The Fremont School District in Nebraska is installing a back-up radio system in case of emergencies, when cell towers often become oversaturated, reported KMTV-TV. The communication system was made possible by several state grants.
“In a dire emergency situation, cell phone towers can only handle so many simultaneous calls at the same time.
This entire cell phone tower system around here would shut down in an emergency,” District Coordinator for Security of Fremont Public Schools, Kevin Kavan, said.
According to Cliff Huss, Director of Information Services of Fremont Public Schools, the radio system will allow school officials to communicate with key staff members and emergency personnel in the event of a crisis or natural disaster. School officials say this communication system will make Fremont a safer and more forward-thinking school system and city.
A recent incident where someone was reported to have a gun at school served as an example. “Had that been in the middle of the day, 1:30 in the afternoon, let’s say or 10:30 in the morning, and we’d gone into a lock-down situation, cell phone towers would’ve blown up around here. Not only from our students probably calling mom and dad, calling their guardians whoever, but also the community responding back,” Kavan told KMTV-TV.
“In my prior experiences, I worked for the Nebraska State Patrol for 30 years, and anytime you can improve radio communications you’re way, way ahead,” Kavan said.
August 8, 2019
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