Anaheim high school unveils new technology designed to help first-responders

ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- Administrators at Anaheim High School unveiled a new digital-campus mapping system designed to help keep more than 3,000 students safe.

AHS is the first school in the nation to install the technology.

"This is a day and age that we're living in, and these things seem to be happening more and more, what are we doing? How are we preparing ourselves?" said Robert Saldivar, principal of the school.

With recent school shootings in mind, the Anaheim Union High School District invested $25,000 in the digital mapping service. The program was created by David Sobel, a former police officer.

For the past 10 years, he's been perfecting the method that's used. Basically, it creates a virtual tour of every nook and cranny of the school.

"Between 15,000 and 16,000 individual images that get stitched together to create these high-resolution 360-degree by 360-degree images," Sobel said.

He worked directly with the Anaheim Police Department to ensure it gave them the information they needed. In an active shooter situation, officers could access the digital maps to see exactly what they might be walking into, including layouts of classrooms, the hinges on the door, the types of doors and entry and exit points.

"This product is a game-changing situation for the officer who arrives, basically taking the blindfold off for a lack of a better term," said Mark Cyprien, Anaheim police acting deputy chief.

The mapping has also being done at the North Orange Continuing Education Campus, which serves more than 10,000 students. The ultimate goal remains the same: keep students safe.

"Really, it's endless where this can be used, we chose to start with schools, but it's endless where this can be used," Sobel said.