AT&T, Intrado launch new school-safety solution

AT&T and Intrado recently announced a new school-safety solution that is designed to let personnel alert 911 of an emergency with the push of a button on an wearable that leverages Intrado software and FirstNet connectivity from AT&T.

Matt Walsh, assistant vice president of products for AT&T’s FirstNet team, said the solution surrounding the Intrado wearable with the single primary panic button—an ID-sized device typically worn with a lanyard—was designed with simplicity and reduced response times in mind.

“In an emergency, we don’t want people having to go to their phones, unlock their phones, go to the application and search for the right alert they want,” Walsh said during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “We want them to be able to very quickly push or hold down that red button … and get the support that they need.”

“When there’s an event, you press the button. One of the key value propositions is that, when you press the button, it [the notification] goes directly to 911. There’s no middle man who has to triage the button press; it just goes directly to 911.”

Walsh noted that the new school-safety solution is designed to ride on the FirstNet system, but it also can leverage a school’s in-building Wi-Fi connectivity. In addition, the panic-button capability is designed to work with any 911 center, although the alert notification—featuring the user’s location information that can be displayed on a school map, if available—will vary based on the technological functionality supported by the public-safety answering point (PSAP).

“If the PSAP is able to receive a text to 911, they will get a text to 911,” Walsh said. “If the PSAP is not able to receive text to 911, they will get an automated phone call that gives them similar information to the notification the call-taker would get [from a text].

“So, they would actually get a get a phone call through their legacy system.”

In addition to the primary panic button, the Intrado wearable also has a smaller button on its side that AT&T expects will be used to communicate lower-level notifications internally, such as summoning a principal to address an incident, Walsh said.

While the wearable functionality is a unique component of the offering, Walsh noted that the overall solution includes other components.

“It’s more than just a wearable,” Walsh said. “The wearable is an exciting part and something we think make this unique, but there is also a handset application, and there is a platform in the background that the administration uses for the triaging of different scenarios and also for reunification of children and their parents.”

Intrado’s web portal allows school personnel to submit notifications of non-emergency items that need to be addressed around school facilities and can be accessed via a computer or smart device, Walsh said.

Walsh said that AT&T began accepting orders for the school-safety solution last week, primarily from school districts. Exactly how long it takes to implement the systems depends largely on the configuration—for instance, some alerts could trigger all school doors to lock or unlock immediately—but Walsh said he believes the solution will be implemented in some locations “by the end of the month.”

By teaming with Intrado, AT&T believes it can play a significant role in helping secure educational facilities, according to Walsh.

“We felt like we are in a good position to provide a lot of value in the school-safety space, … being the market leader in [providing ESInets for] next-generation 911, having FirstNet and the capabilities that come with FirstNet, and on top of that, our relationship with Intrado,” he said. “It really has come together as a pretty meaningful combination for what we think will make a difference in the safety of schools.”

Jim Bugel, president of AT&T’s FirstNet unit, agreed.

“More first responders trust FirstNet to reliably communicate because of the meaningful difference it’s making in how they protect their communities, and now we’re delivering these critical benefits to protecting our children,” Bugel said in a prepared statement.

“The new school-safety solution is a gamechanger for how districts can protect students and teachers, while also better equipping the first responders that serve them. With just a push of a button, schools can reach 911 faster than ever. And as America’s public safety partner, we’ll continue to advance public safety’s critical communications to stay mission-ready, no matter the threat.”

Intrado CEO Jeff Robertson echoed this sentiment.

“Intrado and AT&T share a common commitment to prioritizing the safety and well-being of our communities, and especially of our students, school staff and the surrounding communities,” Robertson said in a prepared statement. “We remain dedicated to investing in technology that aligns with state and federal regulations, in order to safeguard their security.”

David Shuler, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association, said this type of solution can play a significant role in the educational process.

“We believe students are more likely to succeed in school when they feel safe,” Shuler said in a prepared statement. “Our educators need the peace of mind that if an emergency occurs, the lines of communication will stay open when they need it the most. By having a reliable communications plan in place, schools can keep students safer, establishing a better learning environment for all.”