HCISD implements silent alarm system

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Earlier this year, Governor Greg Abbott signed Alyssa's law into effect, which requires silent panic alert systems in all Texas classrooms for the 2025-26 school year.

The Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District is the first school district in the Rio Grande Valley with the technology. Marina Longoria, a teacher at Harlingen High School, says this is another supplemental tool for school safety.

“Oh, definitely. It is one pressing of a button away and you get to safety," Longoria said.

HCISD has now trained all district employees on how to alert local authorities of any threats against their campuses. The push button system is thanks to technology it purchased through Centegix, which is a leader in the industry of rapid incident response.

“We are closer to protecting our students as well," Longoria said.

The devices are simple to use and teachers have been trained to know how many clicks signify a health emergency or a potential security problem on campus.

HCISD Director of Emergency Management and School Safety Danny Castillo says the system helps achieve an instant state of alert. The digital mapping technology also tracks who pushed the alert.

“It's plotted on that digital mapping system that in itself, saves critical seconds and minutes so that first responders, both internally as well as our law enforcement partners, have the ability to more efficiently address and find out exactly where the help is needed," Castillo said.

Castillo says it does not track people after school hours or when students are on a field trip.

However, Boggus Stadium, athletic fields and other school district parking lots are part of the system's digital mapping.

He says if the teacher or a school employee cannot press the button for any reason, others around can help if needed.

“Let's say there's a staff member that has a medical alert and becomes unconscious," Castillo said. "Anybody close to that individual can go and push and depress that button and it'll activate the alert and get assistance to where it's needed.”

Castillo did not mention how much the contract with Centegix cost the district; however, he did say the security of students comes first.