Thursday, July 30, 2020

Parkland Shooting Parent Andrew Pollack Launches School Safety Grant Program to Dramatically Improve Emergency Response Times

Parkland Shooting Parent Andrew Pollack Launches School Safety Grant Program to Dramatically Improve Emergency Response Times

Parkland shooting parent and school safety reform advocate Andrew Pollack is launching School Safety Grant, a new organization that awards security technology solutions to school districts, houses of worship, and police departments across America with the objective of reducing response time and saving lives in an emergency.

The first grant recipients, who were featured on Good Morning America today include Coral Springs Police Department, Coconut Creek Police Department, Chabad of Coral Springs, and a local area charter school.

Grants provide security software and implementation
valued at up to $40,000 per location

Administered by a grant selection committee composed of school shooting survivors from Columbine and Santa Fe, parents of students from Parkland and Sandy Hook, law enforcement officers, and career educators, the grant program aims to enhance school security and ultimately save lives through advanced software and connectivity technology that directly links law enforcement with facility security systems. The committee awards grants on a rolling basis.

To apply for a grant, schools, police departments and places of mass gatherings can submit their information for evaluation by the School Safety Grant selection committee. Those awarded a grant are provided with full implementation of ALERT, a software app which reduces response times in an active shooter situation or other emergency while providing law enforcement with actionable intelligence. Implementation through the grant includes installation, training, and perpetual license fees.

The value of each grant, which may range from $20,000 - $40,000 depending on installation needs and the specific software bundled with the ALERT app for each awardee, is based on an independent valuation of the software, implementation and training provided through each award. Schools and mass gathering establishments then pay a small monthly maintenance fee following deployment which allows for ALERT to be constantly upgraded and maintained while being offered to law enforcement entities at no charge.

"School Safety Grant exists to implement technological solutions that accelerate response times in an active shooter situation, providing law enforcement with the actionable intelligence proven to save lives," said Pollack. "Ever since my daughter was murdered, I’ve been looking for common sense, low-cost school safety solutions. After meeting with countless technology innovators and existing manufacturers, I’ve found what I believe to be the best platform for the expansion of security capabilities and connectivity."

The School Safety Grant program is powered by the ALERT (Active Law Enforcement Response Technology) platform that integrates video surveillance systems, access control systems and public announcement systems with local police departments. The platform is designed to be used in conjunction with technology from multiple third-party applications. To learn more, please visit www.SchoolSafetyGrant.org.

About School Safety Grant Program: The www.SchoolSafetyGrant.org program is focused on making the latest technologies available to school districts and other organizations throughout the United States. With the support of best of breed, leading school security solutions providers, the program hopes to ensure that facilities have access to practical technology solutions for mitigating violence. Educators, law enforcement and others are encouraged to apply for grants using the online application at www.SchoolSafetyGrant.org.

About Andrew Pollack: Andrew Pollack is an entrepreneur, businessman, and Parkland, FL parent. After he suffered the tragic loss of his daughter Meadow in the 2018 attack on the Parkland School, he dedicated his life to making schools safer for students and staff. Andrew founded the non-profit Americans for Children's Lives and School Safety (CLASS) to help victims' families get answers and justice.

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