Collaboration with NE BOCES results in grant for several local school districts

The Akron R-1, Frenchman RE-3, Haxtun Re-2J, Wray RD-2 and Yuma-1 school districts, in collaboration with the Northeast BOCES, received the School Access for Emergency Response grant, referred to as the SAFER grant from the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The grant in the amount of $854,882 is a one-year project and furthers the ability of the school(s) to bridge their local radios with that of their emergency responder community and district-wide safety teams and other staff. Funding for the grant program was created by the Colorado State Legislature’s SB18-158.

Motorola Solutions, a partner in the grant, has developed a two-way radio emergency communications solution with unique school-based interoperability equipment to allow schools, the district, and local emergency responder agencies to use two-way radio to communicate, when needed, to manage a school-based emergency or crisis event. School staff are often the first on-scene when an emergency event unfolds. This provides the opportunity for school staff to immediately work with community public safety agencies as they respond to the event. When interoperable communication is not needed, the district’s radio system will operate independently from public safety radio.

The grant work includes robust training and exercise programs based on the tenets of the National Incident Management System framework using school specific crisis scenarios customized to meet the needs of each school district. SchoolSAFE Communications has developed the Certified Ready Program to clearly define and measure the outcomes of the grant work in five major areas: radio infrastructure, SchoolSAFE physical network, school safety team, training and exercise program and a sustainability plan.

Public safety agencies are valuable community partners which school districts rely upon for school safety. As part of the grant application process, various agencies including local law enforcement, fire departments, ambulance and emergency medical services were contacted to establish a memorandum of understanding regarding interoperable communications.

Four other northeast Colorado school districts, and Northeast BOCES, were recipients of SAFER Grant funds during the 2021-22 school year, specifically, Holyoke Re-1J, Lone Star #101, Otis R-3 and Plateau Re-5. Northeast BOCES located in Haxtun is the fiscal agent for the grant.

For questions regarding the article or the SAFER grant, please contact Tamara Durbin, Executive Director, Northeast BOCES at (970) 521-2771, ext. 1222 or [email protected].