At Crowley Elementary School, Behavior Interventionist Carlos Torrez spends his day moving throughout campus, supporting students and responding wherever he is needed.
"We're everywhere. We're eyes and ears for the whole school," Torrez said.
Like other district employees, Torrez now wears a Raptor Badge, a device that hangs from a lanyard and allows staff to discreetly request help with the push of a button.
According to Executive Director of Student Services Natalie Garza, the badge serves two different purposes depending on how many times the button is pressed.
If an employee presses the button three times, it sends a request for assistance to designated staff members at the school site.
"Even it could be custodial support, so if a student got sick in the classroom," Garza said.
For more serious situations, including emergencies, staff can press the button seven or more times. That action sends an alert to designated district personnel, school staff and first responders.
"So if you're in a situation where you maybe don't want to call on the phone or use your computer to message, because those are ways you can also get support, you can do this without making any noise," Garza said.
The system provides responders with the identity of the employee who activated the alert, as well as their precise location on campus. District leaders say the goal is to reduce response times and provide an additional layer of security.
"I think it's really peace of mind because it is an additional layer to a system we already have," Garza said. "And heaven forbid we do have a big emergency such as an active shooter, we are more prepared to access support quickly."
The wearable devices require charging only twice a year, with district officials planning reminder notifications around winter and summer breaks.
The badges are part of a broader campus safety strategy already in place throughout Visalia Unified. The district also utilizes the Verkada camera system to monitor campus activity and the Raptor visitor management system, which screens and tracks visitors before they enter school grounds.
Torrez said he is grateful to have another safety tool available should the need arise.
"I thank God I haven't had to use it, or my fellow employees have to use it," he said. "But it's reassuring that we have it for our safety."
District officials noted that if a badge is accidentally activated, staff will continue responding until they can verify that no assistance is needed and there is no emergency.
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