Parkland Families and Make Our Schools Safe

The Parkland shooting and its legacy

Lori and Ilan Alhadeff lost their daughter Alyssa at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Alyssa's mother, Lori Alhadeff, chose the path of advocacy. She co-founded Make Our Schools Safe (MOSS), an organization working so that no other parent goes through such a loss.

What Alyssa's Law says

New Jersey passed Alyssa's Law. It requires each public elementary and secondary school building in the state to be equipped with at least one panic alarm for use in a school security emergency. The law says the alarm must be silent within the school building and directly linked to local law enforcement. A school district may use an alternative emergency mechanism if the state Department of Education approves it.

Alyssa's Law has since passed in other states.

Where camera software fits

Camera software can add another way for staff to hear about a moment. VOLT is built to notice moments: a fall, a possible fight, someone where they shouldn't be. VOLT detects possible handguns, long guns, and knives visible to the camera. A VOLT reviewer checks a moment by default before staff are notified. The alert names what was seen and where; the email and the VOLT app show the camera view.

Existing IP cameras can connect over RTSP. VOLT does not use facial recognition.

VOLT surfaces a moment; your people decide what happens next.

What school leaders can do

• Learn more: makeourschoolssafe.org
• Review your safety tools: Look at how staff hear about a moment today, and who on your team acts on it.
• Engage your community: Share safety initiatives with parents, teachers and community members.

School safety is a shared responsibility. To see how VOLT notices moments on school cameras, see VOLT at your school.