Martin County Schools clarify lockdown vs. lockout, advise parents not to drive to campuses during incidents

Chief of Safety and Security Frank Frangela said Martin County School District parents should not drive to schools during a lockout or lockdown, because doing so can impede law enforcement response.

Frangela defined the terms used by the district: a "lockdown" means an emergency is on campus and students move to the safest spaces while law enforcement responds; a "lockout" means a law-enforcement incident is nearby, the campus is secured and nobody is allowed in or out until authorities clear the area.

The distinction matters because of how the district and police coordinate response and reunification. "If you hear the phrase lockdown, that means there's an emergency on campus," Frangela said. "If you hear the terminology lockout, doesn't mean that there's nothing going on, but it's not happening on our campuses." He added that if an incident on a nearby street moves toward a campus, the district can transition from lockout to lockdown.

Frangela said a recent, nearby incident prompted lockouts at three schools before winter break; law enforcement maintained a presence at each school. He told parents trying to come to campuses that doing so "is gonna stop law enforcement from getting there." The district's reunification plan calls for moving reunification off site and notifying parents where to pick up students after law enforcement secures the scene.

The district also highlighted tools and partnerships aimed at prevention and response. Frangela said each school has a threat assessment team and the district makes the Fortify FL app available to students and parents for anonymous tips. "If you hear something, say something," he said, adding the goal is to get students help, not to punish them.

Frangela credited a November millage referendum voters approved for allowing the district to add security staff and technology. "What the millage did for us is give us another SRO at each of our high schools as well as provide security or an SRO at our VPK programs," he said, calling the additional staffing and technology an important benefit.

The district plans to push updates through its public information offices and social media during incidents, Frangela said, but he cautioned parents not to rely solely on social posts for official instructions. "We're gonna get our messaging as quickly as possible," he said.

The district emphasized collaboration with local law enforcement agencies, including the Martin County Sheriff's Office and Stewart Police, in both day-to-day safety and incident response. Frangela closed by thanking the community for support and saying the system depends on families and neighbors reporting concerns early.

The district did not provide new statutory citations or a vote taken by the school board during this podcast; the millage renewal referenced was described as a voter-approved referendum in November (no ordinance or citation given).