Time Equals Life: What We Can – and Should – Do to Keep Our Children SafeSchool Safety was a major focus of the 2nd SBC Wireless Tech & Policy Summit, which featured a keynote from Make Our Schools Safe Co-Founder Lori Alhadeff, who tragically lost her 14-year-old daughter, Alyssa, in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in 2018. SBC Board President David Adams reflects on Ms. Alhadeff's poignant keynote. Posted on August 26, 2024
By David Adams, SBC Board President; Director, Market Development at PCTEL I was deeply affected by Lori Alhadeff’s presentation about the critical importance of school safety. This is someone who went through a deep personal tragedy—the death of her daughter Alyssa in a school shooting—and decided to take action. And, in a segment of her keynote that stuck with me in particular, she is asking us to take action.
So, what can we do? One of the greatest strengths of the Safer Buildings Coalition is that it brings together the wireless and public safety industries. I believe that is important for us to advocate for the passage and implementation of robust safety laws that follow Florida’s example – in Lori’s words, “a benchmark for other states to follow.” We should focus where our expertise and influence can make the biggest difference: by promoting robust wireless communications in schools.
We should start by joining Ms. Alhadeff in the effort to pass Alyssa’s Law in every state and at the federal level. Alyssa’s Law, which is currently on the books in seven states, mandates that every school be equipped with silent panic alarms that are directly linked to law enforcement, so that emergency responders can get on the scene faster. As Ms. Alhadeff said: In an emergency, “time equals life.”
We should also ensure that the basic requirements of Alyssa’s law are supported by well-implemented requirements for wireless communications coverage. First Responders depend on emergency communications to coordinate a fast and effective response. That’s why Florida requires that schools “Establish a schedule to test the functionality and coverage capacity of all emergency communication systems and determine if adequate signal strength is available in all areas of the school’s campus.” Cellular coverage should also be tested alongside emergency communication systems. Mobile panic alarms may depend on cellular coverage to work throughout the building, which means that effective implementation of Alyssa’s Law may depend on requirements for testing cellular coverage. Of course, cellular coverage is also crucial for conventional 9-1-1 calls and other communications during an emergency.
Finally, we should use our relationships with school administrators to raise awareness of these issues. Does your school district know if they’re required to install an ERCES? Do they know what they need to do to ensure that panic alarms work throughout their facility? As Ms. Alhadeff says, “don’t be complacent.” We can make a difference in school safety by advocating for both passage and effective implementation of robust versions of Alyssa’s Law that ensure reliable wireless communications at every school in every state.
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