Wearable panic buttons coming to Pinellas County schools in 2025

Pinellas schools updating panic alert system

Starting next year, teachers in Pinellas County will be equipped with new technology in case of an emergency. Kailey Tracy reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Pinellas County School Board approved a new panic alert system on Tuesday with the hopes of making responses to emergencies even more efficient.

All employees will get badges that have a button starting next year. When the button is pushed, it sets off a silent alert that notifies law enforcement and the entire school.

The school board approved a five-year, $3.8 million contract with the company, Centegix, that makes the wearable panic buttons, Tuesday. It also sends real-time location information to first responders and can be used to put a campus quickly into lockdown mode.

In 2020, Florida adopted Alyssa’s Law. It’s named after one of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas victims, Alyssa Alhadeff, and requires that schools use a silent panic alert system that’s directly linked to law enforcement.

All employees will get badges that have a button starting next year. When the button is pushed, it sets off a silent alert that notifies law enforcement and the entire school.

Alyssa’s mom, Lori Alhadeff, helped write and advocate for the legislation. She says this type of technology could have given her daughter and the 16 others killed that day a fighting chance.

"Lives absolutely would have been saved that day," she said. "My daughter Alyssa was in the first classroom on the first floor, and I truly believe that Alyssa would have been able to get out of the direct line of fire. She was taken very quickly by surprise, was right there, right in front of the door, and unfortunately was shot and killed."

"It's so important, whether it's this technology or this company or another panic button company. This is amazing technology to put it into our schools. You know, every school district needs to vet out whatever panic button is going to best meet the needs of their school," she added.

Currently, Pinellas County Schools uses a phone app system that sends silent alerts. School leaders said they had been looking for a more efficient panic alert system model for a couple of years as new technologies have emerged and evolved.

The panic button also sends real-time location information to first responders and can be used to put a campus quickly into lockdown mode.

"The nice thing or the incredible thing about this new technology that will integrate directly with our current software solutions that we have in place within our security," Sean Jowell, PCS School Safety Specialist, said. "It will not attract, it will only increase the efficiency and the effectiveness of the safety and security platform we have in place, which means that identifying or being notified of a critical incident at one of our campuses will be that much quicker."

READ: Madison Christian school shooting; 3 dead, suspected teen shooter identified

School board members unanimously approved the new panic button technology on Tuesday.

The Pinellas County School Board approved a five-year, $3.8 million contract with the company, Centegix, that makes the wearable panic buttons

"Unfortunately, we live in a world where danger is all around us," School Board Member Eileen M. Long, said. "It's something that I think will ease teachers that they don't have to run. You know, when I taught moons ago, you panicked, and this panic will be right there on your neck ready to go. I think it's going to take a lot of pressure off of teachers," she said.

Hillsborough County Schools first adopted the wearable panic buttons in 2019 and were the first district in Florida to use them. Seven states, including Florida, have passed Alyssa’s law. Several other states are also on track to pass it.

The wearable panic buttons should be in Pinellas County Schools by early 2025.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: