BCPS employees to receive CrisisAlert™ badges starting Friday as part of new emergency response upgrades

Broward County, Florida – Starting this fall, Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) will roll out a powerful new safety tool across its campuses—a wearable badge designed to instantly alert first responders during emergencies. Known as the CrisisAlert™ badge, this small but highly advanced device will be issued to every school and district office employee for the 2025/26 school year.

With this move, BCPS becomes the first school district in Florida to implement a three-tiered emergency alert system, combining desktop notifications, the SaferWatch mobile app, and now wearable badges. Officials say the upgrade is part of a broader effort to improve response time and enhance safety for all students and staff.

“Broward County Public Schools is the first school district in the state to give employees three ways to quickly notify first responders of an emergency – through their desktops, the mobile app and now a wearable badge,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Howard Hepburn. “When seconds matter, every employee is equipped to get crucial information in the hands of those who can help.”

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The CrisisAlert™ badge is a small, easy-to-use device that can be worn by teachers, administrators, and staff throughout the day. With a simple press of a button, employees can discreetly notify authorities of a situation—from medical incidents and fights to major threats requiring full campus lockdowns.

To support the system, CrisisAlert™ strobes have been installed across all BCPS properties, including less-trafficked areas like parking lots and athletic fields. The goal is to ensure full coverage, so that no emergency goes unnoticed, no matter where it happens.

The new badge system is integrated into Alyssa’s Alert, a statewide school safety initiative named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the 17 lives lost in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy. The broader alert network already includes the SaferWatch app, which lets users report threats directly to law enforcement from their phones.

A live demonstration of the new CrisisAlert™ badge will take place at 8 a.m. on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Plantation Middle School, located at 6600 W. Sunrise Blvd. in Plantation, Florida. The event is expected to showcase how the badge functions in different emergency scenarios and how it integrates with law enforcement response teams.

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District leaders hope that the addition of the CrisisAlert™ badge will provide peace of mind for school communities and help reinforce a culture of readiness.

In today’s world, school safety remains a top concern. With the implementation of tools like the CrisisAlert™ badge, BCPS continues to lead the way in proactive, life-saving technology—giving staff the power to act quickly when every second counts.