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.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • March 11, 2019

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.

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