HCSB mulls purchase of bus cameras

HOLMES COUNTY Â– A new upgrade to an old safety measure could be coming soon to 40 of Holmes County School DistrictÂ’s buses.

Discussion of new video surveillance equipment for the busses was chief among topics discussed when the Holmes County School District met in workshop Tuesday, April 13.  School Superintendent Buddy Brown says the proposed purchase from Dothan-based Angel Trax would mean the district would have access a system that can be viewed in real time and accessed from administration cell phones. The current system, although GPS capable, does not give exact locations for where buses are at any given moment, rather an approximate area.

The new system would make coordinates available in real time. Brown says this means in case of emergencies, the location of any given bus would be at administrationÂ’s fingertips. In areas where the cellular signal is not strong, the system will still continue to record the goings on.  

Brown says the added protection for the districtÂ’s children made the system Â“well worth” its $280,000 price tag, will be paid for with Consolidated Appropriations Act (CARES) 2 funds under the school safety portion of the act. 

“This is absolutely the more expensive of the security systems weÂ’ve considered, but it is worth it because we will have the best in the nation to help keep our students safe,” he said.

School board member will vote on the purchase of the system when they meet in regular session Monday, April 26. 

The Holmes County School Board will vote on this measure when they meet again in regular session at 6 pm on April 26.