After being briefly discussed at the Jan. 8 Oxford Board of Education meeting, PrePlanLive’s emergency preparedness tools in the district were put on full display at the Jan. 22 meeting.

Dan Flanders, PrePlanLive’s founder and CEO, presented to the board. Flanders developed the PrePlanLive software after serving as a first-responder in several ways throughout his professional career. He is also an Oxford parent with two kids enrolled at Clear Lake Elementary.

According to Sam Barna, the district’s assistant superintendent of business operations, the schools have been working with PrePlanLive for about the past year to develop interactive 3D maps of every school building in the district that would be of use during an emergency such as an active-shooter situation. All of the services provided so far have been done free of charge.

Flanders showcased 3D mapping by presenting the board with the map he created depicting Danial Axford Elementary. He took them through the high-definition halls and into the classrooms.

“You can walk the whole school,” he said.

These maps would be given to key personnel like police officers and Superintendent Tim Throne during an emergency. These key people would be able to see inside classrooms, see lockdown procedures the students and their teachers would be taking, look at which entrance might be best to use and view live security footage from every camera in the building.

“Information is powerful,” Flanders said. “Information translates into efficiency. Efficiency translates into improved outcomes, and that’s what we’ve done here.”

As Board Vice President Dan D’Alessandro later pointed out, the live footage could be powerful indeed in the event of an active-shooter, allowing first responders to “track he or she as they move through the building.”

After concerns being brought up by Trustee Mary Hanser, Flanders assured the board that his software would still work in the event of an internet outage and would cling to the nearest cellphone tower.

For these 3D maps, Flanders said Oxford is, as far as he knows, a pioneer.

“This is (probably) the first district in the country that has every building in the school district 3D-mapped,” he said.

Flanders recommended the district purchase his “Best in Class” kits that he and his team “believe should be in every classroom in America.” The kits come in a transparent bag and (are equipped with) first aid items and a panic button. Flanders said the bag would be useful to teachers if a serious injury occurred during an ongoing incident.

“The first person to witness that event is the first responder… you have to have these medical kits,” he said.

The panic button was the star of the presentation. When pressed, it would immediately alert first responders and school officials that something was wrong.

The button would also let first responders know the presser’s location within the building and what zone of security cameras they’re under.

Barna said the district is looking at purchasing the kits, which Flanders called “very affordable” and of “worthy cost.” To purchase them, Barna is looking to apply to a state-distributed safety grant.

“This buys you time, Barna said. “This enables you to distribute an emergency response to those that need to know… If you can save seconds, that’s saving potential lives.”

The board members were receptive of the new program, with nearly every trustee having positive things to say at the meeting’s end.

“From my perspective, this fits into everything a district could ask for with the technology today,” D’Alessandro said.

The board will meet again on Feb. 12 at Oxford High School. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m.