School shootings have become an all too frequent occurrence at K-12 schools and universities. Standard location tracking doesn’t always provide first responders with the information they need to respond quickly and effectively to keep schools safe in the event of an emergency. By integrating Next Gen 9-1-1 (NG911) solutions that use Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, schools can improve campus safety and security to keep students, teachers, and administrators safe.
Today’s Modern Educator talked with Brandi Hardman, SLED Partner Development Manager at Avaya, to discuss the impact of NG911 solutions at K-12 schools and universities and how it could be applied to improve public safety and security.
“In an emergency, time matters; seconds save lives,” Hardman said. “We want to make sure that first responders have the exact location information they need to navigate the situation and respond to the emergency with speed and ease.”
NG911 solutions have the potential to enhance campus security significantly. By integrating this technology with existing surveillance systems, schools can improve weapon detection and facial recognition capabilities, leading to more effective security responses. With geofencing, first responders and school administrators can track every individual 9-1-1 call that’s made from a cellular device to improve response time. When combined with gunshot detection, geofencing, a single gunshot outside the school can trigger an automatic lockdown of the campus, further safeguarding students and staff.
“Considering 80 percent of all 9-1-1 calls originate from a mobile device, capturing that data can be truly impactful in an emergency situation,” Hardman said.
“By geofencing a school campus, we will have greater insights into an active shooter situation. One university recently enacted geofencing on its campus. During an active shooter drill, they detected 2,300 phone calls from mobile devices across the campus and what they saw was a moving target. First responders can use this geofencing data to react faster in an emergency to save more lives. ”
In addition, this technology can also help save lives during a health emergency. With this technology, first responders will have access to digital maps of the campus so that they can respond faster in a health crisis. Hardman explained how a high school was able to save the life of a student who overdosed on campus. “The student called 9-1-1, and because the campus was geofenced, the school resource officer was able to identify the student’s location on campus and administer Narcan immediately. First responders arrived ten minutes later,” she said.
“AI and automation should be integrated into every single safety plan,” Hardman said. “We have to talk about it because this technology can save lives, and it allows people to just be human during an emergency.”
In an emergency, having the right technology in place can make all the difference to help first responders react appropriately to save lives. With NG911 technology, first responders can react quickly and effectively during an emergency situation to keep schools safe.
To learn more ways NG911 solutions can help keep schools safe by improving safety and security, visit Avaya.com.