NYC Launches First-in-Nation 911 Integration for School Active Shooter Alerts

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams has unveiled a pioneering emergency alert system that will directly connect public schools to 911 dispatchers, enabling rapid police response during active-shooter or weapon-related threats.

The initiative — the first of its kind in the United States — was introduced at the Spring Creek campus in Brooklyn. It will expand to 25 school buildings encompassing 51 public schools across all five boroughs during the 2025–2026 academic year.

Developed by the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), the Emergency Alert System (EAS) allows trained school staff to trigger a hard lockdown and send an automated alert to 911 within seconds through fixed panic buttons or wireless lanyards. Dispatchers will receive immediate location data and school information, while students and staff inside the building will get audible and visual notifications that help is on the way.

Mayor Adams said the system represents a significant boost to school security at a time when school shootings are a nationwide concern. “Every parent deserves to know their child is safe in school, and this system gives them that peace of mind,” he said, noting that New York City has already removed more than 24,000 illegal guns from the streets since 2022.

City Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser called the innovation a “crucial advance” in protecting students. School Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said it adds to existing safety protocols, including secured entrances and NYPD School Safety Agents on campus.

The pilot follows nearly two years of development after officials determined no existing technology linked schools directly to 911. OTI worked with external partners and emergency agencies to design and test the system.

City leaders across government — including district attorneys and state lawmakers — praised the system as a vital safety upgrade hoped never to be used but essential in a crisis.