Virginia schools to digitize maps in case of emergencies

VIRGINIA – Governor Glenn Youngkin desires dad and mom to really feel secure when kids are in faculties.

The governor signed a invoice that requires districts to ship digital blueprints to first responders in case there’s an emergency.

For the reason that legislation has handed, 1,000 faculties and 85 divisions are within the digital mapping program.

“Its all the time good to have a digital map and a plan in place,” Grayson County Colleges Superintendent Kelly Wilmore stated.

Wilmore stated preserving kids secure is a prime precedence.

“You’ll be able to by no means be secure sufficient, by no means sufficient for the kids,” he stated.

For Wilmore, it is smart to have a blueprint to assist first responders in case of an emergency.

Wilmore stated Grayson County faculties have doorways labeled.

“Once they got here out with the federal blueprint it was just about required to have your doorways numbered in faculties and a part of the blueprint was it confirmed the place every door was,” Wilmore stated.

Governor Youngkin stated it’s essential first responders know how one can entry faculties in dire conditions.

“Dad and mom ought to really feel like their kids will come dwelling,” Youngkin stated.

It’s why Governor Youngkin signed Home Invoice 741 which offers $6.5 million in state funding to assist college districts provide you with digital floorplans for faculties.

For the reason that governor signed the legislation, $3.3 million has been accredited for faculties to have them digitally mapped.

The digital maps are used to assist first responders.

“I used to be happy with that laws we are able to’t cease right here we obtained to maintain shifting to verify our faculties are secure,” Youngkin stated.

Pittsylvania County Colleges Superintendent Mark Jones Superintendent stated the purpose is to eradicate the center man.

The district is finalizing a deal final yr with a vendor to digitize college maps for legislation enforcement to make use of.

“This permits a deputy to actually have a fast image of what the varsity seems like,” Jones stated.