Baton Rouge school employs next-gen weapons detection system

AUSTIN, Texas – As shootings and other forms of violence continue to rise within the American education system, some have stepped up to provide security and safety in the interest of student welfare.

One such group is Athena Security, which most recently deployed its Athena Security Weapons Detection System at Hosanna Christian Academy in Baton Rouge, La. Athena Security’s frictionless detection systems have a slim footprint for screening people as they enter buildings. That, Athena Security says, allows for traffic to continue to flow as normal without delay for students and faculty.  

 Athena Security stated that older children and adults are the primary focus of detection on campus, which is surrounded by a six-foot chain link fence with two feet of barbed wire attached to it and all walk/traffic gates. Visitors and occupants access the campus through a single point of entrance at the school’s office. Using a combination of metal detection and other sensors the system can grasp the type, shape, and size of metal in transit to detect potential threats. Athena security assures that the system can spot the difference between innocuous items like keys, phones, and metal water bottles, and more dangerous contraband.

 “We wanted a system that passed the government standard for weapons detection software to help our operations, and Athena was it,” said school Executive Director Russell Marino. “Athena was also very helpful in getting the system set up and our staff trained on the supporting software.”

When leaders at Hosanna Christian Academy started their search for a new safety system they were looking for something with a high level of threat detection that wouldn’t make students feel like they were entering a high-risk or dangerous area. They believe they’ve found that solution in Athena Security.

“Parent feedback has been overwhelmingly supportive,” said Marino. “This is not your grandma’s metal detector. Parents like the system’s low profile, but more importantly they like that it’s a proactive solution to create a safe, friendly learning environment for their kids.” 

As of October, there have been at least 257 school shootings on campuses this year, making it the worst on record. For more information on the Athena Security Weapons Detection System please visit www.athena-security.com/weapons-detection.