Central Florida schools focused on safety in wake of deadly Georgia high school mass shooting

ORLANDO, Fla. — Local school leaders are renewing a focus on security after a deadly mass shooting Thursday at a Georgia high school.

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Officials said Florida has actually become a leader in school safety thanks to a number of security upgrades.

School districts across Central Florida have stepped up safety measures to make sure students are safe whenever they are on campus.

TIMELINE: 4 killed, 9 injured in mass shooting at Georgia high school, police says

The main focus is to help prevent outside dangers from getting in.

Some measures include adding more cameras to buildings inside and out, keeping trained, armed resource officers on campus and training faculty for situations that put students in harm’s way.

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Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Maria Vazquez said a metal detector pilot program is a step towards keeping weapons off campus.

“I can tell you that as a superintendent and as a mom and grandmother, I believe we do have the safest schools in the country,” Vazquez said.

Watch: Central Florida schools increase security measures to help keep students safe

Lake County schools have also started a pilot program around a handheld device.

At the touch of a panic button, it connects teachers and staff directly to law enforcement, activates nearby security cameras, and officers can view live footage from the school and coordinate a rapid response.

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