The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has awarded  nearly $7 million to 80 school districts to help with the installation of emergency response systems. These new systems will decrease the time it takes for police and other first responders to arrive and react to incidents at schools.

The grants were the result of Senate Bill 5197, passed in 2013. The intent of the bill was to encourage school districts to develop new emergency response systems using “evolving technology.”

Districts had until March 17 to apply. The Bremerton School District received $24,760 and the Central Kitsap School District received $12,000 in grants.

“Student safety is a top priority,” State Superintendent Randy Dorn said. “We’ve all seen school tragedies play out across the country. While these projects won’t eliminate safety risks at our schools, they will help us be better prepared. Many of the emergency response systems funded by these grants are first-of-their-kind.”