MEADE COUNTY, Ky. — The sounds of a school hallway should be filled with sneakers squeaking on tile, busy chatter from students, and laughter.
But last Wednesday, the halls of Apalachee High School in Georgia were filled with flashing red lights, silent classrooms, and a warning over the intercom:
"Attention please, we are on lockdown situation, clear the halls, get behind a locked door, await further instruction."
The alarm was sounded in response to an alleged 14-year-old suspect, an Apalachee High School student, opening fire in the school, killing two teenagers and two teachers, and injuring nine others.
The alarm and lockdown were triggered by a new panic system, called Centegix, that was implemented in the high school a week prior to the mass shooting.
According to the Barrow County Sheriff, within six minutes of someone at the high school using the alert system, the suspect was in custody. Officials say the technology saved lives.
The Meade County Kentucky School District uses the same alert system as the one used at Apalachee High School. The district implemented the system in February.
“Seconds matter in a crisis," said Meade County Superintendent Mark Martin. “It gives me peace of mind as a superintendent, and it gives me peace of mind as a parent to three students of my own in Meade County schools."
Meade County was the first school district in Kentucky to use this system.
Three clicks of a badge worn by every school employee, will alert administrators to problems on campus.
“It’s not something that gets used very often, but when it does we know we need a very quick response," said Meade County High School Principal Garrett Frank. “When someone does trigger that alarm, it takes all the guesswork out, this is a serious situation. There's always dangers in the world and we don't create them but we have to be ready and prepared to respond if something would happen."
With eight clicks, an alert is sent out, the school goes into lockdown, and 911 is immediately dispatched to the exact location the alert was sent from.
“It’s the best thing they’ve come out with, not just for the school but just for anything period alarm-wise," Meade County 911 Director Jeremy Miller said. "It’s done wonders, we can get people here faster and more safely and know a concentrated area where an incident could be at."
All 650 Meade County School employees wear the alert badge. Seventh grade teacher Michelle Funk said the system gives teachers a sense of reassurance.
“It’s nice knowing that even if you can’t 100% prevent things from happening, you can address them as quickly as possible with as little damage as possible, with as few injuries or lives taken as possible," Funk said. "As a student, you’re supposed to come here and learn. You’re supposed to know that this is your safe place. We’re doing everything in our power to do that. It makes me feel good about where I work, where I live, and where my kids go to school.”
Meade County High School Senior Joshua Mayberry felt the same peace of mind.
"It creates an environment that I feel like is 10 times safer, not that it was not safe before, it just ensures that the likelihood that if anything were to happen, that the teachers have it right at their hand to fix it," he said.
Thankfully, the district has never needed to use the alert for an emergency lockdown.
Since it was implemented, there have been 160 alerts: 45% for behavior, 38% for drills, 10% for medical, 4% for physical altercation, and 3% for students leaving without permission.
Martin also told WHAS11 that other districts from Kentucky as well as West Virginia, Tennessee and Indiana have reached out after the Georgia high school mass shooting.
They are planning to visit Meade County next month to learn more about the alert system.
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