SST, Inc. Introduces Breakthrough Gunfire Detection Technology For Indoors

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Developer of ShotSpotter® Introduces ShotSpotter SiteSecure™ Providing Real-Time Alerts to First Responders that Enable Rapid Engagement and Interdiction of Active Shooters

NEWARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SST, Inc., today announced the launch of ShotSpotter SiteSecure, a first-of-its-kind indoor gunfire detection, location and alert system that detects and locates gunfire and automatically alerts first responders within seconds. ShotSpotter SiteSecure integrates existing or new outdoor installations of the industry-leading ShotSpotter gunfire location and alert solutions to provide a complete indoor/outdoor “bubble” of protection around any facility.

Lessons learned from mass shooting incidents such as Columbine, Virginia Tech, DC Navy Yard and Sandy Hook prove that every second matters to first responders in mitigating the destructive consequences of an active shooter. In active shooter scenarios, phone calls to 9-1-1 are typically not received for as long as 2-3 minutes after the first shots are fired, and the 9-1-1 call handling protocol itself may add several additional crucial minutes before first responders can begin to respond. Moreover, multiple 9-1-1 callers will often provide conflicting and confusing accounts further complicating initial response. Earlier, more reliable, more accurate, and real time situational intelligence can thus make a critical difference in both officer safety and to those in harm’s way.

SST, Inc. is the globally recognized expert in gunshot detection technology. ShotSpotter Flex is used by law enforcement around the world to combat gun violence and restore public safety to communities afflicted with gun violence. ShotSpotter SiteSecure is a direct extension of this technology combining indoor and outdoor detection; expanding its protection from neighborhood streets indoors to classrooms, university campuses and other high value targets critical to this nation’s infrastructure.

“The sad reality is that preparing for an active shooter is the new normal. We must ensure that we do everything within our power to provide an enhanced notification and response capability to first responders so that they can effectively engage in active shooter situations,” said Ralph A. Clark, president and chief executive officer of SST, Inc. “Just as fire alarms cannot prevent fires, ShotSpotter SiteSecure will not prevent shootings. However, fire alarms are a critical mass notification component of building safety, and similarly gunfire detection will give first responders a much faster and far more precise real-time understanding of an active-shooter incident. ShotSpotter SiteSecure acts as a first and enhanced alert within a broader security strategy which will reduce the risk the public faces in our most vulnerable locations and will create a safer environment for students at school and universities.”

First responders en route to a critical incident at a school involving an active shooter require real time information concerning the developing critical incident. ShotSpotter SiteSecure provides detailed floor plans of the targeted facility and graphics that precisely locate in which rooms shots have been fired, how many rounds have been fired, and what, if any, room-by-room sequence of movement is evident. Intelligence that specifies the number of rounds fired, the suspected path of the gunman and the most probable location of the active shooter has never before been reliably available, and it can be a game changer for first responders dealing with an incident.

With this wealth of accurate real time data ShotSpotter SiteSecure can function as a powerful on-scene decision-making tool that can empower incident commanders to ensure broad protective measures are taken quickly within the school or university facilities:

  • Alerting school staff to initiate lockdown protocols
  • Automatically initiating mass notification systems for building occupants (e.g. pre-programmed SMS messages, lights, sirens, etc.)
  • Triggering the establishment of a school command center
  • Establishing communication between site staff and police responders
  • Coordinating tactical response to locate, contain and eliminate threat(s)

“Every minute counts in an active shooter situation and technologies like ShotSpotter SiteSecure would assist first responders in each of these horrific events. First responders want to ensure that not a moment is lost when it comes to notification to law enforcement,” said Sheriff Gregory Ahern of Alameda County, CA. “Despite the many advances made in response protocol since 1999, there is still room for improvement, both cognitive and tactical, to effectively handle an active shooter incident. Knowing information like the number of shooters, where the shots were actually fired, and the information of where the suspects currently may be, as well as the possible type of weapons being fired, is critical to how to respond quickly and put an end to the threat.”

Upon detection, gunfire incidents are immediately analyzed by SST’s Real-Time Incident Review Center (Real-Time IRC). SST’s Real-Time IRC personnel evaluate hundreds of thousands of gunfire incidents annually and provide first responders with critical information relative to threat level, location and other pertinent data. By leveraging SST’s existing, 17 year-long track record of providing robust outdoor wide area gunshot detection and location capability ShotSpotter SiteSecure builds on the existing capability to provide expert feedback and context at a critical moment. After incidents have been reviewed, ShotSpotter SiteSecure also easily integrates with a facility’s existing mass notification system, ensuring that faculty, students, and other staff are notified of an active shooter threat within seconds of the first shot being fired.

“We can all take steps to make schools safer for our children,” said Ann M. Harkins, president and chief executive officer, National Crime Prevention Council. “Education, training, and early identification of issues such as bullying and mental illness are key not only to preventing tragedies like Columbine and Sandy Hook, but also to ensuring that children feel safe in their classrooms and on campus. NCPC is passionate about school safety, and by working together through innovative solutions like SST SiteSecure and other hardware technologies, we can safeguard our children.”

About SST, Inc.

SST, Inc. consults and partners with local and federal law enforcement agencies in the US and abroad to reduce gunshot violence through the use of its gunfire alert and analysis solution. SST’s ShotSpotter Flex℠ is the leading gunfire alert and analysis solution for detecting gunshots and providing critical intelligence to give law enforcement agencies the detailed real-time data needed to investigate, analyze and prosecute gun related crimes. The company’s deep domain experience, along with cumulative agency best practice experience, delivers measurable outcomes that contribute to reducing gun violence. SST is a proven solution provider with more than 90 installations across the United States and the world. Privately held, the company possesses multiple patents resulting from nearly two decades of innovation in the area of acoustic gunshot location technology. Information about SST and ShotSpotter can be found at www.sst-inc.com or www.shotspotter.com. Information on SST and ShotSpotter solutions is available on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

McGrath/Power Public Relations for SST
Nadia Jamshidi, 408-294-8859
NadiaJamshidi@mcgrathpower.com
or
McGrath/Power Public Relations for SST
Allyson Scott, 408-727-0351
AllysonScott@mcgrathpower.com

Source: SST, Inc.

Released November 11, 2013