Michigan District to Install Emergency Notification System

Michigan District to Install Emergency Notification System

Ionia Public Schools is installing an emergency notification system.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • March 22, 2019

Ionia Public Schools is installing an emergency notification system in hopes that it will speed up response time in an emergency.

IPS is implementing the Informacast system, which is used by more than 6,000 organizations in more than 50 countries, according to the Holland Sentinel.

Installation of the Informacast system will cost $27,720. The district will pay for most of the project—$20,790—with the Michigan State Police School Safety grant it received in November, and the remaining $6,930 will be covered by sinking fund dollars.

According to Superintendent Ron Wilson, the system lets authorized users send out an alert if there’s an emergency situation, including weather-related events and natural disasters. The system allows the district to notify parents, staff and authorities quickly in case of an emergency.

“With this program and the training that we have, it will hopefully allow us to — in case of an emergency — to respond much quicker and with accurate information,” Wilson said.

Wilson said schools “were never designed to be fortresses.”

“They’re public buildings, but our hope is if we do have a threat, if we can respond quicker and have coordinated action that we can minimize or reduce the chances that there’s a loss of life,” he said.

The Informacast emergency notification system is estimated to be implemented this summer.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

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