Locked in their classrooms, left in the dark

The recent all day lockdown at a Pennsylvania elementary school highlights a big problem with lockdowns. Communication is lacking. “Students, who spent the day locked in their classrooms, were left in the dark inside…and on what was happening outside.”

Hiding in the dark doesn’t mean you can’t know what is happening.

The Department of Education recommends educators decide on a situational response when there is an active shooter. But when locked in a dark room, teachers are not receiving important information about the situation. So they can not respond situation-ally.

Installing ELERTS Event Alert (Event Alert) app on teacher’s smartphones can remedy the communication problem. ELERTS Event Alert allows teachers and other staff members to freely share information about the situation, among themselves and with local first responders.

If teachers at one end of the building knew that the threat or shooter was far away in another part of the building, they may be able to evacuate their students to a safer location. To make the best decisions on how to proceed, it is important that each teacher has access to up-to-date information about a situation as it is developing.