AI gun detection will soon be used in some Utah schools and it could be coming to more
SALT LAKE CITY — Two months ago, a rash of hoax school shooting calls made their way through Utah from Cache to Washington counties, prompting swift responses from law enforcement across the state. As may be expected from a state known for a bustling business and tech scene, the Beehive State and its businesses are constantly pushing the envelope of new ideas and innovation and Utah-based AEGIX on Wednesday announced a partnership with ZeroEyes to bring artificial intelligence to the fight against school shootings. “In the face of increasing gun-related violence in U.S. schools, it is crucial that Utah districts invest in proactive technology solutions that provide threat detection, situational awareness and incident management and response,” Nephi Police Chief Michael Morgan said in a release from the companies. “Our most important job is to keep our students, faculty and communities safe, so we must leverage the strongest and most effective tools available.” The partnership combines the resources of AEGIX — a provider of industry-leading resources, technology, equipment and training for first responders — with ZeroEyes, the company behind the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation. AEGIX currently works with multiple Utah school districts and police departments, its website states. ZeroEyes’ AI gun detection and situational awareness software will be integrated into the AEGIX AIM active incident management platform to create a sole-source solution uniquely built for Utah public schools, according to the release. The AEGIX AIM system allows individuals of an organization (like a school) to notify others of a crisis with the touch of a button. In the event of an active shooter scenario, teachers can push a button in the app to let administrators and first responders know if they are safe or not.
How our school handled the chaos of an active shooter hoax
I was in a meeting when I heard the sirens. I immediately excused myself and saw the first squad car screech to a halt in front of our doors and knew it was bad. The police department had just received a call saying there was an active shooter somewhere at Spanish Fork High School and two students were deceased. As it turns out, we were the victim of a coordinated hoax that targeted schools throughout Utah and other states, but for the next 24 minutes, this was our reality and as principal, I had to act. My emotions almost got the better of me; not only do I care deeply about each and every one of our 1,469 students, but I also have a daughter who was in class just down the hall. I almost lost my motor skills but was able to pull my phone from my pocket to instantly lock down the school with the push of a button and watch our emergency plan unfold almost flawlessly before my eyes. To fully understand the importance and power of that simple act, we need to take a step back. I have been the school’s principal for four years. Although we had published an emergency plan and conducted drills four or five times every year, from day one, I felt there was something off or missing from those plans. We had the standard procedures and instructions for locking classrooms, counting students, and making announcements on the PA system, but nothing that would help us know what is happening at the moment, coordinate actions between law enforcement and school administrators or communicate with teachers and staff to effectively manage the chaos. A few months ago, I was approached by a former student who wanted to introduce me to a technology called AEGIX AIM (Active Incident Management) that other schools have implemented to address the very challenges I was worried about. We received approval from the district to install and pilot the software. As fate would have it, we finished rolling it out and conducted staff training on it exactly one week before the active shooter hoax was perpetrated.
AEGIX Vulnerability Assessments Identify the Gaps in Office Buildings, Security, School Safety
Vulnerability assessments are essential for helping those responsible for providing safety and security in buildings, such as schools and office buildings, to identify potential safety risks. Vulnerability assessments involve a comprehensive review of the facility, including areas such as entrances, design and use of landscaping, use of surveillance systems, emergency exits and so on. Expert observations can then be used to identify any key safety risks that may exist in and around the building and make recommendations for improvement. By properly assessing risk and implementing preventative measures, schools and offices can create a safe and secure environment for students and staff alike. Ultimately, vulnerability assessments are an important step in ensuring the safety of any building’s occupants. A helpful tool to assess the potential vulnerability of an area is the CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) assessment, which looks at how the environment itself can be used to prevent crime and protect occupants. For example, installing adequate lighting in dark areas that can expose or remove places where criminals could hide. The goal is to leverage CPTED in an attempt to minimize crime or the fear of crime by reducing criminal opportunities while encouraging its use by legitimate users. The core pillars of an evaluation include natural surveillance, access control, territorial reinforcement and maintenance. Natural surveillance looks at ways to increase visibility of people and property by strategically arranging physical elements such as vegetation or windows. When evaluating natural surveillance, an expert will observe how these elements can be used to maximize visibility and minimize hiding places. Architecturally, large windows can be designed in the lobby of the building to ensure those at the front desk–or in classrooms–can see what is happening outside to give them time to react if they see something or someone dangerous or suspicious. It also puts potential threating individuals on notice, that they are being seen by others. Access control physically guides people who are coming into and leaving from a space. By intentionally placing landscaping, lighting, signage, fencing and other directing features, visitors have direct, obvious and safe access to locations in and around a building. An assessor would evaluate the layout of the building and property to limit potential unwanted and unauthorized access. Additionally, mechanical access control could include access control systems such as card readers and locks, as well as physical barriers or fences. This form of evaluation is especially important when it comes to schools since they often have many doors (and other access points) which are difficult to continually monitor for unauthorized access. Territorial reinforcement is a principle that looks at how physical elements can be used to communicate welcomeness to authorized and notice to unauthorized presence. It can be used to psychologically thwart unauthorized access to an area. For those who belong, like students in a school, it helps them feel safe and secure in their environment by establishing boundaries between public and private spaces and who is authorized to be there. For example (at a school) parking lots with associated signage indicate who is authorized to park in certain spaces such as “visitor parking” or “student parking.” Entrances may indicate “check in” locations or prohibited locations. If an adult parked in student parking, then made his way into the school via a side door rather than checking in at the main office, an observer would instantly recognize the problem and be able to report it and respond. In other locations putting up signs that read NOTICE: No Visitors Beyond This Point Hospital Personnel Only, velvet ropes in a museum, or wayfinding flooring patterns to direct people where to go and where they are not authorized to be,clearly sets boundaries and are easily recognized. Territorial reinforcement tactics designed to limit unauthorized access can even include certain types of art. For instance, portraits depicting people of authority with intent gazes can make those who enter the space feel as if they are being watched. Finally, maintenance evaluates how an area is being cared for on an ongoing basis. Maintenance includes specific standards to ensure safety. An assessor will verify if the lights are functioning and effective, check locks on the doors and outside gates, see if any signage is unreadable (sun-bleached or covered with mud), is trash cleared, etc. They will also review the landscaping, which is a critical element because if foliage has grown too high, it can block the view and negate the natural surveillance benefits of a clear view. Tree limbs should be cut to a height of six feet or above and bushes should be no more than two-feet tall. Vulnerability assessments play an important role in developing effective strategies to reduce potential hazards, crime and fear of crime. They help to create better emergency management plans so that if unexpected problems arise, they can be quickly addressed. The assessment will also inquire about existing safety protocols and if they are being followed properly. Upon completion of the CPTED Assessment and others, if necessary, the AEGIX team will produce a report with recommendationsfor improvements and recommended training. AEGIX AIM (Active Incident Management) works hand in hand with the assessment and training. AIM technology builds upon these base-level plans and recommendations to take communication and emergency management to much more effective levels. For example, if an unauthorized individual got through the front doors and past the lobby and was seen walking in an area where he clearly was unauthorized, the observer could use AIM immediately notify others to take action. They could immediately initiate a lockdown, shelter in place or any other practiced directive to keep occupants safe if the person was seen as a threat to safety. An essential element to note is that training is critical. A school can have a good building layout, good technology, good plans and protocols, but it means little without proper training. If the people are adequately trained to act according to the protocols, particularly in high-stress or terrifying situations, it will save lives.
ZeroEyes Partners with AEGIX to Bolster School Security in Utah
Proactive AI Gun Detection to Be Integrated into AEGIX AIM to Create Sole-Source Active Incident Management Platform PHILADELPHIA, May 31, 2023 — ZeroEyes, the creators of the only AI-based gun detection video analytics platform that holds the US Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation, today announced a strategic partnership with AEGIX, a Utah-based provider of industry-leading resources, technology, equipment and training for first responders. Through the partnership, ZeroEyes’ best-in-class AI gun detection and situational awareness software will be integrated into the AEGIX AIM active incident management platform to create a sole-source solution uniquely built for Utah public schools. “In the face of increasing gun-related violence in US schools, it is crucial that Utah districts invest in proactive technology solutions that provide threat detection, situational awareness, and incident management and response,” said Michael Morgan, Chief of Police of Nephi City, Utah. “Our most important job is to keep our students, faculty and communities safe, so we must leverage the strongest and most effective tools available.” The AEGIX AIM (Active Incident Management) platform cuts through the chaos to remove guesswork and delays, to save precious time in an emergency. The system allows individuals in an organization, such as a school, to notify others of a crisis with the touch of a button. In a worst-case scenario, such as an active shooter, teachers simply push a button in the app to let administrators and first responders know if they are “safe” or “unsafe.” AEGIX AIM can be operated from a desktop, laptop or smartphone. Everyone on the system, including key law enforcement and first responders can utilize the dynamic interactive maps of a school campus, buildings and individual classrooms. This instantly provides room- by-room situational awareness. Users know exactly what the emergency is and where they need to direct their efforts. It also enables real-time communication within the patented chat feature. These features are vital to obtaining accurate information and giving critical instructions in high-stress situations for all responders and victims during an incident. “We see the integration of ZeroEyes’ groundbreaking technology as a tremendous addition to our AIM solution,” said Chet Linton, CEO of AEGIX. “The synergies between our companies are obvious; we are both committed to reducing the gun-related violence that is so greatly impacting our schools.” ZeroEyes’ proactive visual gun detection and situational awareness software platform is layered on schools’ existing digital security cameras, where it identifies illegally brandished guns and immediately shares images with a specialized group of U.S. military and law enforcement veterans at one of the ZeroEyes Operation Centers (ZOC) that are staffed 24/7/365. Once these experts verify the threat, they dispatch alerts and actionable intelligence, including visual description, gun type and last known location, to local staff and law enforcement as fast as 3 to 5 seconds from detection. “ZeroEyes and AEGIX have been working to educate Utah policymakers and school administrators for several months, and we are excited to launch this dedicated partnership between two companies that are actively working to mitigate school violence,” said Mike Lahiff, CEO and co-founder of ZeroEyes. “AEGIX’s long-standing relationships with Utah schools and law enforcement will help us to greatly reduce response times and save lives.” About ZeroEyes ZeroEyes delivers a proactive, human-verified A.I. gun detection software solution that integrates into existing security cameras and mitigates mass shootings and gun-related violence by reducing response times, providing actionable intelligence with images and delivering clarity among chaos – ultimately saving lives. ZeroEyes' patented solution has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a promising anti-terrorism technology and is the first video analytics technology to receive SAFETY Act DT&E Designation. Founded by Navy SEALs, Special Operations military veterans, and technologists, ZeroEyes dispatches accurate and real-time actionable intelligence about the brandishing of a gun near or in an occupied area or building, to local staff and law enforcement with an image of the shooter(s) and location of the threat, as fast as 3 to 5 seconds from the moment the gun is detected. The ZeroEyes team also provides tech consulting, installation assistance and practice drills for active shooter events to enhance safety at schools, corporate and government facilities. Headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia area, the company’s affordable and effective gun detection solution has been adopted by the US Department of Defense, leading public K-12 school districts, colleges / universities, commercial property groups, manufacturing plants, Fortune 500 corporate campuses, shopping malls, big-box retail stores and more. Learn more about ZeroEyes at ZeroEyes.com. About AEGIX Global AEGIX Global exists for one purpose: to keep people safe. Emergencies and critical incidents are unpredictable and when they happen, they happen fast. This means anyone involved in an incident needs to be prepared to act with the quickest, smartest response. AEGIX Global takes action to find and develop solutions for a truly comprehensive approach to safety. Software, equipment, and comprehensive training are the three main pillars that make up AEGIX Global’s safety solutions. For more information, please visit AEGIXAIM.com. Media Contacts: For ZeroEyes: Olga Shmuklyer Fusion PR olga.shmuklyer@fusionpr.com For AEGIX Global: Tim Rush Springboard5 801-208-1100 tim.rush@springboard5.com
AEGIX AIM Calmed the Chaos During Active Shooter Swatting Hoax at Spanish Fork High School
The Situation A typical school day in Spanish Fork, Utah became a living nightmare when the police department received a call saying there was an active shooter somewhere at Spanish Fork High School and two students had been shot. Police and school administrators were unaware that they were part of a wave of threats and false reports of active shooters that were pouring into schools and colleges across the country. For nearly 30 minutes, the threat was thought to be very real and was treated as such. This criminal activity is called “swatting” because the goal is to tie up authorities, particularly SWAT teams with terror threats. One of the reasons this was taken so seriously is many of the calls received were computer-generated and use caller ID spoofing to hide their identity. This call was a live, human voice. What the perpetrators of the threat did not know was that Spanish Fork High School had recently been equipped with a new tool to make it extremely prepared to effectively manage worst-case emergencies such as this. The Solution Only one week prior, Spanish Fork High School finished rolling out and conducting staff training on AEGIX AIM (Active Incident Management), a technology platform with an extremely user-friendly app that keeps students and school employees safe during emergencies. AEGIX approaches incidents comprehensively which includes corresponding and planning with responders, dispatch and incorporating state and local mandates. This enables users of AIM to actively manage incidents while they are occurring. The AIM app can be loaded on computers, tablets and phones and is installed on the phones of all the administrators, teachers and staff at the high school. The Spanish Fork police department, sheriff’s department and fire department all are on the platform as well. Within the app, there is a dynamic mapping system that shows the five buildings that make up the campus. Maps are “live” during critical incidents, which dramatically reduces time to incident resolution. When an emergency happens, which can range from an injury in the gym, a flood in the cafeteria or an active shooter, anyone on the system can report the emergency or initiate a lockdown. When the police arrived at the school, Principal Matt Christensen opened the app and hit “lockdown.” At that moment, everyone on the system heard an alarm on their phones and saw that the school was in lockdown. Teachers knew they needed to push a big button to report themselves and their classroom as “safe” or “unsafe.” If they are safe, their classroom shows up on the interactive map as green, if unsafe, it is red. The system also has a unique proprietary chat system that proved absolutely critical during the emergency. This allows first responders, dispatch and everyone on the system to have safe communication with everyone (by individual name) during the incident.“We had students who were in other teachers’ classrooms and staff who were alone in their offices, stairwells and bathrooms. Teachers and administrators were able to clearly communicate with each other to quickly account for every person on campus. We had one teacher accidently push ‘unsafe,’ teachers across the hall messaged her through the app to make sure and she immediately changed her status to ‘safe,’ which she was.” Officers on the scene had access to all the communication and the interactive maps. They did not have to wait for information to be relayed to them, they could see in real-time which classrooms and buildings were marked as safe. If they were marked as unsafe, the police would know exactly where the source of danger is in the school, saving precious minutes, which can save lives. The Administrative Lieutenant at the Spanish Fork Police Department was off-site during the emergency, but was monitoring the situation through the app and used the app to communicate information and instructions. When he was able to confirm that the active shooter threat was indeed a hoax, he sent a message through the AIM app telling them to stay calm, informing them that the threat was a hoax and instructing them that officers would be coming to clear their classrooms and make sure everyone was safe.Outcomes During the event, students were on their phones where they were seeing false reports and rumors that added to the terror, fear and confusion they were all feeling. Teachers were able to address the false information by showing their phones with the app to students and telling them, “This is what’s real, and this is what’s happening.” This served to calm the students in an extremely high-stress situation. Principal, Matt Christensen said, “I have been the school’s principal for four years. Although we had published an emergency plan and conducted drills four or five times every year, from day one, I felt there was something off or missing from those plans. We had the standard procedures and instructions for locking classrooms, counting students and making announcements on the PA system, but nothing that would help us know what is happing in the moment, coordinate actions between law enforcement and school administrators or communicate with teachers and staff to effectively manage the chaos. AIM fills all those gaps and more.” During the lockdown, parents were naturally alarmed. The school received many calls from frantic parents. Administrators were able to see in the app if the student’s classroom was marked as safe. They brought peace of mind to parents in the moment by letting them know their child is accounted for, safe right now and not in danger.Bart Thompson, Assistant Principle said, “I will say, for the 21 years I have been in education, the single most troubling thing to think about is an active shooter. On that day, we didn’t know it was a hoax. For 24 minutes, it was real—we had an active shooter and we had deceased students. As an educator and a parent, that day changed me forever. I can’t imagine doing what we did that day without the app—the trauma would have been amplified. Things
Minimizing the Chaos and Panic of School Swatting Hoax Threats
As America continues to struggle with mass shootings, another trend, called swatting, has recently put school principals, legislators, parents and students on high alert. K-12 schools and universities are experiencing a wave of false reports of school shootings and campus threats. Swatting is where someone threatens to harm another person or institution, such as a school, through various forms of deceptive tactics such as claiming they are armed and dangerous or have access to weapons on school premises. The intention behind this type of hoax is often to terrorize the victim and tie up first responders. Even though these actions are hoaxes, they have shown to bring trauma and other devastating consequences for students, staff, and law enforcement because in the moment, the threats are very real. Why Swatting is a Serious Problem Swatting is a dangerous and criminal activity that involves falsely reporting a serious and immediate threat, such as an active shooter at a local school to law enforcement in order to provoke an emergency response–including SWAT teams, hence the name swatting. Swatting is not a harmless prank, but a serious crime that wastes valuable police resources, causes panic and chaos, jeopardizes innocent lives and can have tragic consequences. The goal of swatting is usually to send heavily armed police officers to a public or private building. This alarming trend has been on the rise in recent years, as swatters use technology to mask their identity and create false emergency situations. Many of the calls received are computer-generated and use caller ID spoofing to hide the identity of the perpetrators, but not always. Not only can this cause serious harm to the individuals being targeted, but it can also put their family members, neighbors, and first responders in harm’s way. In fact, there have been multiple instances where swatting incidents have resulted in injuries and even deaths due to chaos and confusion at the scene. Calming the Chaos in an Emergency Managing an emergency, whether large or small, the right way can mean the difference between a positive, peaceful resolution or a tragic end. AEGIX AIM was created to help effectively manage emergencies of all types from a flood in the cafeteria to school shootings to earthquakes. AIM, which stands for Active Incident Management was recently used during a major swatting hoax. One week prior to a multi-state swatting incident, the AIM app was installed on the phones of all the administrators, teachers and staff at Spanish Fork High School. The Spanish Fork police department, sheriff’s department and fire department all are on the platform as well. The police received a voice call saying there was an active shooter somewhere at Spanish Fork High School and two students had been shot. When the police arrived at the school, Principal Matt Christensen opened the app and hit “lockdown.” Upon hearing the alarm on their phones, teachers immediately were able to push a button in the app to report themselves and their classroom as “safe” or “unsafe.” If safe, their classroom shows up on the interactive map as green, if unsafe, it is red. Officers on the scene had access the maps, which meant they did not have to wait for information to be relayed to them, they could see in real-time which classrooms and buildings were marked as safe. If they were marked as unsafe, police would know exactly where the source of danger is in the school, saving precious minutes, which can save lives. The system also has a chat feature that proved absolutely critical during the emergency. Teachers and administrators were able to clearly communicate with each other to quickly account for every person on campus. Law enforcement could see this information and use the chat feature as a way to communicate with specific individuals or everyone on the system. During the event, students were on their phones where they were seeing false reports and rumors that added to the terror, fear and confusion they were all feeling. Teachers were able to address the false information by showing their phones with the app to students and telling them, “This is what’s real, and this is what’s happening.” This served to calm the students in an extremely high-stress situation. After about 30 minutes, the Administrative Lieutenant at the Spanish Fork Police Department used the app to inform teachers and staff that the active shooter threat was indeed a hoax and instructed them that officers would be coming to clear their classrooms and make sure everyone was safe. Bart Thompson, Assistant Principle said, “I will say, for the 21 years I have been in education, the single most troubling thing to think about is an active shooter. On that day, we didn’t know it was a hoax. For 24 minutes, it was real—we had an active shooter and we had deceased students. As an educator and a parent, that day changed me forever. I can’t imagine doing what we did that day without the app—the trauma would have been amplified. Things like this have always been a ‘what if.’ After this experience, I can look a parent in the eyes and tell them we have the tools to keep your students safe.”
Chief of Police Gives 5 Star Rating
★★★★★ 5/5 Chief of Police, Tyson B., says “We have been looking for something like this for years to enhance the response and communication…It is easy to use for everyone, it can be used for everyday occurrences.”
Utah Company Creates App to Keep Schools Safe
SALT LAKE CITY — A local company run by a retired Utah police officer believe they have a product that makes schools safer in the event of shootings like the one in Texas. HOW TO HELP: Official ways to help families of Texas shooting victims Justin Chapman served as a Sandy City officer for nearly 3 decades, spending about half that time teaching proper active shooter response. Chapman is now director of training for AEGIX AIM, which is short for active incident management. The company developed an app that coordinates the location of an incident, particularly school buildings, with local first responders and law-enforcement. Once the program is purchased, AEGIX maps out the facility and stores it in the app. Then, in the event of a real emergency, a teacher or staff member can immediately relay location and information to first responders, which streamlines the response. “To give additional information including pictures, chat functions, all that information in real time, and it’s shared across a broad group of people within the school and within the first responder communities so that our responses as first responders can be more specific and certainly more efficient and quicker,” said Chapman. AEGIX also has additional, hands-on products like collapsible shields which can be used by first responders as well as teachers and staff members a inside particular school. Right now, AEGIX is working with school officials and law-enforcement in Cache County and hop other schools will soon take part. SOURCE: Utah company creates app to keep schools safe View Full Story
Utah Capitol to Employ New Incident Management System in Time for Session
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KUTV) — Utah’s Capitol complex is about to employ a new incident management system designed to deal with everything from plumbing issues to situations like what happened at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Utah Highway Patrol Capt. Greg Holley told KUTV 2News the system, which is being purchased from Salt Lake City-based AEGIX Global, comes as the state has looked for a better way for communicating across the entire Capitol complex in various situations. Chet D. Linton, CEO of AEGIX Global, said the system has been used in schools and will be installed for use in the Capitol building as well as the House and Senate buildings. RELATED: One year later, Utahn John Sullivan defends his actions during Jan. 6 Capitol riot “Our active incident management system is designed to incorporate and provide information and a communication platform for everybody that’s involved in any incident,” Linton said, “whether it’s something as simple as somebody falling, to…an active shooter.” Linton said people working on the Capitol complex can use their phones or computers to input information about an issue or problem, which goes to first responders. Those first responders can also issue an alert via the system to inform Capitol employees about a problem. ALSO: Americans do not remember Jan. 6 Capitol riot as one people UHP will operate the system at the Capitol. Holley said it will help in the event of large-scale demonstrations like what happened at the U.S. Capitol last January. But more commonly, he said, it will be useful in situations involving a suspicious person or package – or even a plumbing issue. The goal, Holley said, is to provide information to as many people as possible to keep them and the building safe. He said the system is expected to be up and running in time for the legislative session, which begins January 18. SOURCE: Utah Capitol to employ new incident management system in time for session View Full Story
