New York City takes a groundbreaking step by becoming the first in the nation to have its public school system directly linked to the 911 services. When there's an active shooter situation, an Emergency Alert System (EAS) will enable schools to alert authorities within seconds. Mayor Eric Adams and the city's Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser launched this pilot program at the Spring Creek campus in Brooklyn, which will extend to 25 school buildings covering 51 public schools throughout all five boroughs during the 2025-2026 school year.
The system can be triggered by fixed buttons and wireless lanyards and integrates audible and visual indicators for immediate initiation of school hard lockdowns. Deployed across 51 schools this year, every school in the pilot will have several buttons and lanyards for triggering the EAS. "Public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity," said Mayor Adams, ensuring that students, parents, and educators receive the strongest and fastest protection possible, according to a press release issued by the Mayor's Office.
Mayor Adams explains that the system is designed to give families "peace of mind" that their children are safe, and it is the culmination of efforts that have already seen more than 24,097 illegal guns taken off the streets. In a statement obtained by the Mayor's Office, he notes that shootings in the city have decreased by 67 percent since his tenure began.
CTO Fraser, also a father, emphasizes the crucial role of technology in keeping New York City safe. "As a father of school-aged children, there is nothing more important to me than my kids returning home safe at the end of the day," says Fraser, they are pleased with this achievement, highlighted in a press release.
The development of EAS is a coordinated effort between OTI, New York City Public Schools, and NYPD's School Safety Division. The technology was conceived after existing emergency alert options were found to be less efficient, as they routed calls through systems located out of state. Now, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos states, this pilot "adds another layer of security" and commends the city partners for this significant step forward, as per the Mayor's Office.
According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there have been more than 1,900 school shooting incidents in the U.S. between 2015 and September 2025, with notable peaks in the years 2023 and 2024.
