California District Pilots Incident Management App

California District Pilots Incident Management App

The Santa Barbara Unified School District Board of Education is planning to pilot test an incident management platform that is designed to help prepare schools for an emergency.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • June 14, 2019

The Santa Barbara Unified School District Board of Education is planning to pilot test an incident management platform that is designed to help prepare schools for an emergency.

The software, called CrisisGo, allows staff and students to report safety concerns that could escalate to the point of requiring a lockdown or lockout. CrisisGo would also automatically alert first responders during emergency situations and be used for lockdown drills.

CrisisGo would be usable on all smart devices. The software, which costs $24,500, is covered by the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s insurance and will be tested for three years.

"This allows for almost instantaneous notifications and text," district safety coordinator Kelly Moore told Noozhawk. "It really takes our safety plans and digitizes them so everyone has them on their smart phone."

Moore is not sure how soon the app will be available for students, but staff and administrators would be able to use it as soon as the coming school year.

CrisisGo includes a trigger “panic button” for first responders, which can be escalated to a 9-1-1 call. The app can also be used to take attendance and monitor check-in status during a campus evacuation, allowing users to ensure students and staff are accounted for and that drills are going correctly.

"It sounds like a real innovative pilot, and I look forward to the rollout," board member Jacqueline Reid.

Concerns about school security were raised after San Marcos High School was placed on temporary lockdown in February due to a student report of a person with a gun in the parking lot. Sheriff’s officials said the incident was a false alarm.

Earlier this year, the district updated its emergency lockdown plans to ensure campuses were following a standard protocol in an emergency incident.

"I see this as a wonderful evolution of the school safety work that has been happening," board member Laura Capps said.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

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