Norwalk officer: phones on students can slow emergency response; recommends no phones during lockdowns
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Summary
Sergeant Brian Hamm told attendees that phones carried by students during emergency lockdowns can cause mass calls, traffic congestion and delays for emergency responders, and said schools should avoid having phones on students during crisis events.
Sergeant Brian Hamm, the school resource officer supervisor with Norwalk Public Police, urged families to keep phones off students during lockdowns and similar emergency events.
"Having the phone on you during any type of crisis event would be a problem," Hamm said. He explained that when one parent receives information they often call or drive to the school, creating large congregations of cars that have in real cases blocked access for emergency personnel. "They had a hard time getting emergency service personnel in towards the school because the road was packed with cars," he said, arguing that mass calls and movements can create additional risk and slow responders.
Hamm acknowledged that enforcement can be difficult but said education about the dangers of multitasking and distraction is essential and that, where necessary, officers will issue warnings or citations to correct unsafe behaviors. He emphasized that noise from phones during a lockdown — and the secondary effects of parents rushing to schools — can interfere with ingress for fire, EMS or police.
His recommendation at the panel was clear: reduce or eliminate students' phones during crisis events to avoid creating obstacles for emergency response teams. Panelists said this guidance should be considered alongside district logistics for communication during emergencies and clarified that lockdown procedures also limit parental physical access to campuses.