Quick Tips

Alerts & Tips

Alerts

In accordance with section (s.) 1006.07(4), Florida Statutes (F.S.), all Florida public schools, including charters, must implement a mobile panic alert system capable of connecting diverse emergency services technologies to ensure real-time coordination between multiple first responder agencies beginning with the 2021-2022 school year. Such system, known as “Alyssa’s Alert,” must integrate with local public safety answering point infrastructure to transmit 911 calls and mobile activations. To learn more about this lifesaving program, visit our Alyssa’s Alert page.

Tips

All Florida schools can receive tips from FortifyFL, a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows anyone to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials. FortifyFL was created and funded by the 2018 Florida Legislature as part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act as s. 943.082, F.S. The application was named by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The Office of Attorney General, Department of Education and Florida Department of Law Enforcement coordinated its development and roll-out. Go to https://getfortifyfl.com/ for more information.

Compliance Monitoring – Schools & Districts

Rule 6A-1.0018, F.A.C., outlines most of the school safety compliance requirements for Florida’s public school districts, traditional public schools and public charter schools.

Compliance includes:

• A trained, armed safe-school officer assigned to every school facility
• Implementation of a mobile panic alert system
• A dedicated threat management team at every school and district
• A designated, trained school safety specialist in every district
• School board-adopted plans for active assailant and family reunification
• Regular emergency drills at all schools
• Annual school and district risk assessments
• Safety incident data reporting

Safe-School Officers

Section 1006.12, F.S., requires “one or more safe-school officers at each school facility within the district, including charter schools.” Safe-school officers can be either certified law enforcement officers or guardians trained under the Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program.

The Chris Hixon, Coach Aaron Feis, and Coach Scott Beigel Guardian Program was established in 2018 through the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. In its initial report, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission found that having guardians in schools is the best way to ensure highly trained personnel are in place to respond immediately in the event of a school shooting.

Security Assessments

The Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool (FSSAT) is an online platform for enhanced risk assessment and domain awareness at the state, district and school levels — providing a broad array of security risk assessment, field reporting, data analytics and information-sharing capabilities for all school safety stakeholders, from state administrators to district security directors and school personnel responsible for the safety and security of students, staff and campus facilities. See the Office of Safe Schools FSSAT page for more information.

Contact Information

• General Inquiries - SafeSchools@fldoe.org
• Alyssa’s Alert - Alyssas.Alert@fldoe.org
• FortifyFL - FortifyFL@fldoe.org
• FSSAT - FSSAT@fldoe.org
• OSS Grants - OSSGrants@fldoe.org
• SESIR Reporting - SESIR@fldoe.org
• Threat Management - FloridaModel@fldoe.org