By Jason Klink
Comprehensive, effective school safety planning needs to address how information will reach first responders in a crisis. As a former first responder with more than 30 years of experience in public safety, I know what it’s like to try to get information from a caller in a chaotic situation.
In any type of emergency, whether it’s a medical incident or a campus-wide threat, medics, police officers, and firefighters are typically ready and willing to help. What can delay and hinder responses is the information gap. An emergency team’s ability to respond is only as good as the information they have available.
To improve response times and outcomes, district leaders can partner with first responders to address three key elements that support effective, coordinated emergency response.
1. Speed
Notifying a dispatch centre as fast as possible after an incident occurs is critical. Technology can help reduce response times in emergencies. When teachers and staff members have access to a wearable panic alarm, they can signal for help with a simple push of a button. These are more reliable and easier to use under stress than an app or a cell phone, and they enable information to reach the right people quickly.
The impact of faster notifications is being recognized nationally, and Alyssa’s Law—legislation requiring silent panic alarms connected directly to law enforcement—is gaining traction as part of a growing movement toward higher safety standards.
2. Clarity
A general notification with an address doesn’t provide the level of detail needed for the most effective emergency response. Precise location information down to the floor and room number, not just a general GPS pin on a map, can dramatically improve response times. Districts also need to plan for cases when an incident occurs outside of the classroom.
CENTEGIX’s 2026 School Safety Trends Report, based on more than 346,000 alerts from the 2025 to 2026 school year, found that 58 percent of school safety incidents occurred outside the classroom in areas like cafeterias, hallways, or parking lots. When there is no room number to provide, location information is even more crucial.
Districts that implement the leading technology can provide responders with digital maps that include precise locations and tagged assets, such as medical equipment or fire extinguishers. Detailed maps in the dispatch area help to direct officers, firefighters, or EMS to exactly where they need to go, getting help on site faster.
3. Coordination
Ensuring people know what to do when an alert is triggered is another key element of effective response to school safety incidents. Comprehensive, regular safety training can help districts have confidence that the moment an alert is triggered, people know what steps to take and where to go.
When districts partner with local first responders on school safety planning, they can replace chaos with clarity in emergencies. Today’s districts are closing the information gap for responders by improving the speed of notifications through the latest wearable panic buttons, providing precise location information with mapping technology, and conducting comprehensive school safety training.
Jason Klink, CENTEGIX Lead Public Safety Integrations Specialist, is a former first responder with more than 30 years of experience in public safety. In April 2026, he presented at the 9-1-1 Directors Forum on improving response times and supporting clarity in emergencies.
