New Florida law is providing more money for school safety resources

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — A new mapping tool could help first responders get into your child’s classroom quicker, in case of an emergency.

House Bill 301, signed into law, provides funding and mandates for school districts and law enforcement to integrate maps into their security software applications.

“What parents can take away from this is—every second counts,” David Rogers said. He is the Chief Marketing Officer for Raptor Technologies.

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Action News Jax first told you about Raptor ahead of the 2021-2022 school year. Many of our local counties already have the application, including Baker, Nassau, Duval, and Bradford. It helps Florida schools stay in compliance with ‘Alyssa’s Law’ enacted after the deadly Parkland shooting.

The app has what’s called a mobile panic button so teachers can alert first responders from their phones if there’s an emergency.

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Now, a new feature will map out school buildings and share the exact blue print with first responders.

“Everybody speaking the same language,” Rogers said. “When you have these maps and you’re able to get first responders to the right spot on the campus quickly that’s gonna reduce the time to respond to any type of emergency.”

It’s expected to start being implemented in 50 counties for the 2024-2025 school year.

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