A new pilot program in some New York City public schools is aiming to speed up the emergency response during active shooter situations.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams joined city officials in unveiling the new school Emergency Alert System in Brooklyn on Monday morning.
The new system includes a panic button for schools that can initiate a police response in under 10 seconds by overriding the 911 call flow.
“We will save lives by providing a rapid response in an active shooter situation,” Adams said.
The system created by the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation debuted at the Spring Creek Community School in East New York. The program won’t be active for another few weeks until all parents are notified.
City officials in the meantime say the system debuting at Spring Creek is the first of its kind in the country.
“Being able to have an emergency responders respond in real time, and not just know that something’s happening at a school, but where in the school it’s actually happening, that’s something that’s never been seen before,” NYC Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser said.
In addition to the panic buttons, school officials will also be able to wear lanyards with the same technology. Students at Spring Creek say the lockdowns they have experienced, while false alarms, impact their mental health.
“The lockdowns were pretty hectic, but this would definitely help that,” said student Shalimar Cazales.
In 2025, there have been 141 school shootings nationwide, according to Everytown For Gun Safety, which tracks incidents of gunfire on school grounds.
Jahmere Jackson, another student, says the new program is providing a sense of security.
“As a student, there have been times when I’ve been scared to come to school, but the new alarm system makes me feel way more relieved,” Jackson said. “It makes me feel safer.”
While Spring Creek is the first school building to have the new emergency alert system, the mayor’s office says it will roll out to 25 campuses across all boroughs, for a total of 51 schools by the end of the academic year.
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