The Buncombe County Schools Foundation is funding a pilot year for an initiative that will help put vital information in key school personnel hands in case of a health emergency with one of its students.
It’s called The Vitals App. This app allows select personnel to see pertinent information and de-escalation techniques for identified students on their smartphone whenever they are within 80 feet of the student. Key personnel would typically be part of the school’s Critical Personnel Intervention (CPI) team.
When the teacher, coach, nurse, or SRO arrives at the scene of a student who is possibly having a seizure, behavioral episode, or other health crisis that is not widely known but requires immediate action, this app gives actionable and pertinent details to identified adults who may not interact with this student on a daily basis.
All of the information is kept on a secure cloud and only accessible on the phone when within 80 feet of the student. Once users leave this 80-foot radius, the information is deleted and is not stored on the phone. None of the student information is uploaded unless a waiver and permission are given by the parent or guardian.
The first two schools for the pilot are T.C. Roberson and A.C. Reynolds High Schools. Additional schools may be added later in the school year. Training for identified school personnel will take place this summer.