On Jan. 10, senior Julia Choi was walking down the math hallway after her first block class when she noticed a change to the bathroom area: new sensors resembling smoke detectors were hanging on the wall next to the girls and boys 1300 bathroom.
“[The sensor] was flashing orange in the middle of the hallway,” Choi said. “I was like ‘Wow, what is that? What is it for?’ I went downstairs but it was [flashing yellow] in front of every bathroom. I was kind of [scared] to go into the bathroom because I was [thinking] ‘What if I trigger it without knowing?’”
In January 2025, Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) installed HALO vape sensors at multiple high schools, including Rock Ridge, with the goal of transforming school bathrooms into safer environments. The sensors are multi-functional, incorporating health, safety, and vape detection by tracking chemicals, temperature, motion, and noise.
At Rock Ridge, the sensors haven’t been calibrated by the HALO company yet, causing random yellow flashing and hypersensitive reactions to students entering and leaving the restrooms. Since the installation, confusion and rumors about the origin and function of the sensors have circulated among the student body.
“Every time we walk by [the sensors], people are always like, ‘Is that doing its job? What is it doing? What does it mean?’” senior Deetya Mudaka said.
To debunk the myth about the function and capability of the mysterious vape sensors, The Blaze reached out to Daniel Adams, the LCPS Public Information Officer. Adams believes the installation of the vape sensors is a positive step to bolster student safety.
“We’ve noticed that poor decisions have been made in the restrooms because there’s no camera,” Adams said. “One of the things that the school division wanted to look at is technology as a way to improve, or increase wellness and safety while at the same time respecting privacy.”
LCPS installed the HALO 3C Smart Sensor in the restrooms, which are connected to AXIS D4100-E Network Strobe Sirens in the hallways. When any triggers are detected, the HALO sensor lights up, and notifications are sent immediately to designated staff, alerting them on the type of situation; a signal also gets sent to the strobe siren, which starts flashing yellow to alert students and staff in the hallway outside of the bathroom.
These sensors can detect any type of vape, including nicotine, non-nicotine, marijuana (THC) based vape, as well as smoke. In addition to detecting atmospheric irregularities, the sensors also identify signs of student emergencies in restrooms through spoken keyword detection. Once the sensors are calibrated, a student facing health emergencies or other distress can say the keywords “Help! Emergency!” which would trigger an immediate alert to designated staff. Aggression and weapon noise with abnormal noise levels such as fights, screams, slamming doors, or gunshots would also call for a prompt response.
Another tool is the panic button, which students can press if they are in an emergency, immediately alerting staff. “One of the concerns was ‘What if the student goes into a restroom that was designed for one person and then has a medical emergency? How do we know [about it]?” Adams said. “That’s what the sensors will tell [us]; there’s a panic button if they can reach it.”
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