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County staff seek grant for courthouse active‑shooter training and virtual panic buttons
Summary
HR director said a district court grant application could cover virtual panic buttons and an active‑shooter training day that would close the courthouse; the county risk pool pledged partial funding, and department coordination was requested.
Shelley Kietzman, Okanogan County HR director and risk manager, told the Board of Commissioners that a district court staff member submitted a grant application that may fund virtual panic buttons for courthouse staff and that the county has reserved the hearing room for an active‑shooter training day.
The matter matters because it touches courthouse security, staff safety training and potential use of county time and facilities. Kietzman said quick decisions on participation and coverage would be needed if the grant is awarded.
Kietzman said the district court’s Darla Schreckengast applied for grant money to cover virtual panic buttons and that a former Okanogan County sheriff’s deputy who is a certified trainer would provide the active‑shooter training. She said the training would include classroom instruction and that the courthouse would likely be closed for part of the day to conduct realistic exercises. She told commissioners the cost is “approximately $500” and that the county risk pool agreed to pay “for at least 500,” a statement that requires clarification on whether the figure refers to dollars per participant or another unit.
Kietzman said department heads and elected officials would be notified and that Jody Barkis was coordinating training logistics, including which offices and how many employees would participate. She also said she had sent the resolutions and the county ordinance that govern setting county hours to Barkis to help with coordination of a courthouse closure.
Commissioners asked that the notification be broad — to assistants as well as department heads — because assistants are often responsible for scheduling staff. No formal vote or commitment of county funds was made; commissioners said they wanted additional participation counts and final cost figures before any county funding decision.
