The Isaac de l’Etoile school complex, spread over more than 14 hectares, called on ADF Systèmes to install a population alert system meeting new safety standards (vigipirate, natural and technological risks) as part of its PPMS (Plan Particulier de Mise en Sécurité).
Isaac de l’étoile, located in Poitiers’ northern industrial zone, is an XXL school complex grouping together several Catholic educational establishments in the area. Covering an area of over 14 hectares, Isaac de l’étoile was created by merging several of Poitiers’ high schools and middle schools, which no longer met public reception standards.
From Collège St-Stanislas to Lycée du Porteau, Catholic education decided in 2008 to combine all its establishments into a modern structure promoting education.
Cut through by a central road, the school complex comprises 11 buildings and caters for students from secondary school to BAC+2.
In total, nearly 2,000 students, 225 teachers and 100 administrative and technical staff work here every day. In ten years, the number of students has increased by over 40%!
Joseph Weibel, deputy director in charge of the school’s general resources, who was behind the introduction of the PPMS, explains that it took almost three years of work to bring it all together.
Following renovation work, the purchase of new land and the extension of the group, the school was able to welcome students in excellent working conditions.
2016 : Reinforcing school safety standards
In the wake of the attacks that hit France in 2015 and 2016, three ministerial circulars reinforced the security of schools. New regulations were introduced in response to the Vigipirate plan “Reinforced security – risk of attack”.
These circulars distinguish natural and technological hazards from terrorist threats and armed intrusion. To this end, an an appropriate “attack-intrusion” warning system must be installed in every school building. A Special Security Plan(PPMS) must be drawn up.
Given Isaac de l’étoile’s geographical location, close to an industrial zone and SEVESO plants, the risk of terrorist attacks is added to the natural and technological risks in the area.
To ensure the safety of students and staff alike, Joseph Wiebel explains that he has devised and tested numerous solutions.
“It was impossible to run kilometers of cable to equip the buildings with new alarms. We considered using a vehicle equipped with loudspeakers and foghorns, but that was ineffective. So we pulled out all the stops.”
Given the complexity of the project, with its many buildings, some of them semi-buried and separated by roads, it was financially impossible to envisage a traditional alarm system requiring the installation of kilometers of cable in each building.
As conventional solutions were unsuitable, Isaac de l’étoile turned to ADF Système for the purchase of a mast with 6 sirens to alert the population in 2017. This solution, identical to what can be found in our cities, enables centralized triggering from the establishment’s security station in the event of an intruder alert or major risk.
The investment was substantial for the school, which received no government aid. It’s only in 2019 that Joseph Weibel decides to invest in another horn to cover the school complex properly.
Installation is easily carried out in-house by two technicians and an IT specialist. ADF Systèmes then comes in to check and start up the system.
“ADF Systèmes’ offer was the one that best met our needs in terms of resources and power. It was the easiest to implement. “
Joseph Weibel, who also manages 180 Catholic education properties in the Poitou-Charentes region, plans to apply this solution to other large structures.
“Protecting students and staff is a major issue for a headteacher. Now I have a good warning system.”
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