Protecting our Children
When the horrible events of the school shootings in Lancaster unfolded, families watched the coverage in horror. Troubled by the horrific events that had transpired, Tom Ellis knew that something needed to be done. Shortly after, Tom announced a new program called C.L.A.S.S. The Countywide Law Enforcement Alerting and Safety System, which was designed in an effort to thwart school violence. Knowing that the safety and welfare of our children is paramount, Tom allocated $1 million to place sophisticated “panic buttons” in every one of the 650 public, private, parochial and nursery schools in Montgomery County.
Tom’s sophisticated plan accomplished the following: :
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Ensured that the panic buttons tapped into Montgomery County’s 9-1-1 system allowing immediate dispatch of emergency personnel to the school in need.
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Saved time because school personnel can now push buttons to alert the dispatcher as to the type of assistance needed, allowing first responders to arrive faster and more prepared for the situation that they will be dealing with.
- Provides first responders with a rapid facility overview which supplies critical information such as the number of students, faculty, buildings, classrooms and floor plans on file which can be sent instantly to computers in police cars.