After School Shooting, National Company Donates Full Security System to Parkland Schools

by Sharon Aron Baron May 2, 2018

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Lee Mandel CEO of IntraLogic speaks to Parkland parents on Tuesday night.

By: Sharon Aron Baron

A national company is donating a security system solution to all five Parkland schools in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy.

SOS Parkland, a nonprofit dedicated to improving school security, found Lee Mandel, CEO of IntraLogic speaking at an event that he was invited to by the police chief of Miami-Dade Public Schools.

Mandel told Parkland residents in attendance on Tuesday that schools need to take a multifaceted approach to safety through hardening of their infrastructure. He explained that perimeter of schools must be strengthened, including areas where vendors can approach through the rear doors as well. Social media also needs to be monitored. One of the services IntraLogic provides is monitoring social media through information sharing and intelligence, as well as by working with the school district to define directives and keywords in a geographical area around the school.

What IntraLogic is known for are their lockdown systems. Installed in over 150 other school districts and 2,099 buildings throughout the nation, the system allows law enforcement to share cameras, floor plans, access to control the doors, and automate the process of locking down the school.

Bo Landy, Executive Director of SOS Parkland.

With the lockdown system, a school administrator, or teacher, can press a panic button either from either an app on their phone, computer, or from a fob worn around their neck if there is an active shooter on campus. Once the button is pressed, doors are locked automatically and 911 is called. Police are sent crucial information via live video surveillance and can view the floor plans of the school. Strobe lights will go off warning others to stay away and an automated emergency announcement will go through the school’s PA system as well as an emergency alert via text, email and phone will go out to parents.

“We’re going to provide all the hardware, the software, the labor,” said Mandel. “The only thing the schools would have to provide would be infrastructure. For example, we’re not going to be able to donate perimeter or security doors or physical equipment. But most of the common things they should have already within the school.”

Mandel hasn’t been able to complete an assessment on any of the schools yet, so he’s not sure on what the total price would be. “It’s hard to tell until I get into the buildings, but it’s definitely several hundred thousand dollars.”

Once approved, it would take only three to six months to install.

In business since 2004, IntraLogic has offices in Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, New York, New Jersey and California. In Florida, IntraLogic is working with Pinellas County Schools, North Broward Preparatory Schools, and 50 other private schools and districts around the state.

SOS Parkland Board Member Nathaniel Klitsberg suggested that they look into funding and paying for the monitoring that IntraLogic provides and not rely on local agencies. He asked everyone to help raise funds. Monitoring would only be $350 a month per school.

Bo Landy, Executive Director of SOS Parkland said their goal is to make Broward County schools in Parkland a template, or role model for other schools.

“By no means do we think our schools are more important than other schools.”