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Ellis County prioritized four schools for 9‑1‑1 interior mapping under $2M state grant
Summary
Ellis County staff said four local schools — Hays High, Hays Middle (new location), Roosevelt Elementary and TMP Marion High — were initially approved for internal GIS mapping under a $2 million Kansas 9‑1‑1 Board grant to improve PSAP response information.
Chuck Ridgeway, the county communications director, briefed the commission on a Kansas 9‑1‑1 Board grant program that makes roughly $2 million available statewide for PSAPs to obtain internal GIS mapping of critical facilities. Ridgeway said the program prioritizes K‑12 schools and post‑secondary institutions and that internal floor plans and mapping tied to next‑generation 9‑1‑1 (including Z‑axis/floor data) can be delivered to dispatch screens to help guide first responders to the specific classroom or building area.
Ridgeway said Ellis County received initial approval for four local facilities in the first funding round: Hays High School (current location), Hays Middle School (new location), Roosevelt Elementary and TMP Marion High. He said he will meet with preapproved vendors this week to learn vendor options and clarified that continuous vendor services beyond the grant are optional and not required. Ridgeway recommended prioritizing schools for initial mapping, then government facilities and other mass‑gathering sites if further funds are available in future rounds.
Commissioners asked about per‑facility cost and Ridgeway said costs vary by facility and vendor; he expected more price guidance following vendor outreach and a state webinar for administrators.
The briefing was informational; no county matching funds or procurement decisions were made during the meeting.
