How a single button press gives Manatee County first responders immediate eyes on campus
Manatee School District rolls out new emergency alert system
Manatee schools now have a new layer of security designed to keep students safe. Fox 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.
BRADENTON, Fla. - The Manatee County School District has deployed a new security system that gives first responders immediate visual access to school cameras through staff badges during campus emergencies.
Manatee County school safety
Big picture view:
Staff across the Manatee County School District carry security badges equipped with buttons that immediately alert emergency teams.
When pushed, the CENTEGIX technology streams live video footage from campus cameras to help first responders navigate active situations.
It's a new integration with OpenEye that automatically delivers live OpenEye camera feeds into the CENTEGIX Safety Platform.
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The system assists with both security threats and medical calls, allowing responders to pinpoint nearby automated external defibrillators or evaluate scenes on their way.
CENTEGIX originally provided security measures for the district and this extra layer of security comes at no additional cost to the district.
Privacy controls ensure cameras stream video only when a staff member requests help, and feeds turn off automatically once the situation resolves.
Security technology features
By the numbers:
- 5: Years Centegix has provided security measures for the district.
- 0: Additional cost to the district for the new video integration layers.
Campus safety feedback
What they're saying:
"It allows us in any emergency to reach for our badge, press our button and receive a response," Superintendent Dr. Laurie Breslin said.
Dr. Breslin noted that there had been a positive response from not only parents, but staff.
"I'm a parent myself. I have a student in middle school. I want to know myself that when I send my child to school that if there is any event on campus that there is immediate notification not only to law enforcement, but to those on campus to respond to that notification.
CENTEGIX CEO Brent Cobb explained that responders view software maps with digital assets and streaming video when help is requested.
"The people who are responding have software that has a map, it has all of those digital assets now, it has video that streams only when they request help, but if they see someone who is having a medical episode, they will see the AED, and they’re going to see what is happening and will be able to pick up medical devices on the way," said Cobb.
Cobb noted that it has helped teachers focus on teaching.
"If they feel safe, they are focused on teaching. That's where the energy is. The energy is in learning, it's not being used in other ways," he said.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon through Manatee County School District Superintendent Dr. Laurie Breslin, who explained how the badge button system functions, as well as CENTEGIX CEO Brent Cobb.