For Immediate Release:   February 13, 2008

 

BPS’ Innovative Alert System Weathers the Storm

 

VIERA—Brevard Public Schools’ new emergency alert system functioned properly Feb. 12 as severe weather, including a tornado, moved through Brevard County. Emergency notifications were received by schools via the special system even after NOAA weather radio suffered transmitter problems.

            “Our Emergency Warning Receivers (EWRs) are another layer of protection for our schools, and we’re pleased that they functioned as advertised,” said Andrea E. Alford, director of BPS District and School Security. “The tornado warning that was issued Tuesday afternoon was picked up and appropriately transmitted to all of our campuses, insuring that school personnel had the information they needed to protect our students.”

Last fall, the District placed EWRs in the front offices of its 85 schools, and in many District offices. The desktop units, which resemble weather radios and use FM radio technology, can instantaneously receive emergency alert details broadcast from the Educational Services Facility in Viera.

District Security uses the EWRs to alert schools in situations like bomb threats, lockdowns, dangerous conditions in the area of a school, or other similar situations that affect school safety. Area stations Z88.3 FM and 98.5 The Beach are providing the District with free access to a side band frequency which carries the signals.

According to the vendor, viaRadio Corp., BPS is the first K-12 school district in the nation to install the system. The company has a patent pending on the technology that allows private, encrypted messages to be sent via FM radio stations.

 

-BPS-