OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KCTV) – Calls for help in the Shawnee Mission School District are about to pick up steam.

The district is equipped with new badges which will greatly facilitate alerts in the event of an emergency.

In a unanimous vote, the district joins the list of Johnson County schools prioritizing safety and rapid response.

The alert system is already in use in the DeSoto, Olathe and Blue Springs school districts.

David Stubblefield, the deputy superintendent, said it would cost $2.6 million and would be paid for through capital expenditures.

“This is just an added level of safety for our staff and our students in our community,” Stubblefield said.

Each staff member will wear a badge made by Centegix, an Atlanta-based company, equipped with GPS so each person seeking help can be easily located when time matters most.

“We believe that every second counts and therefore every staff member will have the opportunity to call in the event of an emergency or emergency situation.”

Here’s how it works: Press the button three times to alert the school security team. Press it eight or more times, it will immediately alert emergency crews and call for a lockdown.

“I’m guessing, but we total several thousand a year,” said Brent Kiger, executive director of safety services for Olathe Public Schools, of the number of times the button was pushed.

Olathe Public Schools earned badges for more than three years and Kiger said that during this time, they have seen it do wonders for their crisis response.

“It’s fantastic technology. It’s really impressive how quickly it’s able to relay the alert to our administrative team, and location accuracy is key,” he said.

Kiger said he has seen his staff feel safer just knowing they have it with them and is happy to see other schools using this technology.

“Just knowing that they need it, I think it’s comforting, whether it’s inside the school or outside the building.”

The Shawnee Mission School District said it should have the badges and train staff by spring of next year.

Copyright 2024 KCTV. All rights reserved.