A panic alarm system at Apalachee High School in Georgia was credited with saving lives during a deadly shooting on Wednesday. The system automatically sent alerts to law enforcement, lockdown warnings were displayed on classroom screens, and teachers wore ID badges with panic buttons that could notify authorities in case of an emergency. The panic button was triggered for the first time during the incident, prompting swift response from law enforcement. The technology, provided by Centegix, has only been in place for about a week.
The shooting resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers, with several others wounded. The suspect, identified as Colt Gray, was new to the school district and had allegedly made online threats of carrying out a school shooting. He has been charged with four counts of felony murder.
Alyssa’s Law, named after a victim of the Parkland school shooting, advocates for installing silent panic alarms in schools to directly link to law enforcement. The law has been passed in seven states and introduced in nine others, aimed at reducing response time in emergency situations. The tragedy at Apalachee High School serves as a reminder that every second counts in such incidents, and the implementation of safety measures and technology can help prevent further casualties.
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