Whitnall board hears pitch for no‑cost pilot of 'Soteria' threat‑detection system at middle school

The Whitnall School District board on Tuesday heard a vendor presentation and a request to run a no‑cost pilot of an indoor threat‑detection and evacuation guidance system at the district—s middle school.

Robert Austin, a Safepro Technologies representative, described Soteria as “an integrated threat detection, notification, and evacuation guidance system,” explaining the devices detect gunshots indoors and project red Xs or green arrows on floors and walls to direct building occupants during an emergency. “This is designed to be the future exit sign,” Austin said.

Why it matters: Board members signaled interest but asked for more written detail before any approval. They cited technical, privacy and operational concerns that would affect whether the district accepts a vendor to install equipment on school networks and run on‑site tests.

What the company proposed

Safepro offered to outfit Whitnall Middle School at no cost for a staged pilot: install gunshot detectors, in‑room indicator lights and ceiling laser units that visually indicate lockdown zones (red Xs) or…