NEW YORK CITY, NY –
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, alongside Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser, has announced a groundbreaking pilot program that directly integrates public schools with 911 services—marking a national first in rapid emergency response for active shooter situations.
Developed by the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), the new Emergency Alert System (EAS) debuted at the Spring Creek campus in Brooklyn, making it the first school building in the United States to feature direct 911 connectivity. The system will expand to 25 school buildings—encompassing 51 public schools across all five boroughs—during the 2025–2026 academic year.
EAS enables schools to instantly and securely notify 911 in the event of a hard lockdown triggered by a weapon-based threat or active shooter. “For the first time ever in our nation, a public school system will have direct integration with 911 services to ensure that help is on the way within seconds”, said Mayor Adams. “Every parent deserves to know their child is safe in school, and this system gives them that peace of mind”.
Once activated, the system bypasses traditional 911 call routing and connects directly to real-time dispatch. Within seconds, emergency responders receive critical school-specific information via a centralized dashboard. Simultaneously, audible and visual alerts notify students and staff that 911 has been contacted and the school is in lockdown. Notifications are also sent to NYPD School Safety and New York City Public Schools officials.
The urgency of this initiative is underscored by sobering statistics: between 2015 and September 2025, the United States recorded over 1,900 K–12 school shooting incidents, with peaks of 351 in 2023 and 336 in 2024. In response, the Adams administration has prioritized public safety, removing more than 24,097 illegal firearms from city streets since January 2022—including over 4,100 in 2025 alone. Citywide shootings have dropped by 67 % since the start of his term, and major crimes declined by 3.8 % in September 2025.
