In 2023, there were 657 mass shootings in the United States, according to the Gun Violence Archive. With recent tragedies in Iowa, Nashville, Uvalde, and Philadelphia, it’s more important than ever that K-12 schools explore additional measures to protect their communities.

Alyssa’s Law requires public schools to have silent panic alert systems linked directly to first responders and law enforcement. First passed in New Jersey in 2019 and Florida in 2020, the law was named after Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old victim of the shooting that killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas Highschool. Florida’s law goes beyond the initial requirements, mandating that panic buttons be mobile to empower teachers and staff to discreetly call for help no matter where they are located. 

Many states are following New Jersey and Florida; the law has passed in New York, Texas, and Tennessee, and is now pending in eight additional states. Across the country, other states have earmarked funding to make panic alerts available as a best practice. 

Alertus K-12 Solutions

Alertus works with hundreds of K-12 schools and districts across North America, equipping them with unified, multilayered mass notification solutions to communicate effectively and protect their communities from potential threats, including active shooters, severe weather, health outbreaks, and more. 

Alertus’ offerings – including Alertus Desktop™, IP Text-to-Speech Interface for PA systems, and a range of hardwired and pocket-sized activation devices – are designed to help K-12 schools automate widespread, instant alerting in an emergency. What’s more, Alertus lets schools activate all integrated alerting methods simultaneously, even without internet or cell coverage. 

Hardware, software, and mobile activation devices that help meet Alyssa’s Law requirements:

• WiFi Panic Buttons can be carried on a lanyard or discreetly in a pocket. When faced with a medical emergency, violence, or external threats, teachers and staff can quickly and subtly activate alerts and request help.

• The Rapid Response Console is a sleek, wall-mounted tablet that allows multiple authorized users to send or cancel preset alerts quickly.

• Through Alertus Desktop™ Activator, administrators can instantly send a desktop alert for incidents ranging from minor IT outages to critical emergencies such as a “lockdown” or “shelter in place.”  

• USB Panic Buttons allow faculty and staff in especially vulnerable locations, such as a front office, to discreetly and instantly seek help from their desks when faced with an active shooter or aggressive or disruptive visitors.

• Alertus Emergency Activation Buttons can integrate with the entire Alertus suite, creating a single point of activation for emergency alerting of your most imminent threats.

• With the Alertus Activator App, all emergency notification endpoints can be activated on the go with just a click of a button — even when the dispatcher is away from the PA system. 

Meeting Alyssa’s Law Requirements with Alertus and Raptor Technologies

Alertus proudly integrates with Raptor Technologies, the leading provider of school safety software, to help K-12 schools enhance security and satisfy Alyssa’s Law requirements.

The partnership combines Alertus’ notification solutions with Raptor’s robust emergency management and reunification tools, setting high standards for critical communication and response during emergencies. Any K-12 school utilizing Raptor Technologies can automatically send emergency notifications to all alerting modalities unified by the Alertus Mass Notification System via Raptor® Connect™. This new platform allows third parties to link with Raptor® Alert™, a mobile panic button for schools.