A federal grant will pay for two airboats and a digital evidence management system for Washington County. The county board accepted the $963,000 grant at its Sept. 3 meeting.

The airboats will help improve the response during emergencies on the county’s 251 lakes. “Airboats give rescuers a secure and stable platform to navigate through unstable ice and wetland areas, granting access to remote locations,” a county news release stated.

The digital evidence management system will be cloud-based and allow the public safety agencies in the county to more efficiently store, analyze, and share digital evidence, “improving the communication and overall effectiveness of public safety operations throughout the community.”

The funding comes from the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs for the Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 2024 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program sponsored by Congresswoman Betty McCollum.