Statewide School Security Initiative to Collect and Digitize School Building Blueprints and Make Them Available to First Responders

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Paramus NJ,  Governor Phil Murphy visited East Brook Middle School today to announce a $6.5 million investment in American Rescue Plan funds toward a statewide school security initiative to collect and digitize school building blueprints and make them available to first responders. Accurate and uniform maps are critical to enable law enforcement personnel to swiftly respond to emergencies in unfamiliar environments.

Currently, New Jersey first responders have access to Collaborative Response Graphics (CRG) for approximately 1,500 of the state’s 3,000 public and private schools. The initiative unveiled by Governor Murphy today will help the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) and the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) map the remaining 1,500 schools in an effort to further safeguard New Jersey students and educators. Governor Phil Murphy said, “In order to protect our children and educators, we must equip our first responders with the most up-to-date 21st-century technology so that they can respond to emergencies without unnecessary delay.”

“School building floor plans play an important role in how quickly and effectively law enforcement can respond to emergencies, and protect the lives of our children and educators,” said Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “By investing in digital blueprint mapping software for every K-12 school in New Jersey, both law enforcement and school administrators will have the information they need to act swiftly and with precision.”

“Preparation is fundamental to our mission and our work at NJOHSP,” said NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran.

“The New Jersey State Police has more than 100 schools in State Police patrolled areas where we have a consistent uniformed presence to ensure the safety of students and staff,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Ensuring that our children and school personnel are safe will always be an important part of our ongoing mission, and this new initiative will undoubtedly assist law enforcement during emergent times by affording first responders the resources to work quickly and more efficiently.”

Senator Joseph Lagana said . “Access to digital floor plans, will better prepare local law enforcement and first responders in the case of any emergency situation. I would like to thank the Governor for pushing this initiative forward and better ensuring the safety and security of our State’s students.”

“Establishing a common operating picture during a potential threat environment scenario is critical for emergency response personnel to do their jobs in the most swift and effective manner possible,” said Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco. 

The NJOHSP and NJSP to contract with an outside vendor to assist with mapping. Once the schematics for every school building are collected, local law enforcement personnel will conduct annual walkthroughs of each building to ensure the mapping data is accurate and up-to-date.