Desks, podiums and chalkboards are staples of every university classroom. And now, in many University of Pittsburgh rooms, so are panic buttons.
Red buttons jut out from the walls or podiums of nearly 400 classrooms on the Oakland campus. Above the button reads the words “panic button,” and next to it is a sign explaining its purpose.
That purpose is twofold: The button will lock the classroom door and alert police that there is an emergency when pressed.
University officials hope the buttons will bolster safety on campus.
“First and foremost, it notifies police that something is wrong,” Pitt Police Lt. Brad Kiefer said.
But even though the buttons are present in nearly 70% of classrooms and students have received university communication about them, numerous students last week didn’t know about the buttons or how they worked.
Here’s how the buttons can be used on campus:
During an emergency situation, students or faculty members can press the panic button. That will notify Pitt Police that there is an emergency or active threat situation.
Pressing the button will also automatically lock the classroom door if it has an electric lock. Doors without an electric lock must still be manually locked.
If a door is electrically locked, it is only locked from the outside. Those in the classroom can still exit the room.
In addition to pressing the button, Lt. Kiefer encouraged students to contact police to describe the nature of their emergency, if possible. Students can call Pitt Police by dialing 911 or 412-624-2121. They can also text police through the Rave Guardian app.
Pitt has uploaded a video to its YouTube page showing students how to use the buttons.
Where are the panic buttons?
Panic buttons are in 400 classrooms right now, but Pitt plans to install them in every classroom eventually, Lt. Kiefer said.
The buttons are typically located near the class podium or mounted to the wall near the door.
Has anyone used a panic button yet?
Thus far, the only activations have been accidental, Lt. Kiefer said. Those instances are still cleared by police response.
What if a student pushes a panic button as a prank?
Misuse of or tampering with a panic button is a violation of Pitt's policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Falsely pushing a panic button would result in similar consequences as falsely pulling a fire alarm, Lt. Kiefer said.
Did the shooting hoax last spring prompt Pitt to install the buttons?
No, Lt. Kiefer said. The university had already considered installing the buttons. Forty buttons were installed prior to May.
But the buttons could ease the worries of students still rattled by April’s shooting hoax, when Pitt Police responded to unfounded calls of an active shooter on campus. The hoax and police’s response to it prompted a “die-in” protest days later.
Do other schools employ panic buttons?
Panic buttons still aren’t widespread on K-12 and college campuses, but they are becoming more common. Lt. Kiefer said several other universities in the Atlantic Coast Conference have installed them.
Schools are introducing the buttons as they try to bolster their security amid threats of shootings. A week ago, a faculty member died after a shooting at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Two days earlier, campus police at Edward Waters University in Florida chased a gunman off campus. The gunman later shot three people in a Dollar General.
Some critics, however, are skeptical of the effectiveness of the buttons.
What other safety measures are on Pitt’s campus?
Since the spring, the university has ensured that every class door has a lock.
To contact police or set up a safety timer with friends and family, Pitt students can download the Rave Guardian app. Students can also watch safety tip videos that the university has uploaded on YouTube.
And, during a campus emergency situation, Pitt students will receive an emergency alert by phone or email.
First Published: September 11, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
Updated: September 12, 2023, 2:33 a.m.
