MOUNTAIN STATESMAN
By: Jessica Viccaro, Staff Writer
Photo Credit: Mountain Statesman
PRUNTYTOWN—The Taylor County Board education met on Tuesday, to discuss keeping the children in Taylor County safe.
Rob Lambert with Sentry Surveillance Systems spoke with board members about school security.
Taylor County schools currently use Sentry Surveillance System, throughout the county to help keep students safe.
Lambert shared with the board members he is currently working with Director of Office of Emergency Management Bobby Belter to make safety maps of schools in Taylor County.
The purpose of the maps is to help officers locate an intruder in real-time with Lambert being the “eyes in the school” if an issue would occur.
Lambert informed the board that Sentry Surveillance Systems plans on working with Beltner to make maps of Anna Jarvis Elementary School and the Grafton High School working in conjunction with PRO Collins at the high school.
“When seconds count, these security experts communicate directly with law enforcement providing fluid, lifesaving details to law enforcement,” said Lambert.
Crucial questions such as, is a shooter currently moving through the school? How are students and teachers reacting? Is there more than one shooter and if so, where are they now? How are they armed? What is the shortest route for law enforcement to head them off?, are discussed in emergency situations.
Communicating real-time details immediately allows emergency workers to focus on what they do best, saving lives.
“In order to save as many lives as possible, law enforcement needs every edge we can get,” said Beltner
Superintendent Kathy Green shared that they are currently working on updating the cameras throughout the county.
“We want to be prepared if there is ever a situation with an active shooter and this will help us team our local police up with the best to control the situation,” she said.
The monitoring center has a dedicated hotline available to school systems for emergencies during regular school hours.
During a time sensitive emergency such as an active shooter, fire, or missing child operators are on standby to provide quick login and real-time monitoring of a schools camera system, providing lifesaving direction to first responders.
In the near future they plan on branching out to the other schools in the county as well.
In other business, the board voted on whether to tear down the Grafton High School baseball building or have Building Construction Teacher Sam McCullough and his class fix the building and bring it up to fire code.
The board voted to have McCullough and his class fix the building and bring it up to code.
Green shared with the board members that McCullough and his class are excited to have this project and it will be a great experience for them.
The class is set to start work as soon as possible, weather permitted.
Green informed the board if the new building is not completed by spring 2018, the baseball team will hold batting practice in the Claire B. Field house.
