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Board tables optional wearable panic‑alarm policy after questions on cost and logistics
Summary
After a demonstration and detailed questions about cost, GPS, battery life and monitoring workflows, the Buckingham County School Board voted to table the optional GBGB wearable panic‑alarm policy and asked the safety committee to pilot devices and return cost estimates.
The Buckingham County School Board tabled an optional sample policy on wearable panic alarms for staff after staff and board members raised questions about cost, coverage and implementation.
A presenter (speaker 8) described past testing of wearable buttons and a current product (Centerac Global), telling the board the devices could be purchased for roughly $25 each and carry an ongoing monitoring cost of about $15 per month — approximately $180 per year per device. The presenter said the system operates through an app paired to a staff member’s phone, sends an audible alarm to the school’s monitoring center and can place 911 on the call list. He recommended piloting devices for bus drivers because they are frequently isolated and cell service in parts of the county can be spotty.
Board members asked technical and operational questions: whether the devices are GPS‑enabled and can show a real‑time location on a map overlay, how long batteries last, whether the alert is both audible and texted, and whether the monitoring arrangement could be connected to existing radios or dispatch protocols. Staff suggested the safety committee run a prototype and return a financial breakdown before any policy is adopted.
The chair moved and the board voted to table GBGB for further study; staff said the safety committee will consider a pilot at its next meeting and present cost and logistical recommendations at a subsequent board meeting.
