The leaders on Tuesday told the school board’s security committee that a new “panic button” app will be launched in 28 Wake County Schools in April.
The Reve Panic button helps the school staff to indicate an emergency with a press of a digital button on its phone. The app also includes emergency plans, first connects with respondents, and allows employees to explain whether they need help. With the press of a digital button, the app can detect emergency and provide warnings for nearby areas.
This medical emergency situations and intended to work for active attackers, and users can communicate about a private medical emergency without activating the school alarm.
Students will not be able to use the app.
Downloading the app will be optional for employees as the school system does not provide smartphones to most employees. People who have a smartphone can choose to download the app. The company does not produce a desktop computer application.
School board members said they were worried that the app would be optional.
Board member Tyler Swanson said, “If it is to increase security and security in schools, then in my opinion, it should not be optional.”
But the district officials said that the app is an alternative nationwide for one reason – that district employees cannot force their equipment to download the app. But there has been extensive purchases among employees in schools anyway.
The District Senior Director of Safety, Kendrick Scott said, “When people use it and feel how fast it is and how fast it is, it is going to sell itself.”
The district consulted with three other school systems who have already used the app, said Juan Curetas, director of the special operations, Juan Curetas. In those districts, many employees initially downloaded the app and spread the word to their colleagues, causing wide adoption.
If people do not have a smartphone, they can still sign their cell phone number for any emergency information, Cuartas said.
Swanson warned that the app cannot work for all if they work in a part of a school building with poor wireless internet connections or cell receptions.
Scott said that the methods in which the app does not work smoothly is part of the pilot program process.
“If something works well, or does not work well, the district can provide feedback to wireless to improve it in the future,” he said.
The school system plans to pilot the app in 28 schools during the fourth quarter of this school year, then evaluates how well it works and collects the response. Officials have planned to return to the school board in this summer in this summer how to expand the app in all schools in the district or what to do.