Ohio School Built with Emergency Alert System in Place

Ohio School Built with Emergency Alert System in Place

A new K-12 school being built in Northridge, Ohio, will be the first school in the state to feature a special security system for contacting law enforcement in an emergency.

A new K-12 school being built in Northridge, Ohio, will be the first school in the state to feature a special security system for contacting law enforcement in an emergency.

The new campus will feature the BluePoint Alert System, with blue pull-alarms similar to traditional red fire alarms placed throughout the building.

“It is great new technology that allows us to contact the Sheriff’s department right away if there is a threat in our building,” said Jeff Lisath, Northridge’s director of safety, security and student affairs.

When activated, the BluePoint alert system sends information to multiple parties for a quick response. For example, if a student or staff member pulls an alarm to report an emergency in the building, pendants worn by staff will immediately alert them to the nature and location of the incident.

“The software integrates with our camera system so our cameras can pan to that area, which the Sheriff’s department will have quick and immediate access to,” Lisath said.

According to Lisath, the staff at the sheriff’s department can then access the video feed and computerized building floor plans and use information from people on the scene to see the location of the incident. They can then use this to track to path of an intruder.

Capt. Dave Parin of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said the faster information is sent out to first responders, the better.

“The primary thing that we need to get when we are responding somewhere is, where do we need to go and what is happening?” he said. “The more accurate the information is, the better response we can have.”

The district spent $132,558 on the BluePoint system, and will pay an additional service fee once it’s operational. According to Northridge School Board president Tina Fiore, the district looked at several school security services and chose BluePoint for its effectiveness.

“Security and safety are very important. We always stress that,” Fiore said.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Securing Higher Education: Combating Enrollment Fraud and Empowering Student Financial Success

    Higher education institutions are facing a costly and growing crisis: enrollment fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, the cost[1] of acquiring a new student surged by up to 32%, straining already tight budgets. At the same time, “ghost students” using stolen identities to enroll fraudulently put institutions at even greater financial risk. Read Now

  • How Composable Security Technologies Fortify Campus Safety

    Campus security teams have faced myriad risks threatening the safety and well-being of students and faculty this semester. Leaders have made tough tradeoffs about where to focus and how to channel limited resources to best protect their communities — but they now have a much-needed lift to their toolkit. Read Now

  • How Emerging Technologies are Transforming the School Security Landscape

    Students can't focus on learning when they're worried about their safety. As education systems nationwide face evolving security challenges with limited resources, a new generation of integrated technology solutions is helping schools create safer environments while maximizing staff efficiency. Read Now

  • How to Harness ALPR for Greater Security Efficiency and Collaboration

    Within higher education campus environments, the demand for greater security, efficiency, and resources is ever-present. Many higher education teams are adopting advanced technologies to secure their campus, streamline operations, and continue to best serve their students and faculty. Automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) technology stands out for its ability to meet a wide range of campus objectives. Read Now