Montgomery County, PA

 

The Countywide Law enforcement Alerting and Safety System (CLASS), which was demonstrated at Stewart Middle School in Norristown, also provides responding officers the ability to call up floor plans of the school on their laptop computers so that they can have a better idea of what they’re dealing with.

 

 

The button aspect of the alarm will give school personnel a means to communicate the critical information that an emergency is occurring in a discrete fashion and not place themselves or others in further danger.

 

This system was originally conceived a year ago year in the wake of the West Nickel Mines School tragedy in Lancaster County. There have been several incidents involving Montgomery County schools since then that have highlighted the need to increase safety for our children.

 

Activation of a CLASS alarm will immediately alert a 9-1-1 dispatcher that a critical incident of some type is occurring at that location.

 

The dispatcher can then immediately contact police officers in the vicinity via radio, mobile data computer or pager and other text-enabled devices.

 

The system is currently deployed in 59 schools throughout the County and there are plans to have several hundred in place by the end of the year.