Oregon schools awarded $149,000 federal grant

Safety at the Oregon schools will be enhanced, thanks to a $149,000 federal grant aimed at improving emergency plans.

Oregon was one of fewer than 100 school districts nationwide to receive a Preparing Today for a Safer Tomorrow grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools.

Superintendent Tom Mahoney said 450 schools applied for the grant.

“To put it in perspective, there were only 96 awards given in the country, and Wisconsin had no schools who were given the award,” Mahoney said.

The grant will provide funds to improve school security by upgrading equipment and training staff members to deal with emergencies and crises.

“This is going to provide us with the additional resources so that we’re prepared to handle any of the unfortunate incidents that can occur in schools,” Mahoney said.

He said the district plans to upgrade the current intercom system, put new locks on older classroom doors, provide readiness kits — with flashlights, radios and first-aid kits — in every classroom, add walkie-talkies to allow building personnel to communicate with each other, and purchase crisis flip charts, motion detectors, and cameras.

Training will include emergency prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery, as well as how to deal with students’ grief after a crisis has occurred.

The project will be completed over the next two years, in cooperation with students, parents, city government, fire, police, emergency response agencies, public health department, mental health and social services, private preschools, and hospitals.