LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)- All K-12 teachers in Louisiana will soon have access to an app allowing them to press a panic button that immediately calls 911 and notifies first responders and school staff in the event of an emergency.
It’s called the Rave Mobile Safety App.

Lafayette Parish School System says this app will add extra safety protocol in their schools.

“Student safety is definitely our number one priority,” Chief Administrative Officer for Lafayette Parish School System, Jennifer Gardner said. “I tell people all the time that school has to be the second safest place there is besides their home.”

Governor John Bel Edwards and Louisiana State Police introduced the app last month.
The state’s 2020 fiscal year budget included $4 million to pay for all schools, including charter schools, to use the Rave Mobile Safety App.
Edwards says the goal is to increase response time in the event of a shooting, fire, or other health or safety emergency.

“It will target each school. It’ll know where you’re located with that person’s name,” added Gardner. When you press the button, you’ll know who pressed it, what school and what you’re calling for so when you call 911, you’d have to say there’s an active shooter where you’re located. This system you’re going to press the button active shooter they would know.”

The Rave Panic Button App provides icons to select from in the event of an active shooter, or if one needs fire, police or medical assistance.

It can also be set up to call someone on the school campus for help.

“Maybe there’s a child that’s having a meltdown or something, and they need assistance, and they can’t get to the call button… you could press the button, and that would alert someone on campus to report to that classroom instead of calling 911 to send someone out, you could press the staff button and someone would come to you,” said Gardner.

The app will be available for the 46 schools in the Lafayette Parish School System. They hope to have the app installed by January 1.