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Board approves Raptor badge alert system to expand school emergency notifications
Summary
After vetting multiple vendors and consulting with 9‑1‑1 and homeland security, the Berkeley County Board approved purchase and initial implementation of the Raptor badge alert system, which will add a LoRa network and wearable panic badges for staff and a visitor-management layer.
The Berkeley County Board of Education voted May 19 to approve a multi‑part safety alert system from Raptor, including an initial setup and mapping phase and an annual subscription for alert services. The system combines wearable panic badges, a campus LoRa mesh for redundancy, and Raptor’s visitor management and reunification tools. Raptor representatives said the network triangulates badge location and can trigger synchronized campus notifications (sirens, PA messages, signage) while interfacing with 9‑1‑1 call centers and local first responders.
People Services coordinator Melissa Holland explained the district vetted 10 vendors and narrowed the field with input from school security staff, technology, maintenance, local law enforcement, 9‑1‑1 and homeland security. She said the district prioritized redundant communications (Wi‑Fi plus LoRa), 9‑1‑1 interoperability and an up‑front mapping service; the consultants also noted the product supports standard response protocols used in the county. Holland said Raptor will provide initial building mapping for the district at no additional charge as part of the negotiated implementation.
The board approved the contract after staff explained the structure: an initial installation and setup cost and an annual subscription. Administration told the board that the visitor‑management portion, badge hardware and initial mapping are covered in the implementation proposal; some optional components such as strobe lights and additional field hardware could be added later. "The beacons that pick up the signals from the badges... are completely free. They come with this cost, and the installation goes with the cost," Holland said in response to a board question.
Board members asked about accidental activation and were told district implementation will set the required number of badge presses to trigger different alert levels and that vendors and administrators will limit false positives through configuration and training. The vote authorizes staff to proceed with procurement and implementation planning; staff will return to the board with cost‑allocation and an implementation timeline. The system will be phased in and integrated with existing emergency planning and, as staff noted, the state’s evolving mapping legislation timeline.
