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District staff schedules large active-shooter simulation at Bedford Junior High for Aug. 17
Summary
Bedford Public Schools staff said a large-scale active-shooter simulation will be held at Bedford Junior High on the morning of Aug. 17, closing the campus and postponing events until about 2 p.m.; multiple law-enforcement and emergency-response agencies will participate and volunteers will play victims to test new lockdown procedures.
Bedford Public Schools staff announced a large-scale active-shooter simulation will be held at Bedford Junior High on the morning of Aug. 17, and the campus will be closed that morning with events postponed until about 2:00 p.m., a district director said.
The director said the exercise, requested by Sheriff Goodenough, will include the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (including SWAT and technical teams), the Monroe County emergency operations department, Bedford Township fire, the Monroe County ambulance system, Dundee Police and Monroe City Police, and Life Flight if available. "When a school calls 911 and says we're in an active shooter situation, everyone comes," the director said, describing why a large-scale drill is needed.
The drill will be the district's first opportunity to test newly issued lockdown badges that trigger the county SOS call system and will lock the school's single unlocked door while announcements play over the public-address system, the director said. District staff said they are seeking volunteers from the high school level to act as victims, and some volunteers and staff will wear makeup to simulate injuries.
Organizers plan to run a separate scenario on the community stadium to test response at larger events and to examine how the district's four designated exits function under stress, the director said. The district has held five planning meetings and expects to hold one more tabletop exercise before the Aug. 17 event; staff said the district will post signs and issue notices through the media and the ParentSquare system to make clear the event is a simulation.
The district emphasized that the exercise is a training opportunity for first responders and district personnel and said it will notify the community ahead of time to avoid alarm. The school board adjourned after the update; staff said they will circulate the official announcement and details in advance of the simulation.
