Unlike a university environment where the students are adults and more adequate to be engaged as part of the security solution, a k-12 environment requires a different solution, one that leaves the control at the hand of the teacher.

Inovonics is a Colorado-based manufacturer of mobile panic buttons, wireless transmitters carried by the teacher and connected to the school’s systems. “A mobile panic button is a sole use device” explained Craig Dever, VP Sales of Inovonics, “unlike a cell phone app there is no need to worry if you have sufficient battery, or finding the emergency app on the phone. Its designed to make it easy for the teachers to call for help” he added. The transmitters can also have up to 4 buttons, to signal a number of conditions (e.g safety, medical emergency etc.).

The buttons are carried by teachers in the school and are connected over a wireless network to the school’s different security systems. The system is an open system and can easily scale up and integrate with other systems such as public announcement systems, VMS and ACS, the school email system or any other system, according to the specific school’s needs.

“When a teacher presses the button the VMS can get a camera or a PTZ to focus on that location, we also have OEM partners that make message panels. This way the school can relay information using existing digital signage.  It depends on the protocol for the specific school, who they want to alert. The key is the flexibility we give to the schools in choosing different systems” said Dever.

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