Protecting Artesia Public Schools

School Case Study

Protecting Artesia Public Schools

There were more than 500 mass shootings across the US in 2024, according to the Gun Violence Archive. A mass shooting is defined as an incident in which four or more people are injured or killed, not including the shooter, at homes and in public places.

The shooting at the Madison school (Wisconsin) on December 19 brought the number of school shootings in the U.S. to 330 in 2024, according to a national K-12 School Shooting Database.

According to Education Week, more than two-thirds took place outdoors on school grounds, where administrators and security personnel typically have a harder time intervening when trouble arises. At least one school shooting took place in the United States every month in 2024.

Firearms have become the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States for the third consecutive year according to a report recently issued by John Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

Challenge

The United States experienced over 500 school shootings in 2024, prompting educators, parents, and policymakers to demand more robust safety measures. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 3000 Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program provides a foundational framework for schools to prepare, respond, and recover from such incidents. Artesia public schools aimed to adopt this standard to safeguard its community and enhance physical security.

Our Solution

At the core of Artesia’s security system is Avante’s Human-in-the-Loop monitoring service. While advanced computer vision-based technology enables rapid detection and alerts, human operators play a pivotal role in verifying threats and ensuring timely responses in real-time.

Avante’s 24/7 monitoring team plays a critical role in:

Threat Verification: Operators validate whether alerts from EAGL gunshot detection or Scylla gun detection technology represent genuine threats or false positives.

Protocol Activation: Upon confirming a threat, operators initiate Artesia’s emergency response protocols, including contacting law enforcement, locking down facilities, and coordinating with school administrators.

Continuous Support: The monitoring team provides real-time updates and guidance to first responders and school officials during incidents, ensuring a coordinated response.

This combination of human oversight with automated systems bridges the gap between detection and action, minimizing delays and ensuring each alert is addressed with the appropriate urgency.

Results

Artesia Public Schools’ innovative approach to active shooter prevention highlights the powerful synergy between cutting-edge technology and human expertise. By integrating the Department of Homeland Security Safety Act Designated EAGL Technology, Scylla AI, and Avante’s Human-in-the-Loop monitoring service, the district has established a new benchmark for school safety.

This comprehensive solution not only aligns with the NFPA 3000 ASHER standard, addressing all aspects of safety management - from hazard identification and vulnerability assessment to resource allocation, incident management, first responder training, and post-incident recovery - but also serves as a scalable model for other educational institutions.

Customer testimonial

The cost of losing even one student is just too much, and we will take the necessary steps to protect our students and have opted to use EAGL Technology gunshot detection, Scylla’s on camera weapon detection along with Avante’s monitoring service layered together to fortify our security posture and keep our students safe

Scott Simer

Artesia Public Schools Facility Director