Panic button options for non-profit

[ThatITGuy]

I am putting this here, as it seems the best fit. I am trying to see if anyone has any suggestions on solutions for a "panic button". I have started volunteering at a non-profit and they have a need for some sort of system that can alert others in their small office to a potential violent aggressor at the front check-in counter.
The non-profit shares a building with other United Way based non-profits, and there is no other group using any solution (nor on-premise security). I will be sitting with them to nail down requirements, but I wanted to at least know what others have used in similar scale implementations, and been satisfied with.
I know security companies likely offer this as a service, but have no basis to know which is best value for the money. The DIY/off-the-shelf solutions also seem to be cost-prohibitive in my searches, but I feel like this could be one of those things like HDMI cables, where i can go to Best Buy/Walmart and spend $30-100, but someone pointing me to Monoprice gets me a just as good a cable for <$5.

 

[pendragon1]

 

[ThatITGuy]

filed under KISS. Also looking at phone apps that can send text alerts to everyone in office and then someone else can escalate (call police) from there if deemed necessary. Also scouring military surplus for real/working versions of: https://ronswansons.wordpress.com/tag/claymore/

 

[Straypuft]

Cant go wrong with a foot pedal, a quick search on a site I know of says their products give an audible click, so I wont link to that, So I would look around for a foot pedal that doesnt make any noises.

There should be pedals that can be assigned a key command like shift+alt+f12 or something that could be tied with software on the computer to send out a message automatically to other computers on the network.

 

[TheFlayedMan]

Keep a loaded 45 behind the counter?

 

[Kardonxt]

I would just tell them they need to contact a security company to handle this. Way too much liability involved.

Sure you could easily setup a little pi or something that sends out a mass text when a button is pressed, but what happens if something goes wrong and it doesn't work? Or what happens when it works fine, but someone still wants to blame you for not doing more resulting in a death of their so and so? Turns out defending yourself from frivolous lawsuits can still ruin your life.