continuing education for staff, document management for the science and facilities department as well as incident tracking and reporting across campus.
"We are living in a time in which it is imperative to have instant access to our critical information," began Campus Police Chief Howard Cook. "Due to the events surrounding the September 11 attacks, it was made clear that we need to be prepared for things that might happen, and resources that we may need access to. All of our campus police vehicles are equipped with web-enabled computers, so the scope of what this system can do has phenomenal impact on our daily operations."
Columbia's project will begin with mapping out their floor plans electronically and annotating all emergency access areas (e.g., call boxes, fire extinguishers, emergency exits). "We are working with our facilities and science departments right now," continued Cook. "We just went through EPA Compliance audits and this system is a must for these departments. We will be annotating all hazardous materials areas along with their associated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)." Any information can be tied into a facility's floor plans, once the plans are scanned or uploaded, annotation begins. In addition to emergency access areas on a floor plan, NaviGate can link to documents, which are housed in the secure Document Management system, live camera links, or stored video with training procedures as specific as how to turn on the emergency generators.
"Our Crisis Management Team; which is made up of the Vice President and Dean's office, food service and facilities, is most interested in the Incident Management System," Cook said. "They can access all of the latest National Incident Management System (NIMS) requirements directly from the system as well as track any incident on campus, with the floor plan pin-mapping capabilities. Columbia will also be using the Learning Management module to help us keep up with our annual testing requirements for criteria such as bloodborne pathogens, criminal and domestic violence issues, legal updates and other emergency management procedures that will keep us in compliance and with the continuing education of our officers and staff."
NaviGate™ by Lauren Innovations provides one, web-based system where critical information can be stored, updated and made available to all essential personnel—anytime, from anywhere. NaviGate's integrated tools enable users to: generate actionable, efficient reports through the incident management system; capture and report on incident trends, such as student disputes, resident hall events, thefts, property damage, banned persons and any other people, places or incidents relevant to campus; store, access and share critical information among staff and first responders in the event of an emergency—critical information could include evacuation procedures, live video and camera links, multi-site floor plans and call lists; disseminate updates and information across multiple sites that are vital to staff, students, visitors and parents; facilitate training, testing, blogs, surveys and interactive chats; market your college as a safer environment for students because you have the tools in place to respond quickly and efficiently to adverse events.
NaviGate addresses 17 of the 20 recommendations provided by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) in its report "Overview of the Virginia Tech Tragedy and Implications for Campus Safety, The IACLEA Blueprint for Safer Campuses."
About Columbia College
Columbia College is a private liberal arts women's college related to the United Methodist Church; with a legacy of developing women leaders possessing the courage, commitment, confidence and competence to build a better world. In addition to the Women's College, coeducational evening and graduate programs are offered. Enrollment is 1500 students from 23 states and 20 countries. Columbia College is also home to the Leadership Institute and the Alliance for Women, a network of colleges, universities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, corporations, and individuals dedicated to working together to bring about positive changes that will improve the lives of all South Carolinians. For more information about Columbia College visit www.columbiasc.edu.
About NaviGate™ by Lauren Innovations
NaviGate™ by Lauren Innovations is a highly secure, Web-based system that can be used by any organization to collect, manage, and apply their unique essential information through integrated document, incident, and learning management functions. Through controlled, role- and permission-based access, NaviGate optimizes daily operations and emergency response, with secure, instant access to information at any time, from anywhere. Based on its proven effectiveness, NaviGate has received SAFETY Act designation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and has been given a highly effective rating by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) Laboratory. For more news and upcoming events, visit www.laureninnovations.com.
About Lauren Innovations
Lauren Innovations (www.laureninnovations.com) is dedicated to the development and enhancement of technologies and services that contribute to a safer, healthier and more secure world. Headquartered in New Philadelphia, Ohio, Lauren Innovations is a subsidiary of Lauren International (www.laureninternational.com). For more information, call 866.861.7400.
Chellsea Mastroine
Marketing Coordinator
Lauren Innovations
330.308.7306 d
330.339.1515 f
laureninnovations.com
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| [Image] | Columbia College of South Carolina |
| [Image] | Breed Leadership Center for Women |