Gov. John Bel Edwards joined Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Kevin Reeves at Neville High School in Monroe to announce that the state is providing funding for all K-12 schools in Louisiana to begin using the RAVE Mobile Safety App that will alert authorities to emergencies on K-12 campuses.
In a news release Thursday, Edwards stated, “Today we are taking a step forward in making our schools safer with technology that will dramatically improve reporting and response times for teachers and other educators who face emergency situations while in their classrooms.”
He added, “While we hope and pray that the safety of our children and their teachers is never compromised, it’s our hope that this technology will assist in protecting our schools.”
Rave Mobile Safety will provide the Rave Panic Button app to all schools that will allow teachers to quickly request immediate assistance from law enforcement or other first responders in the event of a health or safety emergency in their classroom.
The alert system is funded with $4 million and will begin to be deployed to schools across the state this fall.
Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot said he has not received any information about the alert system, so was unable to comment.
Reeves said, “The progress that Louisiana is making to improve the safety and security of our students, faculty and staff are the direct results of the vision and leadership of Gov. Edwards in creating the Blue Ribbon Commission.”
He added, “I am extremely proud of the work of my fellow Commission members including our parish and local law enforcement partners and the efforts of the men and women of the Louisiana State Police that helped bring this technology to Louisiana.”
Louisiana Superintendent of Education John White stated, “As tragedies at schools have escalated, leaders in education, law enforcement, and emergency response have collaborated to strengthen preparedness and crisis management.”
White added, “Among those efforts, we have explored the use of new technologies, like the mobile app announced today, that may prove beneficial in quickly and effectively responding to an on-site emergency. Every child and every educator deserves to feel safe in their classrooms, and it’s our duty to put into place every measure to ensure that’s possible.”
The Rave Panic Button is a smart phone app designed to speed emergency response by alerting authorities when there is a medical emergency, a fire, an active shooter or another crisis. When a teacher, administrator or staff member activates the button, it simultaneously places a 911 call to dispatch help while delivering immediate notification of the type and location of the emergency to other school employees and first responders.
