Case Study: Virginia Minnesota Public Schools achieves faster emergency response and real-time student tracking with CrisisGo

How Virginia Minnesota Public Schools is combining CrisisGo and FirstNet to create an optimal emergency response

Virginia Minnesota Public Schools (ISD 706) needed a dependable emergency communications backbone to handle lockdowns, alerts, digital access to response plans, and real-time student accounting across campuses and a bus fleet that doubles as a city/hospital evacuation resource. To address unreliable cellular service during high-traffic events and to streamline first-responder coordination, the district chose the CrisisGo platform (listed in the FirstNet App Catalog) as its primary crisis management system beginning in 2018.

CrisisGo was implemented to deliver situation-specific digital plans, instant alerts that notify first responders, and a real-time digital roster for student check-ins, while integrating with FirstNet to ensure connectivity and Priority 1 escalation for designated devices. The CrisisGo solution accelerated response workflows—automatically notifying fire, police, and 911 with tailored checklists, enabling FirstNet priority for critical phones, and maintaining communications during network saturation—resulting in faster notifications, improved accountability, and more reliable coordination during emergencies.

Virginia Minnesota Public Schools

Bill Bryson III

Technology Director