CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Clay County students head back to school Thursday and their teachers will have a new tool to alert police, students and staff about any crisis on campus this year.
It’s called Signal Alert For Education, or “SAFE.”
It’s a small device teachers can attach to a lanyard and wear around their necks. It lets them send out alerts and can be used as a microphone.
The device also has the ability to project audio over a school’s loudspeaker, which could be helpful in the case of a lockdown.
SAFE can also be a voice enhancer for teachers with students who are hard of hearing.
The district’s police chief, Kenneth Wagner, explained that the system works by putting people in contact with law enforcement.
“It’s a simple thing by pushing the two buttons, it immediately notifies the front desk and the administration school police and then it also integrates with our Safer Watch App. So that notifies law enforcement for response to any type of crisis... helps with our crisis management,” Wagner said.
Wagner also encourages parents to sign up for the Safer Watch App, which sends notifications to the public about any emergency in Clay County, including on a school campus. It also allows users to report tips to law enforcement.