For Immediate Release
Thursday April 2, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Shooter Detection Systems Demonstrates Guardian Technology at Event in Southington

Partnerships with Police, Major Corporations on Display during Live Drill

SOUTHINGTON, Conn. — Shooter Detection Systems LLC (SDS) today conducted a live active shooter detection  drill to showcase the benefits of the Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System, at the King 33 Public Safety Training facility in Southington.

Drawing upon the same concepts and necessities that brought automated fire alarms to public schools and buildings in the 1940s, Guardian’s well-researched system uses a state-of-the art audio and infrared sensor network to instantly detect the location of a gunshot inside of a building and immediately alert corporate security officials, first responders and building occupants.

“Today’s event demonstrated the effectiveness of the Guardian System to immediately detect a shot fired inside a building and alert the proper personnel in the blink of an eye,” said Christian Connors, Chief Executive Officer of SDS. “If this had been an actual emergency, there would have been a mass notification, allowing building occupants to make informed decisions that could save lives.”

The organizations hosting today’s event have deep ties to The Nutmeg State. King 33, located in Southington is veteran-owned and is staffed with training professionals servicing law enforcement officials and first responders from the State of Connecticut and beyond. Additionally, the Guardian System is manufactured in Connecticut, by Microboard Processing, Inc., in Seymour.

During the event, Southington police officers responded to an active shooter situation, where the shooter — played by a member of the King 33 staff — fired blank rounds at various locations inside the training center. In the first scenario, the Guardian System was turned off, and those inside the building were unaware of the potential danger. In the second scenario, Guardian was active, alerting the police department and those inside the building within seconds to the exact location of the active shooter.

This allowed those inside to take shelter or evacuate, while the system constantly updated police with the current location and direction of the shooter’s travel.

Former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, an advisor to SDS, discussed his personal experience in addressing active shooter events and how a fully automated reporting system would help save lives. Commissioner Davis also explained how the Guardian sensor’s capabilities far exceed that other of lower technology approaches.

The need to automate detection of active shooter threats — similar to how alarm systems remove the human element from detecting smoke and fire — is a quickly growing factor for businesses, and today’s demonstration drew a wide variety of guests including representatives of Fortune 100 companies, international media corporations, professional sports franchises, entertainment companies, the federal court system, colleges and universities, Connecticut State Legislators, and nationally-known banks and financial institutions.

“King 33 is all about providing advanced training resources to those who need them,” said Chris Fields, owner of King 33 Public Safety Training. “I see tremendous potential in the Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System in identifying a threat, locating it, and relaying that information to authorities who can respond equipped with vital intelligence. I am proud to partner with Shooter Detection Systems for this event.”

Background:

Shooter Detection Systems technology, Guardian, is a commercial, civilian system that was developed from the core technology used in the Boomerang Shooter Detection System.  Boomerang is the most widely fielded gunshot detection system deployed by the U.S. Military, Coalition Forces, and most recently, U.S. utility organizations as part of their critical infrastructure protection.  More than 10,000 Boomerang systems are in use today.

Both Guardian and Boomerang are fully produced in the State of Connecticut. Microboard Processing, Inc. out of Seymour produces the Guardian.

Guardian is a passive, non-intrusive system installed inside a building that can immediately detect a gunshot and notify authorities and building occupants with the location of the shot. It is the product of many years of research and development and has been extensively tested against false-positive alerts.

About Shooter Detection Systems:
Based in Rowley, Mass., Shooter Detection Systems (SDS) is the world leader in indoor gunshot detection technology. It was formed by industry experts to help mitigate the growing threat from indoor shooting incidents. SDS is focused on saving lives through the use of proven, military-grade technology designed by the world’s foremost scientists that is currently being deployed in schools, malls, airports, government, commercial and private buildings. Developed in conjunction with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Raytheon, SDS’ gunshot detection systems utilize the most advanced and proven shooter detection technologies available in the commercial market. For more information, visit our website at: www.shooterdetectionsystems.com.

About King 33 Public Safety Training

King 33 Training offers public safety training to law enforcement, government, corporate, and private clients. We save lives and facilitate public safety through education of effective preparedness and response techniques. Our philosophy is simple: Master the Basics. Our training focuses on the mind, as well as the body with the intent of creating proactive thinkers that make good decisions in order to resolve critical situations efficiently.

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