The above quote was the word-for-word response I got from the 2nd. In charge at an institution with about 120 adults, counting everyone from the door-person to the top-ranked Administrator.
Add in the children under their supervision on any given day, and we are talking close to a thousand in the building.
As I pitched the idea of my coming in to do a coaching/training session on Staff Preparedness and Practical Response in the event of an armed intruder.
I asked the assistant supervisor how prepared she thought her staff was, to cope with a REAL EMERGENCY in the building.
In context [and plain language], what if an intruder manages to breach the security area; is roaming somewhere, on one of the 3 floor levels?
Would staff members know HOW TO THINK and respond to guide and protect those in their charge?
It was at this point that the she told me about the one time they had a “training” some years ago.
The Trainer, she told me, wanted to see how supervisors and regular staff would respond to an “Intruder on premises” situation.
He simulated a situation and took on the role of the “bad guy” who managed to get past security, and was on the prowl, “somewhere” in the building. [Unfortunately, a frequent occurrence nowadays]
Long [horror] story short: Supervisors and staff she explained did poorly during the mock-attack.
Very poorly.
“We all died the first time”… she said.
Catch a breath and read that line again!
Truth is, I was not surprised.
Teachers, 90 percent of them (I would guess) are hard working (mostly women) and men. Their journey as educators usually takes them from high school, college and into the classroom.
The “X” number of Safety-drills: Fire,
Hard /Soft Lockdown] to meet the City/State mandated quota is just that.
Not surprisingly, the exercise to test the Teachers’ preparedness ended in total catastrophe!…. Remember it was just a test.
Were it a real situation, things would be worse… And what could be worse than “ we all died?”
Teddy Crawford
Right Foot First Initiatives
I’ve spent over a decade in law enforcement, seeing hundreds of crimes and talking directly to criminals about why they target certain victims. And now I’ve dedicated myself to bringing this message to the world, to
stand against the cycle of fear and violence by teaching self-awareness and confidence.