North to get equipment to improve emergency communications

GROSSE POINTE WOODS — Technology that will improve emergency communications is coming to Grosse Pointe North High School.

North will be getting a repeater, similar to the two repeaters that were installed at Grosse Pointe South High School in September 2023. The repeater allows for reliable radio and cellphone communication inside buildings where that’s not the case now.

Grosse Pointe Public School System Superintendent Andrea Tuttle told the Board of Education at a meeting Aug. 27 at Brownell Middle School that an emergency radio coverage test conducted by the Grosse Pointe Woods Public Safety Department found failures in multiple areas.

“We would like to expedite this … for the safety and security of our students,” Tuttle said.

The nonprofit Grosse Pointe Public Safety Foundation paid for the repeaters at South — at a cost of about $230,000 for both — and will be paying for the single repeater needed at North, at a cost of $125,000. Tuttle said Board President Sean Cotton made a donation to the GPPSF for this purchase.

“It’s been identified as a very critical need,” Cotton said.

The purchase had been slated to be voted on during a Sept. 10 board meeting, but because of the urgent need, Board member Lisa Papas moved for a vote of approval Aug. 27. The board voted unanimously in favor of the purchase.

Cotton recused himself from the vote because of his donation.

Tuttle said there have been no problems with the repeaters at South since their installation. In response to a question, she said police wouldn’t be monitoring classrooms or tapping into the school district’s system with this. She said the repeater would only “boost the signal” for first responders, so they can better relay information to one another from inside and outside the building.

“This is not a cellphone booster by any means,” said Chris Stanley, GPPSS executive director for learning technology and strategic relations.