The $21,169 grant will support the production of critical incident mapping data for first responders

The Whitewater Unified School District has been awarded a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) to fund the mapping of all district buildings, ensuring compliance with state mandates and bolstering the district’s security and emergency responsiveness.

Under the provisions of the 2017 Wisconsin Act 143 and 2021 Wisconsin Act 109, schools are eligible to apply for grant funding to cover the expenses associated with obtaining digital maps of buildings required by the Office of School Safety (OSS), a division of the DOJ. These maps must include site-specific data, such as building numbers, floor identifiers, room numbers, and other features, to serve as resources for first responders in case of critical incidents.

The district will receive the $21,169 grant to fund the production of the required critical incident mapping data for the OSS.

“We appreciate the Whitewater Police Department’s role in advocating for the critical incident map grant. Additionally, we want to thank John Houwers, Director of Technology, who contributed tremendously to the completion of this process,” said Dr. Caroline Pate-Hefty, Superintendent, “Access to digital maps will significantly improve our district’s security measures and aid first responders in emergencies. We are appreciative of this grant opportunity and the benefits it will offer to WUSD’s existing safety plan.”

Public, private, and tribal schools may apply for up to $5,000 in WI Act 109 grant funding per building, with a district limit of $200,000. These funds must be used for site-specific critical incident mapping data to improve security and increase situational awareness for first responders.

To learn more about Act 143, Act 109, and the DOJ School Safety Grants, visit www.doj.state.wi.us/office-school-safety/school-safety-grants.

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by the Whitewater Unified School District.