Doyle: Administration confident in safety of schools

Date: 1/10/2013

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

LONGMEADOW — In the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., that cost the lives of 26 people — 20 of them children — on Dec. 14, 2012, the Longmeadow School District and the Police and Fire departments released a joint statement reaffirming that the town's six schools are safe.

Superintendent Marie Doyle, Police Chief Robert Siano and Fire Chief Eric Madison recently met to discuss the district's emergency protocols, procedures and security systems and after that meeting, Doyle said they are "confident in the safety of our schools."

In addition to the tragedy at Sandy Hook, threats of violence at schools also hit closer to home days after when a bomb scare was called into Birchland Park Middle School in East Longmeadow on Dec. 19, 2012.

While no explosive device was found, the school was evacuated and searched by local and state law enforcement, school officials and Fire Department personnel.

Doyle said that for obvious reasons the district would not publicly outline all of their plans for different emergency situations, but said that those procedures are examined and practiced regularly.

"The reality is that the school system in Longmeadow has been very focused on school safety for over 10 years, and to that end I meet regularly with the administrative team, as well as our first responders, to develop and review our emergency policies and procedures," she said. "Further, our principals ensure that every teacher knows what to do in the event of various types of emergencies. Together with the Police and Fire departments, we stage drills and lockdowns to test our procedures and revise them accordingly."

In addition to educating teachers and staff on what to do in an emergency situation, the Police Department has taken steps to ensure its officers are fully prepared for any kind of crisis, Siano said, adding that this process was in place long before the Sandy Hook school shooting.

"The Longmeadow Police Department has trained our officers on the appropriate responses in a variety of crisis situations," he said. "We have walked the halls of our schools with Superintendent Doyle and her team to review the facilities and the security systems in place. And we have met with other school and town officials, including the Fire Department, to coordinate our responses. This has been an ongoing and sustained process, not initiated as a response to recent events, but rather as part of a regular safety review."

Madison added that his department has been focused on "ensuring a hand-in-glove coordinated response from all Longmeadow's public safety officials in the event of any emergency situation occurring in our schools."

Doyle urged any parents interested in learning more or those who have concerns about school security to contact her office at 565-4200, ext. 4012 or mdoyle@longmeadow.k12.ma.us.

"I would be happy to address such inquiries to the extent possible without compromising the safety of our schools," she said.