Across the US, many school districts have implemented school alert systems to comply with Alyssa’s Law. These systems must include silent panic alarms that communicate directly with law enforcement and first responders. Twelve states have enacted state-specific versions of Alyssa’s Law to reduce emergency response times during school emergencies, with many more having introduced similar legislation. Districts across the country have chosen to equip their staff with CENTEGIX CrisisAlert™ wearable panic buttons to achieve compliance with Alyssa’s Law.
The CENTEGIX Safety Platform® is a comprehensive school safety solution designed to eliminate delays and provide location intelligence during school emergencies. The Safety Platform’s wearable panic button empowers staff to get help directly to their location and provides situational awareness to first responders so they can respond immediately.
Alyssa’s Law, Past and Present
Alyssa’s Law is named in honor of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victim Alyssa Alhadeff. New Jersey was the first state to ratify Alyssa’s Law legislation in 2019. In the years since, a dozen states have passed versions of Alyssa’s Law, and 16 others have introduced legislation.
Many districts have selected CENTEGIX as their school alert system provider because the Safety Platform is designed to support the primary objective of Alyssa’s Law: faster emergency response. By improving communication and coordination during critical incidents, the platform helps schools minimize the impact of violence and other emergencies while building confidence among students, educators, and administrators that help will arrive quickly when needed most.
“Our District is adding a layer of safety with the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert wearable badge for Alyssa’s Law, gaining the on-site notifications—strobes, computer screen takeovers, intercom announcements—that initiate our emergency protocols and direct everyone on campus to follow their safety training.” – Howard Hepburn, Superintendent, Broward County Public Schools, FL
Where Is Alyssa’s Law in Effect?
States in every region of the US have enacted Alyssa’s Law. In these states, lawmakers observed the impact of equipping staff with a simple, reliable method for requesting help during emergencies and advocated for Alyssa’s Law.
The following states have ratified Alyssa’s Law:
- Florida
- Georgia
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Utah
Where Has Alyssa’s Law Been Introduced?
In other states, lawmakers have introduced Alyssa’s Law, and the legislation is in the ratification process. Lawmakers, school administrators, and teachers in these states advocate for Alyssa’s Law, asserting that meeting its requirements can save lives.
The following states have introduced Alyssa’s Law:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
CENTEGIX in Action: A Missouri Case Study
Missouri lawmakers passed HB 3174, requiring all districts to implement alert systems equipped with wearable technology. The bill requires that every school employee be equipped with a wearable panic button that integrates with local public safety agencies and transmits 911 calls and mobile activations.
Missouri’s version of Alyssa’s Law also requires that schools provide training on the use of wearable devices and mandates that emergency response mapping be transmitted to local law enforcement agencies. Missouri districts have implemented the CENTEGIX Safety Platform to achieve the objectives of HB 3174, as it was purpose-built to meet the functions schools require. CENTEGIX’s wearable panic button communicates directly with the Safety Platform’s digital map to provide precise location information and clarity throughout any emergency response.
The Normandy Schools Collaborative in St. Louis implemented the CENTEGIX Safety Platform across their schools to provide a simple way for staff to request support to their location. Normandy Schools Collective has found that CENTEGIX solutions enable quick response times to various school emergencies, including medical incidents, student altercations, and others. According to Superintendent Dr. Michael Tripplett, thanks to the Safety Platform, “teachers feel empowered. They know they don’t have to waste precious time making a phone call or leaving their students to find help. They have it right there at their fingertips.”
The CENTEGIX Safety Platform has nurtured a culture of safety in Missouri schools. St. Louis area Lindbergh Schools Superintendent Dr. Tony Lake asserts that “Together we can create this amazing culture that kids will wake up in the morning [thinking] I can’t wait to get to school because that place cares about me, they want me to be there, I feel safe, I feel like I have a voice. [Safety Platform] does that. And when you have that kind of culture, your achievement will go up.”
Educators Answer: Why Wearable Panic Buttons?
In an emergency, educators need immediate access to support and an easy way to initiate safety protocols. The CrisisAlert badge empowers staff to request help directly at their location and to initiate a campuswide lockdown. When an employee initiates an alert, multisensory notifications eliminate confusion. Sabrina Smith, Director of Safety and Security at Valdosta City Schools attests to this: “When you have a solution like CENTEGIX and you have the different methods of notification—the computer takeover, the strobes, the intercom message—your response is so much quicker…You don’t have any of that apprehension about what’s going on.”
Safety Platform notifications empower all staff to enact established safety protocols. In Georgia, school staff and law enforcement were able to disarm a potential school shooter thanks to well-trained personnel, effective safety protocols, and clear communication. According to Dr. Craig Lockhart, Valdosta City Schools Superintendent, “Seconds matter, and in a crisis, we’re 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.”
Educators equipped with the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert wearable panic button attest to the accuracy and speed of Safety Platform notifications. According to Broward County, FL, Public Schools board member Deborah Hickson, Safety Platform is “an added layer of security that shares accurate, precise, and immediate information to first responders when seconds count, and in the most crucial of emergencies, seconds can make all the difference.”
Educators appreciate CrisisAlert’s speed and precision. According to Dr. LaTonya Goffney, Superintendent of Aldine Independent School District in Houston, TX, “Emergencies, they don’t wait for someone to locate the manual, or unlock the phone, or open up an app. In a crisis, time compresses, and stress truly increases, and so clarity truly does matter. For us, [choosing CENTEGIX] was more about moving from compliance to readiness.”
Clear notifications that alert everyone, everywhere on campus, are key to reducing response times. According to Alyssa Alhadeff’s mother, Lori, also a Broward County Public Schools board member, Safety Platform notifications go “to the cell phone, the panic button, strobe lights, [and digital signage]. That mass notification alerts everybody to be able to lock down and get to safety.” Safety Platform notifications replace chaos with coordination by notifying everyone on campus and issuing clear instructions. These notifications empower staff and students to enact the safety protocols they have practiced, thus eliminating confusion.
In South Carolina, teachers agree. According to Patrick Kelly, “I can’t think of a more important resource for us to invest in [than the CENTEGIX Safety Platform], which has been proven to save student lives.”
CENTEGIX: A Comprehensive School Alert System
The CENTEGIX Safety Platform is purpose-built to provide speed and clarity during school emergencies. The CrisisAlert wearable panic button empowers staff members to request help and to lock down the campus when necessary. With CrisisAlert, every staff member has a simple, reliable method to initiate an emergency response during incidents of any kind.
The Safety Platform’s digital critical incident mapping technology enables law enforcement and first responders to respond directly to the floor and room of an emergency. CENTEGIX digital maps also provide visibility into the locations of safety assets (including fire extinguishers, AEDs, first aid kits, and others), exits, and evacuation routes. This clear, precise information increases first responders’ situational awareness and empowers them to respond fully equipped and ready.
Because the CENTEGIX Safety Platform operates on its own dedicated networks:
- The CrisisAlert badge’s functionality is not dependent on Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity.
- Coverage is reliable across a school’s entire campus.
- Redundancies are built in; no device has a single point of failure.
- Schools are not obligated to spend time and money on wiring and network drops.
To learn more about how the CENTEGIX Safety Platform school alert system can help your district meet Alyssa’s Law requirements and replace chaos with coordination in emergencies, schedule a demo today.
