Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children

Overview

Location: Shoreline, WA
Enrollment: 45 Students
Campus Type: Private

For over 40 years, Northwest School for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children (NWSDHH) has equipped its students for academic and professional achievement. Located in Shoreline, Washington, nine miles north of Seattle, the school prepares students from preschool through the eighth grade for success in high school and beyond with high-quality educational programs. Ninety-eight percent of NWSDHH students graduate from high school with reading and math skills above, at or near grade level.

Each year, NWSDHH enrolls an average of 45 students and employs 28 teachers and staff members. Both students and some staff are deaf and hard of hearing, so when it comes to emergency mass notification, audio-only notifications are ineffective in this environment.

Challenge

Audible/Visual Alerting

“We needed a system that provided both audible and visual alerts for emergencies,” said Jim Collier, Facilities Manager at NWSDHH. “Prior to installing the Alertus System, we used an antiquated intercom system to alert staff and students of an emergency, but it was not an ideal method for effectively reaching our students and staff,” said Collier.

They began to look into a number of different notification systems while consulting with other organizations that service the deaf community to understand their experience with various mass notification solutions. After extensive research and weighing the pros and cons of each system, NWSDHH determined that Alertus was the best fit for their emergency communication needs.

Solution

ADA Compliant Notification

NWSDHH is utilizing Alertus DesktopTM Notification software to send alerts across their entire network and has installed attention-grabbing Alert Beacons® throughout their buildings, as well as an LED Marquee to extend notification reach and a USB Panic Button for discreet system activation.

“We were looking for a robust system that provided multiple methods of notification and that would allow growth and flexibility into the future,” said Collier, noting Alertus’ customizable and scalable suite of products. “Since the integration, everything is working exactly as we had hoped and we are satisfied with the Alertus System.”

The school has not had to use the system for an emergency but will be using the system for safety drills beginning this fall.