FREDERICK, Md. (AP) — Frederick County Public Schools has nearly finished installing panic buttons in all of its schools, to be activated if there is an emergency such as an intruder.

The Frederick News-Post reports (http://bit.ly/1XhaV52) that the button streamlines the process of notifying the school system’s central office of an emergency. The button can alert the central office at the same time a 911 call is made.

The cost of the buttons was mostly covered by a $15,000 grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency.

The buttons have been installed in 21 of 63 school buildings. School spokesman Clifton Cornwell says the school system hopes to have all of the alarms installed by the end of next week.

Eventually, the school system hopes to tie the button to schools’ public-address systems.

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Information from: The Frederick (Md.) News-Post, http://www.fredericknewspost.com