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Idaho District Rolls Out Crisis Management System

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Meridian Joint School District No. 2 in Idaho has deployed a new crisis management system, one that will serve some 50 sites in the district. The deployment was paid for through a grant from the United States Department of Education.

The system, Rapid Responder, from Prepared Response, is designed to provide school security, police, fire, and other first responders with information, including tactical and floor plans, interior and exterior photos, staging areas, utility shutoffs, evacuation routes, and other pieces of information. Rapid Responder also involves pre-planning meetings, system training for school staff members and responders, and digital mapping of school buildings.

Meridian received a $355,922 grant from DOE about a year ago specifically for the deployment of an emergency management system.

"The federal grant, the work of Prepared Response, and of course the help and cooperation of all our area's first responders will take our district to a new level in terms of security and safety in case of an emergency. This has been a great opportunity for our school system," said Bruce Gestrin, assistant superintendent of the district.

Rapid Responder is currently installed in about 1,700 schools around the country, according to Prepared Response.

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About the author: David Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's online education technology publications, including THE Journal and Campus Technology. He can be reached at [email protected].

Proposals for articles and tips for news stories, as well as questions and comments about this publication, should be submitted to David Nagel, executive editor, at [email protected].

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


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