Cranbury, Montgomery, and Ewing schools to receive state funding for panic alarms

Gov. Phil Murphy has signed legislation that earmarks $5,150,531 from the “Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act” to provide grants for school security projects in 60 New Jersey school districts, including Cranbury, Montgomery, and Ewing.

The funding will be used to silent panic alarms to alert law enforcement during an emergency, as well as other school security upgrades.

“The safety and well-being of students and educators across our state is one of our top priorities. By investing in school security, we are also investing in healthy and safe learning environment,” Murphy said. “This funding will help many schools make necessary security enhancements to their facilities.”

The bill for the funding was sponsored by Assembly Democrats Roy Freiman, Angela McKnight, and Joe Danielsen. 

“Equipping our schools with panic alarms will help first responders come to the aid of students and staff more quickly in the event of an emergency. It’s sad that measures such as this are necessary,” the three said in a joint statement. “However, in these troubling times this is a prudent action to protect the well-being of our children.”

When New Jersey passed the ‘Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act,’ a portion of the approved $500 million in funding was dedicated for the purpose of enabling schools to install panic alarms. =

This funding will help bring New Jersey schools into compliance with Alyssa’s Law, which requires every public elementary and secondary school building to be equipped with at least one panic alarm or approved alternative that can alert first responders and law enforcement agencies in the event of an emergency.

Cranbury will receive $24,819 in funding. Ewing will receive $191,033. The Montgomery school district will receive $267,839. 

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Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.