Pip and the Land of Blue Trees was born out of frustration following the Parkland High School attack, another in the long line of mass casualty shootings that have been increasing in frequency, by Doug Haines, Owner and CEO of Haines Security Solutions.
The challenges of ‘fixing’ the precursors that lead to school violence or the root causes behind a student making a decision to, and then taking action to carry a gun into their school and open fire on his or her classmates, is not going to be a short discussion with a clear lineal strategy to safeguard our nation’s children.[1]
Furthermore, it will likely take years before architects, school planners and security officials come to an agreement and begin to take action towards designing schools to provide two evacuation routes from all high occupancy spaces.[2]
Doug, being a widely respected subject matter expert and educator in developing secure building design strategies, and an impassioned speaker is frequently asked his thoughts with regard to the Run-Hide-Fight doctrine security professionals have been teaching during lockdown drills.
Doug believes that we need to develop a way in which to effectively protect people while they are hiding.
Current wall coverings offer no ballistic protection.
Therefore, we are teaching people to hide, when in actuality, there is little to no effective protection from an active shooter.
As members of the security industry, how do we develop and make available truly effective safe spaces within our nation’s classrooms?
Assuming we could create and provide such spaces, how might we prepare small children in advance of an emergency situation, to become familiar and accustomed to utilizing these spaces.
By combining these two lines of thought, providing a cost-effective ballistically protected space and preparing third graders and younger to comfortably utilize these spaces without instilling fear in them or alarming of them, Doug came up with a truly innovative approach utilizing mobile wall panels manufactured by Amulet™ Ballistics Technology and named them the “Land of Blue Trees.”
(Learn about Amulet Ballistic Technology, and why the security industry is the fastest growing market in the world today, and for good reason…threats to public safety have never been greater. Courtesy of Amulet Protective Technologies and YouTube. Posted on Sep 15, 2017)
Student and Faculty Emergency Response Security Training (SaFERST)
To introduce the concepts to young children, Doug created a book to illustrate how learning about security can be a fun activity, and within the pages lays the foundation for the Land of Blue Trees in a safe, non-threatening manner for children to become familiar with, before a negative event takes place.
In the book, Pip is the leader of the group, Doug explains. Along Pip’s journey to the Land of Blue Trees he meets other animals: his neighbor Ellani (a llama), Joey (a kangaroo), Orio (a zebra), Roor (a lion), Lugey (a camel), Noodle (a giraffe) and Magu (a deer).
The Land of Blue Trees is a fictional, magical, safe place where all of the animals play, sing, dance, clap and feel safe together.
The ballistic mobile wall panels can be used prior to an event as a reading space, craft or an activities space within a classroom.
“Pip and the Land of Blue Trees,” illustrates a cast of fictitious animal characters that become friends and walk together to the Land of Blue Trees, where they are safe together.
During their walk they learn four life safety lessons: ask permission before leaving the premises, don’t walk alone or at night, and look both ways before crossing the street.
These lessons seem innocuous enough and are “a no brainer” to most of us but in reality they set kids up for success later on in life.
Just as we teach age appropriate fire safety techniques through a variety of activities over the course of a student’s academic life, there is a fundamental need to teach safety and security strategies as well.
We all remember the first time we saw the fire truck and the fire dog.
We remember learning early on about how to “stop, drop and roll”, and as we got older, we were taught how to use a fire extinguisher, and how dial 911 to report a fire.
Hopefully, by high school most of us were offered basic first aid and CPR instruction. These are skills that help us navigate through life.
They teach us how to respond to challenges that might arise, and help us develop the confidence to take action if the unthinkable should occur.
Why shouldn’t there be the similar educational foundation and outline for our nation’s children to learn safety and security strategies as part of their life skills development?
Perhaps more now than ever, our children need to be taught how to safely navigate through today’s threat environments, wherever they find themselves.
[1] https://americansecuritytoday.com/one-town-one-family-one-angel-one-funeral/
[2] https://americansecuritytoday.com/building-design-adding-casualty-counts-active-shooter-events/
About the Author:
Doug Haines, Owner and CEO of Haines Security Solutions, is a career security professional.
Doug retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1993 and has over 45 yrs experience in conducting physical security assessments and risk analysis.
A recognized expert in the security industry, Dough teaches physical security engineering standards to architects, engineers, planners, facillity managers, and others in the government and enterprise markets responsible for developing mitigation strategies and building design planning around the globe.
Doug is an active member of the Security Industry Association (SIA) and was recently selected as the ‘2016 SIA Sandra Jones Volunteer of the Year’ based on his lifelong commitment to sharing his extensive knowledge of building design and risk management process for DOD facilities to safeguarding individuals around the world.
Haines Security Solutions a Double Winner in the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program
Haines Security Solutions
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Most Innovative New Solution of the Year
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Student & Faculty Emergency Response Training [SaFERST]
Haines Security Solutions
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Best User & Best Risk Analysis Methodology
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Critical Asset & Infrastructure Risk Analysis (CAIR Methodology)
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*Doug Haines and Haines Security Solutions were also recognized in the 2017 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.
Comprehensive List of Categories Include:
| Access Control/ Identification | Personal/Protective Equipment | Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism |
| Perimeter Barrier/ Deterrent System | Interagency Interdiction Operation | Cloud Computing/Storage Solution |
| Facial/IRIS Recognition | Body Worn Video Product | Cyber Security |
| Video Surveillance/VMS | Mobile Technology | Anti-Malware |
| Audio Analytics | Disaster Preparedness | ID Management |
| Thermal/Infrared Camera | Mass Notification System | Fire & Safety |
| Metal/Weapon Detection | Rescue Operations | Critical Infrastructure |
| License Plate Recognition | Detection Products | And Many Others! |
Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?
Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security and public safety vertical markets.
The 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program drew an overwhelming response from industry leaders with a record high number of corporate and government nominations received, as well as record breaking ‘ASTORS’ Presentation Luncheon Attendees, with top firms trying to register for the exclusive high – end luncheon and networking opportunity – right up to the event kickoff on Wednesday afternoon, at the ISC East registration!
Over 130 distinguished guests representing National, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms, gathered from across North America, Europe and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:
- The Department of Homeland Security
- The Federal Protective Service (FPS)
- Argonne National Laboratory
- The Department of Homeland Security
- The Department of Justice
- The Security Exchange Commission Office of Personnel Management
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Viasat, Hanwha Techwin, Lenel, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Verint, Canon U.S.A., BriefCam, Pivot3, Milestone Systems, Allied Universal, Ameristar Perimeter Security and More!
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition, and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.
The 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program was Proudly Sponsored by ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, Desktop Alert, and Royal Holdings Technologies.
2018 Champions Edition
See the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Champions Edition – ‘Best Products of 2018 ‘ Year in Review’ for in-depth coverage of the outstanding products and services of firms receiving American Security Today’s 2018‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards.’
Nominations for the AST 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program will officially open as of January 1st, 2019 at americansecuritytoday.com.
Enter Early to Maximize Media Coverage of your Products and Services at Kickoff, and Get the Recognition Your Organization Deserves!
And be sure to Register Early for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East 2019 to ensure your place at this limited- space event!
Why the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program?
American Security Today’s comprehensive Annual Homeland Security Awards Program is organized to recognize the most distinguished vendors of physical, IT, port security, law enforcement, and first responders, in acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to ‘Keep our Nation Secure, One City at a Time.’
Why American Security Today?
American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 70,000 readers at the Federal, State and local levels of government as well as firms allied to government.
The old traditional security marketplace has been covered by a host of security publications that have changed little over many years.
American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that provides our readers with solutions to their challenges.
Our Editorial staff provides a full plate of topics for our AST monthly digital editions, AST Website and AST Daily News Alerts.
The editorial calendar and AST’s high drawing website features 23 different Technology and Marketing Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities and Emergency Response among others.
These sectors are part of the new integration, where these major applications communicate with one another in a variety of solutions to protect our cities and critical infrastructure.
AST has Expanded readership into vital Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other Potential targets of terrorism.
Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – enticing targets for extremist or lone wolf attacks due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.
For further information on the SaFERST collaborative school-based safety program, or the SaFEspace design concept, please contact Doug Haines at and info@hainessecuritysolutions.com, by phone at 805 509-8655 or visit www.landofbluetrees.org/.
To Learn More about Haines Security Solutions Physical Security Engineering Training and Certifications, Vulnerabilty Assessments and Risk Analysis and consulting availability at www.hainessecuritysolutions.com/.
Is Building Design Adding to Casualty Counts In Active Shooter Events?
