State Lawmakers, Advocates Push for Silent Panic Alarms in Tennessee Schools

Tennessee lawmakers and school safety advocates are calling for statewide funding to equip every school with silent panic alarms that can instantly alert first responders in an emergency.

At a recent press conference at the Tennessee State Capitol, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson and Representative Ron Gant joined Make Our Schools Safe Tennessee (MOSS TN) founders Holly Walker and Noelle Rasmussen to advocate for expanded access to the technology. The event highlighted what organizers described as an urgent need for improved emergency response tools in schools across the state.

During the last legislative session, Johnson and Gant sponsored a pilot program providing $48,000 in grant funding for select schools to test silent panic alarm systems. The participating schools included Christ’s Legacy Academy in Athens, Hollow Rock-Bruceton, Priest Lake Christian Academy in Antioch, Gibson County Special Schools, Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Knoxville and Franklin County Schools.

“Protecting our children must always come first,” Johnson said. “Equipping Tennessee schools with silent panic alarms gives our teachers and school staff the power to call for help instantly.”

Silent panic alarms are small wearable devices, often worn on lanyards, that alert emergency responders at the push of a button and share the location of the incident through geo-mapping technology. Advocates say the system enables a faster and more informed response when every second counts.

Representative Gant pointed to Georgia’s adoption of similar alarms following the Apalachee High School shooting, noting that the technology helped responders reach the scene in under two minutes. “Tennessee should do the same,” Gant said.

Rasmussen and Walker, both Williamson County mothers and co-founders of MOSS TN, established the coalition to ensure that all school staff have access to tools that can save lives. “Silent panic alarms are a simple, proven solution that can prevent tragedy,” Rasmussen said. “It’s time to make that investment and fully adopt Alyssa’s Law in Tennessee.”

MOSS TN and the two lawmakers are urging state leaders to prioritize funding for Alyssa’s Law in the upcoming legislative session. Based on current pilot data, equipping all of Tennessee’s approximately 2,400 public and private school campuses would require about $19.2 million in funding, or roughly $8,000 per campus.

“Schools should be a safe place where learning comes first,” Walker said. “With silent panic alarms, help is literally one push of a button away.”