Ypsilanti Community Schools is rolling out a new system to communicate with staff during emergencies.
The new warning program is called the Centegix Crisis Alert system. It’s an upgrade from the EPIC SAFE Alerts that are being phased out.
The old technology allowed staff and teachers to send emergency notices from the classroom. The new system allows them to send out an alert via a badge they wear around their necks.
YCS Technology Director Solomon Zheng says it’ll be a vast improvement.
“What if you’re outside? What if you’re in the football field? This badge can be picked up for a good distance – basically, this whole area from the high school all the way down to RCTC, the badges will read.”
A wearer of the badge can click on its button three times to call for help anywhere on campus. That can be for an illness, safety concerns or other emergencies.
Hitting the badge multiple times can order an all-facility lockdown.
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