Having worked in EdTech since 2014 and in Education for over 20 years, safety has always been my top priority. As a Special Education teacher, I knew my day could change in an instant. Medical emergencies, elopements and physical altercations were all too common and my students’ safety, along with my own, depended greatly on the team that supported me. Administration, School Resource Officers, fellow teachers, coaches, cafeteria staff, janitorial staff – when it came to an emergency, it was always ALL hands-on deck. When I was approached by CENTEGIX, the company intrigued me because there is no other solution on the market like it. With the simple push of a button on a wearable badge, CrisisAlert communicates to responders who requested help and where they are on campus. While seemingly simple, this saves time and ensures the response team is notified and can respond quickly. No telephone game, no walkie batteries dying, no sending a kid to get help for you so you can continue to monitor an escalating situation. No “where is my walkie” “*did someone steal my walkie” (*true story) Just click – click – click, help is on the way! The CENTEGIX solution comes down to simply clicking a wearable badge to request the help you need. Always with you, on a lanyard – similar in size to your ID badge, a button – discretely available whenever you need it most.
The most critical reason CENTEGIX stood out to me is their response time for life-threatening campus emergencies. I have a child in elementary school and have seen a worrying uptick in threats of school violence. Many emails from our own Superintendent warning of social media “challenges” and “shoot up school” day were disturbing to say the least. Beyond my own experience, we’ve all seen the unsettling things in the news regarding school shootings and severe threats of violence to teachers and school districts. If this ever did happen, response time matters. I recently learned, 69% of school shootings are over in less than 5 minutes.1 Imagine having the ability to, not only call for help for everyday needs, but by continuously clicking your badge, you are empowered to activate a Campus-wide Alert – notifying the campus and locking down the school. When this happens, it’s a FULL sensory experience. Colored strobe lights flash, desktop alerts and intercom integrations commence. The entire campus receives a customizable message, getting everyone’s attention and clearly communicating the seriousness of the situation. While this is happening, authorities and first responders are automatically notified as well. CENTEGIX’s solution notifies everyone, and immediately. When it comes to saving lives – Every. Second. Matters.
While I sincerely hope this scenario never happens to anyone, it’s important to have a solution that is flexible enough to support you through the everyday, and the unthinkable. That’s why I chose CENTEGIX. Their mission spoke to my core – by providing help and support when educators and students need it most. I look forward to executing CENTEGIX’s mission of improving school safety because I think we can all agree – there is no learning without teachers and students knowing they are safe.
Carly Smith
Regional Vice President
Texas, New Mexico & Arizona
1 Blair, J. Pete, and Schweit, Katherine W. (2014). A Study of Active Shooter Incidents, 2000 – 2013. Texas State University and Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington D.C. 2014.