16
READY OR NOT?
OT?
PREPARING FOR THE UNSPEAKABLE
“In my head, I had always thought if anything ever
happened I would hide in the supply closet,” Ninth Grade
Center administrative assistant Michele Gilbert recalled.
During last year’s active shooter drill at her school,
she discovered her plan wouldn’t have worked out
so well. The door from the hallway, next to her hiding
spot, wasn’t locked. The intruder tried to come in that
exact door before Gilbert made it safely to the supply
closet. Even though it was a drill, she didn’t want to let
him in. “I’m pushing and shoving the door. I was using
my hands and my feet, but he was much bigger and
stronger than me and he shot me right then.”
Prior to the drill, Gilbert wasn’t nervous because she
“had a plan.” She knew she would run to the supply
closet, lock it and “be safe.” According to Gilbert, the
drill has changed things at the Ninth Grade Center. That
unlocked door near her hiding spot is now locked and
teachers are talking about the “what ifs” not only among
themselves, but with their students. The drills have
changed things at each of the R-III Schools through
increased employee awareness, conversations and
physical improvements where
necessary.
WHERE?
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s
WORKPLACE
37%
TAP
17%
Department and the local police departments conducted
active shooter drills at all twelve schools in the Lincoln
County R-III School District during the first three months
of school. The “reality” of the drill became more real with
each completed drill. As first semester went on and
drills continued, high school drama students portrayed
victims and employees didn’t line the hallways to watch
law enforcement’s response. They reacted themselves.
The principals of the schools scheduled later in the
first semester gave their employees a scenario. William
Cappel Elementary Principal Phil Brock instructed his
staff to go “exactly where you would be at 11:15 am on
a Tuesday.”
Superintendent Mark Penny believes the
y
simulations were as real as they could
be and are a necessary drill in this day
and age. “It’s a sensory overload. You
oad.
smell gun powder, fire alarms
s
are sounding, lights might be off
e
and you’re inhaling dust from
m
the ceiling because of the flash
sh
bangs. It’s as real as real can
get,” he said.
Penny believes the R-III
District is ahead of the game
e
when it comes to planning
for an intruder in the
schools. As of July 1, 2014, a
new state law (Senate Bill 75) mandates
5)
all school personnel shall participate in a
articipate
simulated active shooter drill.
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