Centegix, a metro Atlanta-based panic button company, released a 2026 School Safety Trends Report, saying it revealed use of wearable panic buttons to protect students and school staff is growing.
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The report says there’s been a 31% increase in alerts compared to last school year.
Of these reports, 88% were for behavior such as physical altercations, students leaving campus without permission or other situations where an educator may need support. The report said another 10% came from medical emergencies like seizures, cardiac arrest or allergic reactions.
The report also highlights the importance of campus-wide coverage and precise location information in reducing response times.
For example, in September 2025, an armed individual was outside of S.L. Mason Elementary School in Valdosta.
A crisis alert badge was used and the school was put in lockdown in 37 seconds. No one was injured.
The Centegix Crisis Alert system was the panic button used at Apalachee High School during its 2024 deadly shooting to alert members of law enforcement that students and staff were in danger.
In 2025, Gov. Brian Kemp signed Alyssa’s Law, named after Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the victims of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. The bill requires schools to have up-to-date mapping for emergencies and silent panic alarms that directly alert 911 to threats at Georgia schools.
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Now, Centegix operates in 90% of Georgia schools.
“Nationally, K-12 districts are enhancing safety through comprehensive, proactive approaches,” said Brent Cobb, CEO of Centegix. “School safety includes layered approaches that consider both the everyday and the extreme. We’re seeing districts use technology to improve daily workplace safety, with campus-wide coverage for a variety of situations.”
In addition to technology, the report says that data is strengthening preparedness, with many districts turning to safety data and real-time visibility to make informed decisions.
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