ATLANTA – Wren, a provider of video surveillance solutions, released the results of its Midwest School Security Survey of principals and superintendents from middle and high schools in 12 Midwest states.

Conducted in July 2007, the survey revealed only 15 percent of respondents are extremely confident in their ability to deal with future threats, an indication that schools still have their work cut out for them when it comes to creating and maintaining a safe campus.

According to the survey, the other 70 percent of respondents reported being somewhat ready to deal with security threats, and remaining 15 percent responded that they could significantly improve their level of readiness.

The survey found that schools consider video a critical tool to support their security efforts. Eighty-four percent of respondents indicated that if they could select just one tool to help improve security on campus, they would invest in video surveillance. When asked to rank the most common security tools in order of importance, 55 percent ranked video as the most important, with 24 percent citing mass communications tools as important, and 20 percent ranking access control systems as their most important security tool.

The survey also measured schools’ need for network (IP) video capabilities. While 55 percent of respondents are already using network video, the remaining schools that do have video technologies are still using DVRs and VCRs. Sixty-seven percent of respondents said the most important benefit of IP video is its ability to integrate with the existing IT network. Eighty-three percent of respondents indicated that easy access to video was extremely important when selecting a video solution.

“As another school year starts, it is important for administrators to evaluate technologies and processes that will continuously improve campus security,” said Andrew Wren, president of Wren. “Because of IP videos’ ease of integration, remote access capabilities, and its ability to enhance other security systems, schools are increasingly realizing the power of IP video to advance security measures and provide a safer environment.”

The online survey was conducted in July 2007 among principals and superintendents of public middle, junior high, and high schools in 12 Midwest states. Sixty-one percent of respondents had 500 or fewer students and 39 percent had more than 500 students. An executive summary of the survey results is available at http://www.wrensolutions.com/Portals/0/Education%20Content/ExecutiveSummary_MidwestEduSurvey_072607.pdf.

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Wren press release

About Wren:Wren, a provider of video surveillance solutions for more than 20 years, gives organizations the power to improve security, reduce risk and streamline operations. Our network video technology solutions, which include video management software, cameras, housings, and accessories, are trusted by retail, education, government, healthcare and hospitality industries to deliver an unprecedented level of increased security and operational visibility. Our solutions are scalable, easy to implement and designed for use in a wide range of businesses, from Fortune 100 enterprises to independently-owned companies. For more information about Wren and our video surveillance solutions, visit us at www.wrensolutions.com.

Survey Methodology: The survey was conducted online using SurveyMonkey and included questions ranging from schools’ top security concerns to the most important criteria schools consider when selecting video surveillance solutions. On average, the survey took five minutes to complete. A link to the online survey was distributed via email to principals and superintendents in the 12 Midwest states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Respondents were asked to complete the survey in exchange for an opportunity to win a $1,000 donation to their school. Of approximately 5,000 emails sent,74 fully completed and 17 partially completed responses were collected.The survey was available online for approximately two weeks, at which time it was closed and results were collected for tabulation. Percentages for answers were calculated based on the number of fully/correctly completed responses for each particular question.

About the Respondents: Responses were divided evenly between superintendents and principals. All responses were from middle, junior high, and high schools in the Midwest. Sixty-one percent of respondents’ schools have 500 or fewer students and 39 percent have more than 500 students. Only 5% have more than 2,000 students. The national average for enrollment is 616 for middle schools and 758 for high schools. The survey respondents seem representative of a cross-section of schools, with perhaps a slight bias toward smaller, rural schools.

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