• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026

1

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

2

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

3

Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
school safety

The Technology Schools Are Using to Keep Students Safe from Shootings

By
Carson Kessler
Carson Kessler
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Carson Kessler
Carson Kessler
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 20, 2018, 12:17 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Today marks the start of a new school year for many students around the country. Alongside the anticipation of class schedules and forays into Office Depot for back-to-school supplies, this 2018-2019 school year brings with it the weight of a year plagued by school shootings and marked by demands for stricter gun control legislation from from teenaged school shooting survivors.

To date, 2018 has seen 25 school shootings.

As parents send their children to school, they’re likely met with a pang of fear; the unpredictability of the next school massacre is unsettling. A recent poll found 34% of parents fear for their child’s physical safety at school—almost triple the number of parents from 2013.

Schools across the country are trying to settle the nerves of parents, students, and employees alike by introducing new safety protocols and preventative technology. From high-tech pepper spray to panic buttons, administrators aren’t leaving any safety measure untested.

Here are a few of the schools and districts implementing innovative safety measures this year to keep their students safe.

Columbiana School District, Ohio

One aspect of the Ohio district’s multi-faceted approach to increase safety measures this year is gaining national attention. The Threat Extinguisher—a non-lethal defense system—piqued the interest of the district a few months ago.

Threat Extinguisher is an Ohio-based company that provides tactical pepper spray canisters that look like fire extinguishers. When removed from their base, the extinguisher immediately sends out an emergency alert to authorities and school staff, as well as students and even parents.

The alert provides the location of the activated Threat Extinguisher to ensure that responders know where the threat is located and to alert others to stay away.

Threat Extinguishers will be located throughout the school district in glass cases, portable bases, as well as individual lanyards worn by school staff and students.

Branson School District, Missouri

Branson, Mo. campuses will see some entry process changes this year. A new buzzer system provides more security by screening each visitor before entry.

Paired with a new live camera system, the safety measure allows for school staff to control who comes in and who goes out. In addition, the district is partnering with the City of Branson to place police officers on every campus, not just the middle and high schools.

“It’s not always common to put SROs on an elementary campus but I think that’s again going to the day in time in which we live,” Branson Schools Superintendent Dr. Brad Swofford told KY3.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida

Students who arrived for their first school year since a gunman opened fire and killed 17 people on Valentine’s Day were met with a beefed up security system including guards, locks, and 52 new security cameras.

Now, there is only one entrance for visitors who are all screened via a video intercom system. As for staff and students, they must wear ID’s to pass through fences and gates surveyed by security specialists.

But the changes don’t stop there. All classroom doors have been fitted with new hardware that automatically locks when doors are pulled shut. Previously, the doors required relocking from the outside.

Santa Fe District, New Mexico

After May’s deadly mass shooting, the district has implemented several changes and programs for the new school year, including panic buttons in every classroom.

With a press of a button, help is on the way. Officials say the will allow responders to make better use of their resources.

“911 and school officials can have instant access to information like what building that call is coming from, GPS location who’s making the call what the emergency type is,” Todd Miller with Rave Mobile Safety told KRQE.

Additionally, each entrance of the school will be staffed with officers and metal detectors and all students and staff will be required to wear ID badges at all time.

About the Author
By Carson Kessler
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

CEO of $8 billion Flexport blasts remote work as ‘white-collar fraud’ and a ‘total fantasy’ for highly paid employees
C-Suiteremote work
CEO of $8 billion Flexport blasts remote work as ‘white-collar fraud’ and a ‘total fantasy’ for highly paid employees
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 24, 2026
58 minutes ago
President Donald Trump pictured in September 2025 signing an executive order that overhauled the H-1B visa program.
EconomyImmigration
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
2 hours ago
Helix Plus Lead
Healthmattresses
The Best Early 4th of July Mattress Sales of 2026: Saatva, Helix, and More
By Christina SnyderJune 24, 2026
2 hours ago
How Home Depot is rebuilding retailing with AI
NewslettersCIO Intelligence
How Home Depot is rebuilding retailing with AI
By John KellJune 24, 2026
3 hours ago
bob
AIbooks
Robert Wright sees an ‘earthquake’ coming from AI that goes far beyond jobs: ‘cultural, political, personal, family, psychological’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
3 hours ago
Mamdani’s insurgents oust two Democratic congressmen in a sweep that rattles the party
New York City
Mamdani’s insurgents oust two Democratic congressmen in a sweep that rattles the party
By The Associated Press, Steve Peoples and Anthony IzaguirreJune 24, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
13 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 23, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 23, 2026
1 day ago
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
Real Estate
Texas and Charlotte used to build huge McMansions—now they're copying the California design tricks they once mocked
By Sydney LakeJune 22, 2026
2 days ago
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
Banking
Markets tumble worldwide as Fed resets expectations: $400 billion wiped off SpaceX stock
By Jim EdwardsJune 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.