Marcus Mead, Director of Administrative and Instructional Technology
“If heaven forbid someone fires a gun, that decision is no longer a human decision. The sensor will notify the authorities and put the school into lock down.”
Maple City, MI – Glen Lake Community schools is a public school system serving four communities in Northern Michigan. The school began looking for a comprehensive “armed intruder alarm system”, including shot detection sensors and a rapid response system that would alert students, staff and law enforcement during active shooter and other emergencies on school grounds.
Through an RFP process, the school chose Siemens Building Technologies, whose proposal integrated the Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System with BluePoint’s Rapid Emergency Response System (RERS). The Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection sensors trigger the BluePoint RERS when shots are fired, which immediately notifies first responders and building occupants of the exact location of the dangerous situation.
Alongside their commitment to academic excellence, the safety and security of students has always been the highest priority for Glen Lake schools. Over the years, the school has added surveillance cameras, powered and programmable locks, card readers to control entry and monitor traffic, and signage that helps orient emergency personnel throughout the facility. They also practice regular “lockdown” drills with staff and students under the guidance of Leelanau County Office of Emergency Management.
Having shot detection sensors seamlessly integrated with the BluePoint Alert system provides immediate incident details to law enforcement for even faster response times for first responders. The BluePoint solution also includes police pull stations, which are similar to fire alarm pull stations, and a command and control incident management portal that enables real-time, silent, two-way communication between the command group and staff, allowing first responders to make fast and informed decisions.
With their security systems in place, the school’s next goal is to run emergency drills incorporating these technologies in an effort to develop best practices for the school and local law enforcement to follow in an actual emergency.