School shootings have been on the rise, a trend that’s been recognized since the events of Columbine High School in 1999. The number of school shootings has nearly tripled between 2020 and 2024. As a result, the Georgia legislature has altered its school safety precautions to include mobile panic devices, such as Centegix wearable panic buttons.
On Sept. 4, 2024, an armed individual entered Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. They shot and killed two students and two teachers, while seven others were injured by gunfire. According to WABE News, the events at Apalachee make it the deadliest school shooting in the state.
Before the attack, several warning signs were reported. The shooter’s mother contacted the school in an attempt to locate her son, believing there to be an “extreme emergency.”
The shooter’s algebra teacher also reported a concerning comment made by the student in an email to school staff. Minutes later, the shooting began.
Shortly after the first shots were fired, multiple teachers and staff members activated their Centegix panic buttons, a wearable panic button that allows staff to discreetly alert emergency responders while providing precise location information, placing the school on lockdown and notifying the authorities. They arrived within three minutes.
In response to the shooting, the Georgia Legislature passed House Bill 268. The bill requires all Georgia public schools to provide mobile panic notification devices to all staff. The devices will aid in crisis alerts and notify law enforcement in the event of emergencies.
Under House Bill 268, public schools have until July 1 to implement these systems in place. On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Baldwin County Board of Education unanimously approved purchases of the Centegix wearable panic buttons for $367,990 to be funded by E-SPLOST (Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax).
Although Centegix does not help in terms of prevention, it does help in terms of response, which is one of the leading issues in terms of school shootings, as delayed communication and coordination often result in increased harm and confusion during critical moments.
Georgia’s school safety precautions have influenced other states to re-evaluate their own security measures, notably regarding panic alert systems and School Resource Officers. States like Utah are reviewing the effectiveness of Georgia’s rapid response protocols.
Some education students have already encountered the system during fieldwork. Kelsey Slinn, a junior elementary education major, said she has student-taught in schools using Centegix.
“I’ve been in schools—I think it was Jones County—that had them, and it’s a really interesting system,” Slinn said.
Slinn said that she’s experienced schools with delayed, protected entry and automatically locked doors, but her preferred security major is the Centegix system.
“The idea is that you could be walking down the hallway and see something and press that button, and it’ll send a call out,” Slinn said.
Madelyn Bynum, a sophomore special education major, dreams of teaching in a classroom and said school safety is an important concern for future educators.
“I go into schools for observation hours, and I think about it often—about my future classroom and how to keep my students safe, so I think it’s definitely important,” Bynum said.
Milledgeville Superintendent Dr. Noris Price says several schools in the district already use panic button systems.
“Most of our schools have a crisis alert system. It’s a panic button that they can press, and it immediately notifies them [authorities] that there’s an issue,” Price said.
In addition to panic button systems, schools can improve safety by increasing access to mental health counselors and social workers. Other measures include metal detectors and delaying entryways, as well as anonymous reporting systems, threat assessment teams and training for staff beyond panic buttons.
With a growing need for student safety, precautions like the Centegix panic buttons may just be in every classroom as schools continue to prioritize faster emergency response and improved communication during critical incidents.
Students, teachers and public safety alike believe that Centegix systems play a significant role in improving school safety.
