Aylesbury company aims to help schools reopen more safely with temperature recording cameras

A tech company based in Aylesbury is playing its part in helping to return life to as normal as possible during the coronavirus pandemic by offering a thermal imaging CCTV solution to schools across the region.
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IAG Technology Ltd, who supply, install and service IT and audio visual equipment to schools and businesses in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, have began trialling the technology at The Great Marlow School in South Buckinghamshire and already have interest from others, including in Aylesbury.

The camera takes the temperature of anyone who walks past it and records it on a laptop in the school's reception area. If a student's or teacher's temperature is over 37.5 degrees centigrade an alert is provided.

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IAG Operations Director, Gary Wade, told us: "Airports are trialling CCTV to check body temperature so we spoke to schools about having them in the main entrance area.

IAG camera in reception of Great Marlow SchoolIAG camera in reception of Great Marlow School
IAG camera in reception of Great Marlow School

"You get an image of the person who's temperature it's recording and the temperature recorded right next to it on the screen.

“The margin of error is 0.5 degrees and we can potentially get it down to 0.3 with extra technology."

The Bucks Herald visited Great Marlow School on the day the technology was installed and we spoke to head teacher Kevin Ford, who said: “We've spent significant time over the past 18 months upgrading CCTV across the school for safety, security and safeguarding and we have a good relationship with the company so when they mentioned they have a type of thermal imaging camera that could detect very small changes in people's temperature, in the current situation that we find ourselves in we want to use as much technology as possible to support the potential return of staff and children to Great Marlow school.

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“We had the opportunity to trial this camera and so that's what we're doing because we think it's something that will give staff, students and parents a little bit more confidence and will tell them how seriously we're taking it."

IAG Thermal Imaging CCTV cameraIAG Thermal Imaging CCTV camera
IAG Thermal Imaging CCTV camera

As both Mr Ford and Mr Wade were keen to stress, the camera is not a coronavirus detector – it detects elevated temperatures, which is just one symptom of the disease.

Mr Ford added: ""It doesn't say that someone defintely has coronavirus it just provides an indication that there is a conversation to be had. It's an early warning system that there

is a question to be asked."

Since a high temperature is also a symptom of other contagious illnesses, we asked the head teacher if the camera will be staying long term. Mr Ford replied: “Probably because it's an additional tool to support the wellbeing of children."

IAG Operations Director Gary Wade with the camera installed at Gt Marlow SchoolIAG Operations Director Gary Wade with the camera installed at Gt Marlow School
IAG Operations Director Gary Wade with the camera installed at Gt Marlow School
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Alexis, who has a child that attends Great Marlow School, commented: “I think the thermal imaging CCTV is an excellent idea. Anything that can be done to increase the safety of the children and help get them back to school has to be a good thing."

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