School Shooting Drills: Are they approriete?

**AJE** · 06-08-2007, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Mock School Shooting and Rescue Drill
Channel 23 News
RocktonReporter: Brad Broders
May 29, 2007

For Stephen Mack students, Saturday was anything but a normal day at school. Instead of hitting the books, the kids hit the floor, participants of a mock shooting drill. The drill was filled with gunshots and alarms that for some seemed almost too real.

"I was over in the steps and a guy came over with a gun and he shot the gun and I was kind of near him, but other than that it was pretty ok," Chelsea DeMarv said.

Rockton police used the drill as a chance to complete training for rapid deployment. They and other agencies worked the hallways to find a shooter, and then rescue injured bodies. Teamwork and quick decision making were essential.

"The reality of it is there's not that many of us out there all at one time, so we rely on the agencies very heavily, so it's good to train that way too," Rockton Police Chief Steve Dickson said.

Students say after being in the heart of danger they now feel safer in their own building."

Yeah, because if it ever happened again they'd be ready because the officers would show them what to do, and the officers are better too," Josh Erwin said.

"I feel a lot better about it because now I know what to do in a situation either when I get to high school or college," Alex Curry said.

Five years after the Columbine high school shootings, students and police say while a real shooting here locally is unlikely, they hope the drill proves you can never be prepared enough."

I don't know, maybe it could happen, but if it ever did happen all the people who are here today would be much more prepared and we could help out the people around us," DeMarv said.

This is the first year the Rockton Police Department has done such a school shooting drill at Stephen Mack and Hononegah High School. Officers plan to carry out similar drills at other area schools in the future.

http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/1206796.html

Based on School violence I think having staged drills is an excellent idea toward keeping our schools safer. The students will at least have an idea what should and shouldn't be done if an event would arise. Sessions would teach the staff and students necessary first aid, evacuation procedures and even how to attack the shooter. I personally think drills should be done twice a year as fire or severe weather. What do you think?

Bukmastr · 06-08-2007, 05:13 PM

I agree that crisis training is important, but worry that the drills may glorify the event for some, or give them ideas. Have you ever seen a news show, that shows how certain crimanals have found a way to scam you? Sometimes these news shows educate you on how to prevent it from happening to you, but they also train 100's of additional crooks.
In the same manner, they could be teaching troubled kids how the police, administrators, and victoms will react.
I am not saying the mock drills are a bad thing. I am just pondering some potential for a backfire.

**AJE** · 08-14-2007, 01:04 PM

Police Prepare for Virginia Tech-Style Crisis
University of Wisconsin Green Bay
Aug 14, 2007
By Jason Zimmerman
WBAY News

Police enacted a mock crisis at U.W.-Green Bay Monday to practice emergency response in the event of a campus disaster.

The exercise is part of an effort to improve security at UWGB following the Virginia Tech shootings last April which left 32 students and faculty members dead.

http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=6927734

**keith** · 08-19-2007, 09:21 PM

It's not so easy being a kid. Should be carefree and this sounds anything but carefree.

Then again, beats having everyone practicing getting under their desk and covering their eyes in case of a nuke.

Or does it?

Perhaps the awareness is good - not only on the part of law enforcement and rescue personnel, but to make the kids aware and hopefully alert. An ounce of prevention being worth a thousand pounds of cure in a case like this.

Regards,
Keith

she · 08-20-2007, 07:48 PM

I really don't know how I would feel about a drill like this at my kids school, I realise the world has changed..but to be honest it did really bother me that when my son was in the first grade, he came home from school one day, telling me about how they had a lockdown drill.

Back when I was in school, the only thing we really had to do for drills were tornadoes and fires..
But like I said, the world has changed

pk · 08-20-2007, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Then again, beats having everyone practicing getting under their desk and covering their eyes in case of a nuke.

Yes I remember the days when we use to have to hide under our desks and cover our eyes. It was very scarey in many ways but yet I think it gave us all a little security knowing we were armed with the knowledge of what was expected of us in case of an emergency. Knowledge is the best defense in many situations.

If a gunman came into your child's school wouldn't you like to know the whole class as well as the teacher had training as to what to do? We can all 'hide our eyes' and hope that we can spare our children that the world has gone crazy, or we can make sure we do everything possible to give them a chance to survive if the time ever happened.

Just my thoughts.

pk

she · 08-20-2007, 09:23 PM

Wasn't sure if it was directed at me, but of course I want to know my child is protected, or as much as they can..
It just says alot about the world we live, I feel sorry that my son has to do this at school, it's not that I don't want them to have to go through it, since you can't keep your kids safe forever, it would be nice if we could just keep them in a bubble, but it's not realistic.
It's just a shame that they have more things to fear or be trained for just to go and be at school.

pk · 08-20-2007, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Wasn't sure if it was directed at me,

... NO...not directed at any one actual person. The question was, What do you thinK? And I was just giving my thoughts at really no one in particular. Sorry I just re read my post and guess I sounded a bit grouchy but the subject I guess makes me that way.

I would love for my kids to go to a safe school where they did not have to hide under desks, or duck from bullets, or fear the gangs, or worry about drugs, or all the other 'stuff' that is out there. But I am soo sorry that this world doesn't offer that safe place for our kids anymore. And I guess as a parent that really makes me feel so bad that kids have to grow up so quickly. So instead of learning a new game on the playground and laughing and having fun they have to learn about bad people and how they can get hurt.

The first time my daughter came home from middle school and told me the whole school was locked down because of a gang problem at a near by school I wanted to freak.

So if I sound aggressive I guess I am, because we learn to be that way for our children. Sorry I came across that way though. ..

pk

**CarolsCritterCare** · 08-22-2007, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJE

Based on School violence I think having staged drills is an excellent idea toward keeping our schools safer. The students will at least have an idea what should and shouldn't be done if an event would arise. Sessions would teach the staff and students necessary first aid, evacuation procedures and even how to attack the shooter. I personally think drills should be done twice a year as fire or severe weather. What do you think?

I would have to agree. The kids need to know what to do if the situation arises...........what to do and what not to do is real important.

Carol