Rapid response during school emergencies can mean the difference between a tragedy and a near-miss. Wearable panic buttons are a critical component of a comprehensive school alert system, enabling staff to immediately lock down the entire campus in an emergency.
Crisis Averted: CENTEGIX Safety Solutions in Valdosta City Schools
On September 25, 2025, at S. L. Mason Elementary School in Valdosta, Georgia, an armed individual began shooting near campus. The shooting occurred during dismissal, as students were moving to buses and car pickup lines. Many students were already loaded on buses and ready to depart. At 2:30:20, the school resource officer (SRO) and a local officer patrolling along the perimeter of campus heard the gunfire as the suspect moved onto the campus and approached the main entrance.ย
Within 37 seconds, an assistant principal located near the bus loading area initiated a lockdown using their CENTEGIX CrisisAlertโข badge, which also sent a prioritized message to 9-1-1 dispatch. The CENTEGIX Safety Platformยฎ school alert system immediately put the campus in lockdown protocols: red flashing strobe lights were activated, speakers carried the intercomโs lockdown announcement throughout the grounds, and computer screens were taken over with a lockdown graphic with instructions to follow protocols, alerting staff and students inside and outside the building. School staff followed established protocols and implemented their lockdown training. Loaded buses departed, and staff members ushered remaining students indoors to secure areas.ย
The SRO engaged the shooter and stopped the threat. Additional law enforcement arrived within three minutes and confirmed that the threat was neutralized. No students, staff, or parents were injured.
Creating a Culture of Safety in Valdosta City Schools
According to Superintendent Dr. Craig Lockhart, Valdosta City Schools is a city-based public K-12 school system with approximately 1,200 employees and 14 campuses. These campuses include five elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, several alternative education sites, administration, transportation, and other auxiliary departments. The CENTEGIX Safety Platform protects all of these campuses, and staff are equipped with CrisisAlert wearable panic buttons.ย
According to Sabrina Smith, Valdosta City Schools Director of Safety and Security, โWe were able to get the campus locked downโฆ Students and staff went back inside the building. They did what we trained them to do during lockdown. Our strobes and intercom messages were working. So the features were able to provide us with the response we needed from students and staff to ensure their safety during the incident.โย
The CENTEGIX Safety Platform empowers every staff member to lock down every campus in the Valdosta City Schools system. According to Dr. Lockhart, โthe person who saves the day can be anybody whoโs employed at Valdosta City Schools.โ Employees are empowered to use their CrisisAlert badge if they perceive a threat. During the September 2025 incident, the assistant principal did not need to ask permission or receive direction to initiate a lockdown. Instead, they immediately locked down the campus and initiated safety protocols and training. In the case of Valdosta City Schools, people plus technology, and training minimized harm in a potentially deadly situation.
Technology Plus Training Prevents Tragedy
According to Director Smith, โStudents and staff reentered the building and did what we have trained to do during lockdown.โ People hid because they knew exactly what to do during a lockdown, thanks to effective training.
In Valdosta, the CENTEGIX Safety Platform sent notifications with clear instructions, where everyone followed lockdown protocols. Campus-wide strobes, intercom notifications, and desktop screen takeovers provided consistent and accurate information to everyone on campus. As a result, lockdown was implemented quickly, and students and staff immediately adhered to their training.ย
According to Director Smith, โWhen you have a solution like CENTEGIX, and you have the different methods of notificationโthe computer takeover, the strobes, the intercom messageโyour response is so much quickerโฆYou don’t have any of that apprehension about what’s going on.โ The sooner clear information is communicated, the sooner students, staff, and community members can respond.ย
Safety Blueprint Provides Situational Awareness
Safety Blueprintยฎ is the critical incident mapping component of the CENTEGIX Safety Platform school alert system. Safety Blueprint maps are digital floorplans of a facilityโs entire campus, including indoor and outdoor areas. Director Smith calls Safety Blueprint a โpowerful tool.โ The map features:ย
- Visual representations of a buildingโs safety assets, including AEDs, first aid kits, overdose reversal kits, fire extinguishers, and other safety equipment
- Evacuation routes, exits, and other critical information for first respondersย
- Ability to update assets and edit the maps providing responders with accurate informationย
When a staff member initiates an alert on their CrisisAlert badge, their location is visible on the digital map at the room level. This precise location information is critical when a responder is unfamiliar with a campus. According to Director Smith, when safety personnel are โable to get the alert and respond to exactly where the person is,โ this reduces response time and empowers responders to enact safety protocols and mitigate harm.ย
Wearable Panic Buttons Enable a Rapid Responseย
The incident at S. L. Mason Elementary School was over within three minutes. According to Dr. Lockhart, โSaving lives comes down to seconds. And CENTEGIX was able to cut through a lot of misunderstandings because we knew there was a lockdown, we knew we needed to respond, and we knew where to go.โ
CENTEGIX Safety Platform and effective safety protocols combine to produce a rapid response that can prevent tragedy. Safety Platform enables clear communication with law enforcement and first responders through PSAP integration. School personnel can communicate directly with first responders and law enforcement in real time as an emergency unfolds. Responders see the precise location of the alert reducing response time to get to where help is needed.ย
CENTEGIX Safety Platform: Providing Clarity in Emergencies
In a worst-case scenario, staff can use their CrisisAlert badges to lock down the campus. Safety Platformโs multiple notifications issue clear directives that initiate safety protocols and allow all designated responders to view the alert in real time.ย
According to Valdosta City Schools personnel, designated employees can see where a lockdown was initiated, regardless of the location, across the entire Valdosta City Schools system. During the September 2025 incident, all designated personnel received simultaneous notifications when a staff member activated their wearable panic button, and the principal of the affected school who was offsite for a meeting, returned to the campus immediately to provide support.
โSeconds matter,โ says Dr. Lockhart, โand in a crisis, weโre not always thinking clearly. CENTEGIX was able to put information out immediately. It issued the alert, told us it was a lockdown, and we executed the protocols. There was no time for miscommunication about whether it was a lockdown, a fire, or a medical event. Everybody knew what to do, and they were able to spend more time focusing on the response instead of the communication.โ
CENTEGIX: Creating a Culture of Safety
The entire community gains peace of mind when CENTEGIX solutions are implemented in schools. According to Dr. Lockhart, the feedback about Valdosta City Schoolsโ CENTEGIX school alert system from parents and the community โhas been overwhelmingly positive.โ While these community members may not know the details of the training and other safety components, they understand that โthe entire situation was handled within an extremely short period of timeโ and that the response was well organized.ย
The September 2025 incident, says Dr. Lockhart, โproved that you cannot put a price on safety.โย
To learn more about how the comprehensive CENTEGIX Safety Platform can help your district implement effective safety protocols and reduce response times, schedule a demo today.ย
