Panic buttons worn by teachers during Wednesdays school shooting in Winder, Georgia, are being credited with likely saving lives after they were activated by staff amid the violence, triggering a lockdown and notifying first responders to the shooters exact location, authorities said.

The emergency alert system, implemented in Winder less than two weeks ago, includes wearable badges that were given to faculty at Apalachee High School, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said in a Thursday interview with NBC News .

Developed by the safety company Centegix, each badge features a small button that can trigger a schoolwide lockdown and alert first responders to a users location when pressed many times. For more minor incidents, users can request help from school administrators with fewer presses.