Staff, Students Learn Lessons From Active School Shooter Training

An active shooting scenario last month at Watkins Memorial High School has given staff and students an idea of items they need to improve on if there was a real-life active shooting.

Watkins Memorial Principal Ben Richards said that he recently met with administrators and local law enforcement officials about the next steps in preparedness after the August training.

“When you hear that call go out over the police band of shots fired at Watkins Memorial High School, it’s a sobering feeling,” Richards said.

Richards said that it took six minutes for law enforcement to arrive, and experts said that was an acceptable response time.

After the call, students and staff were evacuated by bus.

“We do need to improve our communication with the bus drivers and how we’re able to communicate with them,” Richards said.

Richards also said that the paramedics were able to give teachers an in-service training about quickly treating gunshot wounds.

“In those moments between making that first phone call and the first responders arriving at the school, I think those are going to be the moments that we continue to talk about what can we do to keep our students safe,” Richards said.

Law enforcement officials said that when schools are faced with shooters, drills like the one at Watkins Memorial are the best way to minimize casualties.

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