OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KCTV) – Calls for help in the Shawnee Mission School District are about to get faster.

The district is getting new badges that will make alerting during an emergency much easier.

In a unanimous vote, the district joins the list of Johnson County schools that prioritize safety and rapid response.

The alert system is already in use in the DeSoto, Olathe and Blue Springs school districts.

David Stubblefield, the assistant superintendent, said it will cost $2.6 million and be paid for through capital investment.

“It’s just an added layer of security for our staff and our students in our community,” Stubblefield said.

Each staff member will wear a GPS-enabled badge made by Centegix, an Atlanta-based company, so that each person calling for help can be easily located when time matters most.

“We believe every second counts and so every member of staff will have the ability to call for an emergency or emergency situation.”

Here’s how it works — press the button three times to alert the school safety team. Press it eight times or more, it will immediately alert emergency crews and request a lockout.

“I would guess, but we’re generally at a few thousand a year,” Brent Kiger, executive director of safety services, Olathe Public Schools, said of the number of times the button was pressed.

Olathe Public Schools had the badges for more than three years and Kiger said that in that time they’ve seen it work wonders for their crisis response.

“It’s fantastic technology. It’s really impressive how quickly it’s able to get the alert to our management team and then just the exact location accuracy is key,” he said.

Kiger said he’s seen his staff feel safer just knowing they have it on them, and he’s happy to see other schools use the technology.

“Just knowing that they, if they need it, I think that’s comforting, whether it’s inside the school or outside the building.”

The Shawnee Mission School District said it should have the badges and staff trained by next spring.

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