FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct 7 2014

Media Contact: Molly Antos
Email: media@punchalert.com

Punch Technologies launches Punch Alert, the only all-in-one mass emergency communication platform for schools

CHARLOTTE, NC, Oct 7 2014 – Punch Technologies today launched Punch Alert – the only all-in-one, mobile emergency communication platform created to help schools and universities protect and connect their campus.

Punch Alert improves security by including a panic button that, once pressed, alerts emergency responders of a potentially life-threatening situation. Responders then have the ability to release emergency information to others on campus when appropriate, involving them collaboratively in the response process. Punch Alert streamlines communication by enabling faculty, staff, and students to submit information and emergency responders to deliver mass updates during emergencies. Punch Alert also, through its use of GPS and iBeacon/Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, provides location awareness by capturing the location of the initial report and actively monitoring the location of all faculty and staff until the emergency is resolved.

“School security is a significant priority to parents, faculty and administrators. What better way to protect the school campus then by putting a panic alarm and emergency communication system in the hands of every staff and faculty member?” said Greg Artzt, CEO of Punch Technologies.

“Punch Alert offers a unique combination of smart communication, emergency management and real-time location awareness that makes it the ideal platform for protecting a school campus. Punch Alert represents a new standard in school security.”

Punch Alert is being piloted by schools and universities nationwide and has already been implemented in a number of schools including the East Hampton and South Huntington public school districts in New York.

“Communication in any organization is the first thing to break down during a crisis,” said Robert Hagan, Director of Technology Learning and Instruction, East Hampton School District.

“Punch Alert has solved this dilemma for the East Hampton School District by putting an easy-to-use panic system in place for our schools.”
Punch Alert is cost effective. Schools do not need to buy expensive hardware to implement the platform, they can use the technologies and smart devices they already have on hand.

Punch is also positioned to scale with new wearable devices as they become available which offers a low-cost means to track/locate versus traditional methods.

Additional features and functionality include:

• Define the monitored region with geofencing
• Setup faculty, staff, and emergency responders from the Punch Alert Web Console
• Press the Panic button to instantly alert authorities, emergency responders, and other staff and faculty
• Monitor real-time location of everyone on school campus in the event of an emergency
• Upload and share pictures, audio recordings, videos and text messages
• Deliver mass updates and instructions to staff and faculty from the mobile app or web console
• Pinpoint indoor location with inexpensive bluetooth beacon installations (optional)
• Resolve the incident and automatically inform all staff and faculty

“School security is not something to be taken lightly,” said Artzt. “We want to make sure that all schools are prepared in the event of an emergency, and we believe that Punch Alert offers the best means of managing the safety of a school campus – via a real-time, collaborative security system.”

For more information on Punch Alert, visit our overview page or check out our explainer video.