Author: Patrick Madrid, Program Manager, MCA
Alyssa’s Law was created in honor of 14-year-old Alyssa Alhadeff, who was one of 17 people that died in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas School in Parkland Florida. It is legislation to improve the response time of law enforcement during emergencies in public schools and it mandates that all public elementary and secondary school buildings be equipped with silent panic alarms that directly notify law enforcement. Alyssa’s Law has already passed in New Jersey and Florida. It has been introduced as a bill in New York, Nebraska, and Arizona with the expectation that many more states will soon follow suit to improve the communications and safety for students across the United States.
By improving communications between schools, 911 dispatchers’ and law enforcement officials’ emergency response time will also be improved. Alyssa’s mother Loris Alhadeff is a strong advocate for panic alarms and silent security systems in the schools. She believes that it “is another layer of protection to help save lives” and keep schools safe.
A layered system of protection incorporates reliable tools that not only thwart emergencies, but also prevent emergency situations or threats from advancing.
Here are 3 useful tools to help build your school’s layers of protection and to help you get into compliance with Alyssa’s Law:
1) Duress/Emergency Panic Buttons
Because threats and violence can occur anywhere, anytime, equipping school staff with Wall-Mounted or Wireless Pendant Duress Buttons provide the confidence of an instant, direct connection to emergency assistance.
- Direct-to-Responder (D2R™) notification bypasses third-party monitoring stations or security offices to go directly to emergency responders in 2 seconds or less.
- Does not rely on electrical power or a network to operate securely with a 3- to 5-year battery-operated and wireless frequency.
2) Gunshot Detection Sensor
Instantly know when and precisely where a gunshot occurs within a facility to help stop an active shooter event. Our new Gunshot Detection Sensor offers numerous advantages to schools:
- Fastest connection to a law enforcement response available provides Direct-to-Responder (D2R™) notification in 2 seconds or less.
- Two-factor authentication ensures that only true emergency events are reported to emergency responders. The sensor responds to both sound and change in the air pressure when a gunshot occurs to avoid false triggers.
- Self-contained, self-monitored reliability – This is the only gunshot sensor that does not rely on a customer’s network or electrical power to the facility to operate. With a 5-year battery life and dedicated wireless infrastructure know that the system is built to work in any conditions.
- Cost effective at an anticipated cost of 30% of competitors’ prices.
3) Entry/Exit Monitoring
Limiting access to a single point of entry during school hours increases perimeter security. Each egress point in the facility is equipped with a wireless transmitter that instantly alerts when a door is propped open or opened at an unscheduled time. These sensors can be quickly and economically retrofitted to new or existing doors.
More than 45,000 customers trust Mobile Communications America to provide wireless communication solutions for a safe, secure, and more efficient workplace. As your trusted advisor, we reduce the time and effort needed to research, install, and maintain the right solutions to make your workplace better. MCA offers a carefully researched portfolio of world class voice, data and video products and solutions, our team of certified professionals across the United States deliver a full suite of reliable technologies with a service first approach. The MCA advantage is our extensive service portfolio to support the life cycle from start to finish. If you would like to find out the best solutions for your unique situation call an MCA Representative today at 1-800-596-8205.