GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — All Gwinnett County teachers and staff will soon be able to get medical or emergency help through a wearable device. The Centegix Crisis Alert system is now being installed in all 142 schools in the largest district in the state.
Chief of Police for Gwinnett County Schools, Tony Lockard, said the new technology will empower employees.
"It gives them a greater ability to summon help," Lockard said.
Through a wearable badge, employees are able to click a button to alert staff and/or authorities if there is a medical emergency or campus threat.
According to Chief Marketing Officer for Cetengix, Mary Ford, the technology is now operating in the majority of schools across Georgia.
"So we have many Atlanta area district school districts: Cobb, DeKalb, Henry, Douglas, but I will share with you we cover over 70% of the K-12 schools in Georgia," Ford added.
Gwinnett County Schools is just the latest district to implement the technology equipping its over 22,000 employees with the wearable device.
“Once a staff member has clicked on the badge three times. That alert is delivered to the responders for that school... In the event of an eight click or a campus-wide lockdown – those audio-visual notifications are provided by a screen takeover," Ford explained.
With thousands of Georgia school employees using the technology, there have been more opportunities for false alerts. A Cobb County school employee accidentally triggered a district-wide lockdown last fall. Earlier this year, Fulton County Schools also experienced two school lockdowns after an employee accidentally pressed their badge too many times.
Centegix officials said they have implemented new programs in response to recent false alarms to give employees chances to practice pressing the badges.
“We have different training programs... so that the staff are really comfortable with what a three-click feels like versus what an eight-click feels," Ford said.
Gwinnett School officials say they realize, like with anything, there will be a learning curve, but that they're excited to get another supply for the classroom.