Accomack County School Board moves forward on installing vape detectors

At their work session Tuesday night, the Accomack County School Board voted to move forward with a plan to install vape sensors in the restrooms of Chincoteague, Arcadia, and Nandua High Schools.

The sensors will monitor the air in the restrooms and are capable of detecting vape, tobacco, and marijuana smoke.

In addition to detecting smoke, the sensors can also be programmed to identify other incidents, such as fights, gunshots, carbon monoxide, and the occupancy levels of the restrooms. If a trigger is detected, an alarm will be sent to the principal’s office to allow for an appropriate response. The sensors are tamper-proof and can detect attempts to mask odors with air fresheners or other aerosols.

The Board voted 8-1 to instruct Bobby Bennett to proceed with the project. While no specific target date for implementation has been set, Bennett mentioned that he is favorably considering the Halo system for the installation.