(VINCENNES) – Hoosiers can now purchase a newly redesigned First Responder license plate.
The design, which prominently recognizes the importance of public safety officials in “Saving Lives,” was created by Vincennes University student Dartanyan “Dart” Abney of Walton, Indiana. Abney is a 2016 graduate of Lewis Cass High School and is majoring in Occupational Graphic Design at VU.
According to Vincennes University officials the design and selection process began in Spring 2018 when Brian Langley, executive director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, spoke with Lou Caprino, chair of VU’s Homeland Security program, to see if VU students would be interested in designing an Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles license plate to honor and recognize Indiana’s first responder community.
Abney submitted several different designs, finding inspiration in the fact that divisions of first responders are represented by specific colors.
According to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, revenue from First Responder license plate sales will fund the IDHS Foundation. One of the first of its kind in the nation, the Foundation offers financial support for critical public safety needs across Indiana. Information is available at https://www.in.gov/dhs/2363.htm.
About the Indiana Department of Homeland Security Foundation
The Foundation funds public safety projects at the local level. Local public safety organizations are eligible to apply for projects such as equipping emergency responders with personal protective equipment, acquiring equipment for use by emergency responders, and training for emergency responders.
In order to promote the importance of careers in public safety, the Foundation recently established the Secure Indiana Scholarship Program for Indiana residents. Eligible applicants are students interested in pursuing a higher education degree and volunteer with a local public safety organization. Hoosier Safety Scholarships at $2,000 for full-time students and $1,000 for part-time students can be awarded to applicants enrolled in an accredited Indiana college.
