Identification of the Interviewee
The interview with Oak Hills High School’s principal, Travis Hunt, took place on 24 June 2020. I reached out to him through a Zoom meeting due to the insistence on social distancing.
Identification of Emergency Plan
In this interview, we discussed the emergency plan that the school has implemented in case of an active shooter. This plan covers the proactive measures that aim at reducing casualties from gun violence. Cases of the active shooter have resulted in the death and injury of students and school employees across the US. Thus, the emergency drills conducted in Oak Hills High School intend to prepare the students and staff to respond to an active shooter.
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Outline of the Emergency Plan for Active Shooter Drill
Alert
Once a school staff or student notices an intruder carrying a gun, he or she reaches out to the principal
At times, the staff and students may hear gunshots and inform each other about the aggressor
Lockdown
The school principal then advises the teachers that the school is on lockdown
He proceeds to describe the movement and the physical characteristics of the suspect so that the students and the staff can be aware
The person who noticed the intruder seeks assistance from law enforcement agents through the 911 emergency call
The staff and the students move to a safe place
Once in a secured room, they can lock the door using tables, chairs, or any visible barricade
If the room is lit, switch off the lights
The key is to ensure that the aggressor has no access to the room that both the staff and students are located
Everyone will then move to a secured location and remain quiet to avoid alerting the intruder
Inform
The student or the staff can inform the 911 correspondents about the location of the suspect, the physical traits, and the type of gun he or she is carrying
This call enables the police officers dispatched to the school to track down the suspect easily
Counter
The next step is to prepare how to respond to the suspect
If the aggressor is heading to a room that the students are located, then they can escape through the window
If there is no way to keep the aggressor from entering a room, the best action is to defend one’s self
Once in a secured location, the students or the staff will find the item that they can use to protect themselves
The action has to be coordinated to minimize the number of injuries or casualties
In case a person comes up with a plan, he or she should communicate to the rest of the members so that they can work together
At times, the students can distract the suspect putting him or her is a defensive position, disarm, and wait for the police officers
Evacuate
The next process is to disarm the intruder
No one must touch the gun as they can be confused for the aggressor
The students and the staff can then leave the room with hands up in the air and yell, “we are coming out!”
Review of the Interview
Questions
Do you conduct emergency drills in case of an active shooter?
Mr. Hunt: Yes, the school conducts these drills every year. We do not want to witness a predicament that befell Sandy Hook Elementary.
What does the process entail?
Mr. Hunt: The emergency plan involves alert, lockdown, inform, counter, and evacuate. Once anyone in the school in the school notices a suspect, they tell me, and I will then announce a lockdown. Then, the students and the staff will implement the learned practices that include seeking a hideout and protecting themselves from the suspect. Once in a secured location, one of the members can inform the 911 dispatchers about the aggressor’s position and physical traits. In case the aggressor finds his or her way into the students’ hideout, they can distract and disarm him or her awaiting the police as others evacuate the room.
How many times in a year do you carry out these drills?
Mr. Hunt: These drills take place four times a year.
Who are the key stakeholders involved in the planning process? What are their roles?
Mr. Hunt: Among the stakeholders are the Delhi and Green Township law enforcement agents, teachers, and student leaders. The police officers in charge of responding and arresting the aggressor while the teachers and student leaders guide the students to safe places during a lockdown.
Have you conducted any drill this year?
Mr. Hunt: No, this year, we have not conducted any drill since the spread of COVID-19 resulted in a temporary closure of the school. However, there are plans for doing them either later this year or next year, depending on when the school reopens.
Have the students and the staff been trained separately before the drill?
Mr. Hunt: Of course, our emergency drill is comprehensive. Students are taught about the communication procedures in case of an attack while teachers learn how to guide students.
Are the teachers equipped with the knowledge of handling students with special needs?
Mr. Hunt: Yes, the teachers understand the needs of the students that they are in charge of and are capable of assisting them during a drill.
Principal Travis Hunt consults with the teachers, student leaders, and law enforcement officers to ensure that the emergency drills are conducted successfully. Before the exercise takes place, all the stakeholders are informed about the event. During the training, a police officer carrying a gun plays the role of an active shooter. This strategy ensures that there are no accidents.
Moreover, Mr. Hunt communicates to the teachers and school staff through leaflets and notices. This move ensures that they are mentally and physically prepared for the planned emergency drill. Parents are also made aware of two weeks before the process to prepare their children while students learn about the exercise from the school’s notice boards.
The emergency drill policies are updated after three months. Each drill is unique to prepare the students for unusual events.
The school always complete the drills. All the stakeholders are involved in the process. At times, there can be injuries due to panics on the part of the students. However, most of the drills have been successful since the students’ responses have improved over the years per principal.
Personal Reflection
I was surprised to learn that Oak Hills High School conducts emergency drills four times a year, and in all of them, they involved law enforcement agents. It is impressive to see how the school takes the case of active shooters seriously. Another surprise was the proper communication between the school principal and parents before a drill; it showed the school’s concern for the welfare of the students.
However, I did not agree with the idea of having the students confront an aggressor. I believe that no matter how much the students have been prepared for such an event, they may not act rationally. As such, there can be casualties. Instead, the students should learn how to hide from the attacker. However, teachers can learn how to disarm an aggressor.
It is essential to have emergency crisis plans, especially in a school. Since accidents occur anytime, people need to learn how to respond to them. Emergency plans prepare people psychologically for an unforeseen event and equip them with the necessary tools and knowledge that can reduce possible injuries or death.
Companies should have an emergency response plan in case of cyber-attacks. Once an employee or anyone from the IT department notes a suspicious web activity, they should inform the supervisor who can authorize shutting down all the devices. Most companies do not have such an incident response plan, and they could be at risk of losing vital data. I also believe that companies should have an emergency preparedness plan in case of an infectious disease such as COVID-19. This plan will ensure that the employees are aware of the disease’s symptoms and how they can respond if one of the members is affected.
