Safety training at schools ongoing

LIHUE — The Hawaii Department of Education says that in Hawaii, active shooter drills are conducted in partnership with county police departments.

“All schools and state offices have emergency plans and staff practice required drills annually,” said Lindsay Chambers, media specialist with the DOE. “Plans are reviewed and updated based on recommended improvements. Drills, which include first responders, are routinely evaluated to improve readiness.”

On Kauai, the last active shooter drill was held at Waimea High School on Dec. 21. It was inspired by a risk assessment study of Kauai’s schools called Project Guardian, completed by the Kauai Police Department.

“The exercise at Waimea High School was the first step of many towards keeping our children safe,” said KPD Police Chief Darryl Perry, in a news release issued after the event in late December.

KPD’s recommended changes included certified training for staff; reviewing and updating policies and procedures; lockdown drills; security staff; physical deterrents such as deadbolt locks and protective barriers; security cameras; and improving building identification and maps.

“It is important for families to know that the Kauai Police Department and the Department of Education here on Kauai are committed to protecting our children from harm,” Perry said in the news release.

For students and parents who have concerns about school safety, Chambers said administrators, teachers and school counselors are available for them to talk to.

“If they’re concerned about a potential threat, we urge them to call law enforcement immediately,” Chambers said.

At Kauai Community College, the last active shooter drill was held in June. According to Jim Hollingsworth, public safety manager and chief of security, the school will start preparing for another drill in a couple of months.

“At the end of the day, we want to have a safe environment for our staff, students and faculty,” he said.

During the exercise, Hollingsworth said, three simulated shooters showed up on campus, shooting blanks, who were eventually apprehended by KPD officers.

Some of the classrooms were evacuated in the training, he said, but most of the classrooms were placed on lockdown so students could shelter in place.

Colleges, he said, are mandated by the Clery Act to meet federal safety standards on campus. Currently, there’s ongoing training for a select group of staff members who make up the Campus Crisis Management Team.

Because of the mandate, he said, the exercise must be completed on an annual basis.

Resources for active shooter preparedness can be found on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s website at www.training.fema.gov, and on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website at www.dhs.gov.

Kauai School District Superintendent Bill Arakaki did not return calls for comment in time for this article.