Montgomery County Schools Deploy Advanced Security Software
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019
Media Contact: John Guilfoil (In Force)
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]
Media Contact: Katie Hursey
Montgomery County Schools Public Information Officer
Email: [email protected]
Montgomery County Schools Deploy Advanced Security Software
IN FORCE911 Enables all Employees to Communicate Directly with Police Officers During an Emergency
Media note: Superintendent Dale Ellis is available for local TV and radio interviews. In Force Technology LLC CEO Brandon Flanagan is available via telephone, Skype or any Boston television satellite studio.
TROY, N.C. — Montgomery County Schools and area law enforcement agencies will soon deploy an advanced software tool that enables faculty, staff and administrators throughout the district to communicate directly with police officers in the event of an emergency or security intrusion.
By partnering with Boston-based In Force Technology, LLC, the school district will soon be equipped with the IN FORCE911 desktop and mobile software application. The software is proven to significantly reduce police response time to buildings and specific locations inside buildings during a critical event at a school while addressing the communications barrier that unfortunately exists during active shooter incidents.
It is a software tool that school officials, police officers and the developers hope is never needed, however the leadership of the Montgomery County Schools believes that this level of preparation and sophistication could provide a vital link between those inside a school building and those rushing to help, when seconds count.
The IN FORCE911 app empowers school employees with the ability to launch an alert in seconds from their desktop or mobile device, rather than minutes, with the current 911 system. Rather than waiting for calls to route through statewide or county-wide dispatch systems, IN FORCE911 sends alerts and messages directly to the terminals and mobile devices of police officers in a specified area.
During an emergency, the alert is sent directly to the dispatch center, police cruisers and cell phones of officers with specific information, including the room of origin. It also opens a two-way chat dialogue, in real-time, allowing staff to communicate details of a threat or description of a suspect to first responders. Additionally, first responders are provided access to floor plans, security camera feeds and other emergency information to help them plan the best response.
“We are so excited to deploy In Force911 in Montgomery County Schools,” Superintendent Ellis said. “The safety of our students is always our top priority. When looking at alternatives to improve communication with staff during a critical incident response, In Force911 was the clear choice for our school system. We are excited to partner with them to help make our schools as safe as they can be.”
In Force Technology is working with the school district this September to implement the new software.
“Reducing communication barriers in the event of an emergency has the potential to save lives and make a dramatic difference in the response time of first responders, and we’re pleased to be able to work with Montgomery County Schools to deploy IN FORCE911 to that end,” said Brandon Flanagan, President and CEO of In Force Technology. “We hope this technology empowers staff within the district with the ability to contact and alert law enforcement immediately, if necessary.”
IN FORCE911 is used throughout the country. Several communities in the Virginia area including Northampton, Amherst and Pulaski Counties have recently adopted the product, and Scotland County Public Schools in North Carolina have also recently deployed the software.
By implementing the IN FORCE911 school safety software throughout its schools and law enforcement entities, Montgomery County hopes to empower its school faculty, staff and students, while working to save lives during an act of violence. Countless law enforcement training courses all teach the same lesson: time equals lives and every second counts during an emergency or active shooter incident.
ABOUT IN FORCE TECHNOLOGY LLC
School safety is our mission. At In Force Technology LLC, we enable faculty, staff and school administrators to communicate directly with police officers, dispatchers, sheriffs, and other first responders in real-time by removing technological and human barriers from the process of reporting an emergency. IN FORCE911, the company’s flagship product, enables two-way communication between employees inside a school and the actual police officers responding to an intruder, act of violence, or active shooter incident. The software works on all computer and mobile platforms, is cloud-based and always-on, and requires no hardware on the client side. It even works during power outages by opening on an employee’s smart phone or cellular-connected tablet. The software also allows police to send alerts about nearby emergencies or threats directly to school employees in real-time.
IN FORCE911 is currently used by more than 40 communities in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina.
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