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AMSTERDAM, NY—Congressman Paul D. Tonko is announcing today that the Town of Guilderland is being awarded $345,994 to improve emergency response radio technology throughout the Guilderland school district in order to expedite coordination with first responder services including law enforcement, EMS and firefighters. The award—which Tonko pushed for in a letter to the awarding agency—is being administered by the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office.

“While this school year has already presented greater challenges than any before it, we must remain vigilant and continue working to ensure the safety of our Capital Region students, teachers and staff,” Congressman Tonko said. “Strengthening emergency coordination resources at our local schools will improve the speed and responsiveness of our dedicated first responders to be where we need them at a moment’s notice. I am delighted that we were able to secure this funding that will help protect our schools and ensure a safe learning environment for our children. I will continue working to ensure that our most vital educational institutions have the tools and resources they need to remain safe places to work and learn.”

This award is part of the COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) which announced 160 awards totaling $50 million to be provided for school safety across the nation. SVPP provides up to 75 percent of funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds.

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