Baldwin County Schools Gets Life-Saving Alert System

NBC 15 News Video Transcript

Kym Anderson, NBC 15:

And teachers and staff at Fairhope high school are now trying to make the school a lot safer. A new alert system was installed at the school and could be a trend setter for other schools in the future. NBC 15’s, James Gordon has more on this new state of the art system.

James Gordon, NBC 15:

From the front office to the classrooms, teachers and staff at Fairhope High School are now empowered like never before. Each employee now carries the new CrisisAlert system, the push button card known as CENTEGIX.

John Cardwell, Principal at Fairhope High School:

You know, it makes you feel safer to know that you’ve got a way to protect instead of running up to the office and telling the principal.

James Gordon, NBC 15:

Principal John Cardwell says this system was purchased with money from the new three mil property tax for Fairhope schools. Now, in addition to cameras watching, the new CENTEGIX system empowers teachers and staff with a push of a button. A push that sends an alert to cell phones of those who need to know. And in the event of an extreme situation, like an active shooter, the alert system goes even further. For example,

John Cardwell, Principal at Fairhope High School:

If my custodian, who’s cutting grass sees something that he doesn’t like he can take the school into lockdown by simple press of a button, which makes our teachers both in their classrooms, run, hide, fight.

James Gordon, NBC 15:

Simultaneously the device immediately will send a signal to school resource officers on campus and police off-campus.

Paul Stroud, Teacher at Fairhope High School:

What this allows us to do is to hit three times and then take control of the situation because help’s coming.

James Gordon, NBC 15:

Paul Stroud, a teacher for more than 20 years, says in the event of a medical emergency, this device is a time as well as a lifesaver.

Paul Stroud, Teacher at Fairhope High School:

If you find a kid in the bathroom and he’s unconscious, well, what do you do with that? Do I leave the kid? Do I try to get the cell phone out and hope I got coverage in the bathroom where I can call the school? I mean, there’s a lot of things there that this solves. So now I can stay with that kid, hit this three times, and I know the nurse is coming.