Overview
Kent School is an independent, college-preparatory boarding and day school serving grades 9-12 in Kent, Connecticut. Photo Credit: Kent School
Location: Kent, Connecticut
Enrollment: 500+
Campus Type: Private Day and Boarding School
Campus Size: 1,200 acres
Kent School is an independent, college-preparatory boarding and day school serving students in grades 9-12. Upholding their motto—Simplicity of Life, Directness of Purpose, Self-Reliance—the school is dedicated to preparing its students to contribute positively to the global community, while also committed to ensuring campus safety for their students and staff.
Challenge
During a severe weather event, Kent School’s security team found themselves unable to quickly activate their legacy speaker-based mass notification system with the speed required to communicate a real-time safety hazard. The delay uncovered limitations with their existing infrastructure and revealed the need to strengthen their capabilities to target specific buildings and address poor volume control across phone systems.
Solution
The Alertus IP Text-to-Speech Interface (an IP-Audible Visual Appliance or IP-AVA) provides spoken voice output of message text utilizing public address, FACP, LED Marquee, and other alerting devices.
Kent School needed an easier system that provided a multilayered notification approach. They wanted to expand their communication reach beyond speakers and SMS text notifications, and with Alertus, they could use existing infrastructure and integrate solutions as needed. Since implementing Alertus, they have successfully integrated their Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) with Text-to-Speech (TTS), extended alerts to individual speakers in older buildings, and connected to an existing outdoor Public Address (PA) system. For more outdoor notification coverage, they’ve installed a High Power Speaker Array (HPSA) within their athletic fields.
The school has installed the Alert Beacon® and LED Marquees in large common areas, including the gym and cafeteria. Additionally, they’ve deployed a Rapid Response Console (RRC) in their front gate security booth, garnering positive reactions from parents who view the console as a testament of the school’s dedication to safety.
The Alertus Alert Beacon® sounds, flashes, and displays an alert message in the event of an emergency. Paired with the LED Marquee, large public areas can be reached quickly.
The campus safety team frequently participates in training sessions to ensure they are comfortable and proficient in system activation and its functions. To avoid alert fatigue, they only activate the Alertus System during emergencies such as severe weather (i.e., tornado warnings) or intruders, that way, when a siren sounds, students and staff know it’s a serious matter.
Outcome & Future Plans
The customization offered by the Alertus System has been crucial for achieving seamless notification coverage campus-wide, allowing the system to function precisely as needed. This tailored solution empowers the staff to call for help and has strengthened trust in the mass notification system.
Alertus has provided Kent School with a positive and cost-effective solution, backed by prompt and helpful support. Looking ahead, Kent School is exploring the use of WiFi Panic Buttons.