An Oklahoma City technology company donated COVID-19 prevention equipment to a local school.

The touchless sensor system is currently inside Special Care school in northwest Oklahoma City, but they plan to soon have the equipment outside the front doors.

The pandemic has changed the daily routine for the school’s special needs students. A teacher greets students at the front door and takes their temperatures.

“The kids would be really timid and hide behind their parents,” said Sefton Dean, teacher. “(They) didn’t really want to do it.”

Now that the school has touchless technology donated by Vox Audio Visual, students are excited to see their faces every day.

“This is a game changer,” said Dean.  

Staff members know in seconds if someone has a temperature or is not wearing a mask.

“We have to figure out a way until there’s a vaccine that works effectively to make it safe for our students,” said Jeff Bezdek, Vox Audio Visual president. “The idea behind this unit is to do a thermal reading of the kids coming in the building.”

Bezdek said the school for students with special needs is the first in Oklahoma City to use the cutting-edge technology.

They plan to move it outside as a first line of defense against COVID-19.

“They actually want to activate a feature where the doors will not open unless that person doesn’t have a temperature and is wearing a mask,” said Bezdek.

Bezdek said the sensor is not about forcing people to wear a mask inside the building.

“It’s not a political issue in that sense,” said Bezdek. “It’s just about keeping everyone safe.”

The touchless sensor costs more than $2,000 and can be used even after COVID. It has a feature that can record and recognize faces to keep track of who has been in the building.

To learn more about the technology visit openoklahomasafely.com