COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina emergency responders are set to have a new tool at their disposal when responding to incidents at schools around the state.

The South Carolina Department of Education announced on Thursday that it had partnered with Critical Response Group (CRG) to create and deploy "digital safety maps" for every public school in the state.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said the system will be a "game changer."

"In a critical incident seconds could be the difference between life or death. This program could save lives,” he said.

The state said that the technology will provide law enforcement and emergency responders with digital maps of every school that allow them to quickly navigate the buildings.

The maps, which will be only provided to law enforcement and emerg

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