Page 30 - Campus Security & Life Safety, July/August 2019

advanced tchnology
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campuslifesecurity.com | JULY/AUGUST 2019
“Every second makes a difference during an
Tactive shooter incident.”
he average school shooting lasts only 12.5 minutes, which means that every second counts when getting the clos- est responders to the greatest
point of need.
Since the late 1960s, people throughout
the United States have used 911 to make emergency phone calls. While improvements have been made over the past five decades to streamline response operations, the current procedures for gathering data and distribut- ing it to officers often delays response times, potentially leading to loss of life.
However, new technologies are starting to assist in this endeavor. Should gunfire occur on school property, shot detection systems can now identify the shot in real time and request immediate dispatch without human intervention—thus significantly reducing the time from the first gunshot to police engagement. Earlier this year, Phoenix Acad- emy, a charter school in High Point, N.C., was the first school system in the nation to install a gunshot detection sensor system with integrated 911 call automation. By directly contacting the High Point 911 Com- munication Center, the automated system empowers an immediate response and saves valuable minutes that might otherwise be lost through manual alerts and dispatches.
So, how does this integrated system work? How can it help protect students and staff during active shooter incidents on school campuses? And how are school system priori- ties changing to include heightened security?
School Shootings Spawn Action
Against Gun Violence
In 2018, 24 school shootings resulting in injuries or deaths took place in the United States. These incidents exposed 19,965 stu- dents to gun violence, according to Educa- tion Week, which began keeping count of school shootings last year. While mass- shooting drills have become the new normal for schoolchildren, teachers and staff, some K-12 school systems and higher education institutions nationwide are taking safety a step further by turning to gunshot detection sensors, hoping the technology will lead to faster response times should an active shoot- er situation arise.
Yet, the system enacted by Phoenix Acad- emy is the first of its kind to integrate both gunshot detection and law enforcement response technologies. Through SMS and email, it notifies designated individuals inside the school, local police and first responders of
By Rich LeCates
How New Technology
Increases Safety
Against Gun Violence
in U.S. Schools
North Carolina school first in nation to integrate active shooter detection and 911 emergency response systems for faster incident mitigation
an active shooter and pinpoints the exact location of gunfire, while eliminating human delay in reporting the shot.
“It’s natural for people to wonder, ‘Was that a gunshot or a car backfiring? What am I hearing?’ And then minutes have passed before anyone calls 911,” said Christian Con- nors, CEO of Shooter Detection Systems. “Our integration with CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) means the moment a shot is fired, officers are dispatched while simulta- neously, the school’s students, staff and visi- tors know where the shot has occurred and how they can get themselves to safety.”
Acoustic and Infrared Technologies Confirm Gunfire
History shows that gunshot detection sys- tems were conceived before World War I began in 1914. Since then, technology has progressed, sensors have improved and more recently, U.S. defense contractor Raytheon has developed a system to pinpoint sniper fire and quickly alert soldiers in the field. Today, these systems are being deployed at places that include borders, cities, airports, hotels, movie theaters, stadiums and schools.
At Phoenix Academy, for instance, a gun- shot prompts acoustic and infrared flash- detection sensor technologies to identify and distinguish the shot. With the shot con- firmed by a proven algorithm, the interface posts the incident to the CAD open-call queue for immediate dispatch, eliminating
human intervention and empowering response without delay. Additionally, it alerts emergency teams of the location and fre- quency of gunshots and notes the areas on campus that need immediate attention.
SDS’s sensors pinpoint the location of a shot, isolate the area and lock surrounding doors so the shooter can’t escape, and other assailants can’t enter. Additionally, other doors open to allow students and staff to exit the building safely. For instance, if a shot was fired from the school lobby, that area would go under immediate lockdown while other doors would open for safe evacuation. Lock- down situations vary, depending on how a school system customizes its gunshot detec- tion solution.
“Every second makes a difference during an active shooter incident, and both school officials and local responders cannot afford to lose time waiting for notification and esti- mating the scope of the situation,” said Steve Seoane, Executive Vice President and Gen- eral Manager of Public Safety, CentralSquare Technologies. “By combining our CAD tech- nology with SDS’ Guardian detection sen- sors, we automate the alert and dispatch pro- cesses and get the needed personnel to the school faster and more efficiently.”
Instilling First Responder Confidence
The integrated gunshot detection-CAD sys- tem also improves the safety of responding personnel. With access to real-time, perti-