September may be National Emergency Preparedness Month, but local school districts are focused on safety all year long. In addition to completing Intruder Response Training and Behavior Pattern Recognition Training, Kalamazoo RESA and Technology Solutions have developed a web and mobile application called EPG, or Emergency Preparedness Guide, that will help prepare teachers and school staff in the event of a crisis. It focuses on preparedness, crisis response and reunification, said Kalamazoo RESA Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Tom Zahrt.

Districts using the app can customize it to fit the needs of their school. They can upload school maps and important safety documents for staff and first responders to use. The app will also feature access to real-time student data and provide instant communication between staff and first responders.

“What makes this app unique is that it’s been developed for schools, by schools,” Zahrt said. “We worked with superintendents, principals, teachers, school resource officers, first responders and members of law enforcement as well as the experts at Technology Solutions to make EPG the best crisis management tool available.”

To learn more about the EPG application, visit epg-app.com.