Talbott Elementary On Cutting Edge Of Safety

Back Row Adults – Safe Ceiver Inventor Ken Pirkle, Teacher Jessica Willings, Deputy Todd White
Staff Photo by Kimberly Myers

Talbott Elementary School is on the cutting edge of pro-active school safety measures. They recently became the first school in the State of Tennessee to employ Safe Ceiver receiver radios as part of their Emergency Preparedness Plan.

Deputy Todd White, who joined Talbott Elementary School as their School Resource Officer in January of 2014, began to research how to better prepare the faculty for response to emergency situations. His efforts lead to the purchase of Safe Ceiver EVAC PACS by Broadway Technologies Inc. These bags contain a receiver radio that allows every teacher in the school to hear radio broadcasts through earbuds in an emergency situation. Talbott Elementary School purchased twenty EVAC bags containing first aide supplies, a class roster and other emergency items. Fifteen of those bags also contain the receiver radios. The bags were purchased using grant money from the yearly Safe School Grant at a cost of about $130.00 for each complete bag.

Each teacher will receive an EVAC PAC and instruction on how to use it. Five key teachers in the school will be equipped with 2-way radios, while the other fifteen will utilize the receiver radios, assuring that no teacher or classroom will ever be out of communication.

The Safe Ceiver receiver radio was invented by Ken Pirkle, of Broadway Technologies Inc. in Pelzer, South Carolina. He was on hand on April 1, 2014 to help distribute the bags and provide a demonstration of how the technology will work. Mr. Pirkle said the technology will allow teachers to stay informed in an emergency situation without creating stress or panic in the classroom. He also pointed out that standard 2-way radios are up to three times more expensive and four time the size of the Safe Ceiver radio.

Principle Amy Sharp praised Deputy White for his efforts to provide a safe and secure learning environment and she thanked the Jefferson County Sherif’s Department for their commitment to school safety. Deputy Todd White is one of the newest additions to the Sheriff’s Department, having served as an Atlanta police officer for twelve years before moving to Tennessee.