Guest Blog by Singlewire® Software:
K-12 schools are looking for ways to curb violence and protect students, staff, and teachers. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is by giving teachers and staff the ability to request assistance the moment they notice an incident occurring.
Wearable Panic Buttons
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (link is external), during the 2017–18 school year, 80 percent of public schools recorded that one or more incidents of violence, theft, or other crimes had taken place, amounting to 1.4 million incidents. Mobile and wearable panic buttons integrated with mass notification systems are making it easier than ever to alert school safety teams that a problem has arisen in a classroom or hallway.
With one-touch activation, teachers and staff can send a request for assistance. School resource officers, administrators, or other relevant safety personnel will receive an alert that includes information about who triggered the message and where they are located (i.e., the teacher’s classroom). This helps minimize delays so a response can be deployed quickly to mitigate potential issues. Watch the video below to see how it works.
Understanding Alyssa's Law
K-12 schools should also be aware that these tools can help fulfill the requirements put forth in new legislation being enacted across the country. As described by Make Our Schools Safe (link is external), Alyssa’s Law “…is critical legislation addressing the issue of law enforcement response time when a life-threatening emergency occurs because time equals life. The law calls for the installation of silent panic alarms that are directly linked to law enforcement, so in case of any emergency they will get on the scene as quickly as possible, take down a threat and triage any victims.” New Jersey and Florida have already passed versions of Alyssa’s Law, with New York, Texas, Arizona, and Nebraska considering similar legislation. It has also been proposed at the federal level.
The mobile and wearable panic buttons connect to a mass notification system for internal alerting can also be used to directly alert first responders. They can receive the same information as internal teams to know an incident has taken place, where it is happening, and who is requesting help. This can help better coordinate efforts between first responders and in-school safety teams, minimizing confusion and getting assistance to those who need it as fast as possible.
As schools continue to look for ways to reduce risk and provide safe learning environments for students and staff, personalized safety solutions will become an important tool to aid their efforts. Singlewire Software and AtlasIED are committed to helping K-12 schools get the most value out of the tools they invest in by being able to leverage them for safety initiatives.