New app promotes safety

Because safety is a top priority at Dallas ISD, the district is piloting an app that allows team members to initiate an alert at the campus in case of an emergency.

The Raptor Silent Panic Alarm has been in use at three campuses this semester and allows any team member to trigger an evacuation or a lockdown in case of an emergency. During a recent training at E.B. Comstock Middle School, employees were encouraged to download the app to their personal cell phones and try it out.

Comstock employees were generally surprised at how easy it was to access and use the app, and several said they felt safer having this new resource available to them.

“The app makes me feel safer. I always have my phone, so I can just click on it if anything. I also bookmark the app on the district's platform so it's safer,” Selena Garibay said.

The app will be available for all schools in the fall.

“At a time of an emergency on a campus, it’s crucial that people are notified to take the appropriate precautions, and this app will allow any employee to do this very quickly,” said Dallas ISD Police Chief Al Martinez.

The app also has a feature where those who have it downloaded on their phones can communicate via messaging within the app to get updates from the principal or report new events.

Additional information on how to download and use the app will be available in the fall when school resumes for the 2024-2025 school year.