The Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) the District has launched Alyssa’s Alert – a mobile duress alert app – in partnership with SaferWatch and Motorola. This is part of the District’s effort to make the schools safer and more secure.
This new mobile app meets the criteria for compliance with Alyssa’s Law (SB 70), signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on June 30, 2020, which requires every school in Florida to implement a mobile duress alert system connected to a public safety answering point (PSAP) and first responders. The law is named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the 17 victims of the February 14, 2018, tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Alyssa’s Law does not suggest users replace 911 as the main way to report emergencies. Alyssa’s Alert is an augmented tool for reporting information, allowing District employees to instantly report emergencies to all relevant administrators, security staff and local public safety emergency operation centers. The alerts include detailed information, such as user profile, location coordinates and supporting videos, pictures or audio recordings to provide 911 operators with real-time intelligence for a unified operational view of events to share with first responders en route to a school.
In the spring of 2021, the Florida Department of Education announced 10 state-approved vendors for Districts to partner with in implementing a mobile duress alert system. The BCPS Division of Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness convened a team of internal and external partners, including local law enforcement, the District Security Operations Center, Broward County dispatch centers, the Broward Sheriff’s Office Real Time Crime Center and Broward County Emergency Management and Communications to evaluate, select, develop and implement the best solution for the District.
Based on feedback from this group, BCPS selected the SaferWatch/Motorola platform and began the development process. The District tested the platform with all three 911 dispatch centers over the summer to ensure full functionality for the start of the school year.
The app is available to all District staff, employees and teachers. Training has been provided for all school-based employees for the 2021/22 school year. Additionally, BCPS has provided training to Broward Sheriff’s Office School Resources Officers, guardians and school security staff on how to implement the application and respond to incidents.
