Panic buttons, push alerts prevent bloodshed at Apalachee

Stephen Kreyenbuhl, a social studies teacher at Apalachee High School, described the moment he realized danger was imminent. He was teaching when his smartboard displayed a “hard lockdown” alert. “I knew something emergency-wise was about to happen,” he said. His quick actions—moving students to a corner, dimming lights, and keeping them calm—may have saved lives before a shooter opened fire nearby.

The CrisisAlert system, developed by Centegix, played a role in the response. The device, no larger than an ID badge, allows users to press a button twice to send silent alerts to administrators and law enforcement. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said the system was installed just days before the shooting and tested the day before. “God’s intervention,” he called the timing, though the technology’s role was clear.

At 10:22 a.m., the Barrow County Fire Department received the first alert through Centegix. Eight minutes later, Battalion 1 arrived, and by 10:34 a.m., emergency services entered the school. All critically injured were evacuated by 10:52 a.m.—30 minutes after the initial warning. The system’s integration with local law enforcement, as described by Centegix CEO Brent Cobb, aims to cut police response times.

Cobb said the technology was designed after the 2018 Parkland shooting, to give schools a fast way to call for help. Once activated, CrisisAlert triggers intercom warnings and notifies on-site officers. In Barrow County, the system automatically called 911 and sent location details to officers. Smith reviewed alerts and maps that guided his team to the shooter’s location.

School resource officers, trained for such scenarios, confronted the shooter and took him into custody. Smith acknowledged the risks they face. “They know going in that either my life is going to be taken,” he said. “This is what we train for.” The officers’ actions, combined with the alert system, may have prevented further casualties.

Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter died in the Parkland shooting, has pushed for legislation requiring silent alert systems. Her group, Make our Schools Safe, advocates for “Alyssa’s Law,” which seven states have adopted. After the Apalachee incident, Alhadeff said the technology’s use could help lawmakers pass similar laws in Georgia.

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Jaclyn Schildkraut, of the Rockefeller Institute’s gun violence research group, emphasized the importance of time in mass shootings. “These tragedies are over very quickly,” she said. Early warnings give people time to hide or escape. However, she cautioned that technology alone isn’t enough—training and planning are essential.

Kreyenbuhl credited the system for allowing him to prepare before hearing gunshots. “Someone saw the threat even before he started to engage,” he said. The teacher called the technology “insane” but acknowledged its potential to save lives. Though the shooting left four dead, the system’s role in the response was undeniable.