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Logan County Safe School Task Force—a plan in action [FEB. 24, 2000] No one wants to think about it. No one wants to talk about it without knocking on wood or whispering a prayer that it will never happen. There is no doubt that the families and students in Littleton, Colo., never expected the horrifying, unthinkable crisis that they found themselves swept into in April of 1999, when two young men murdered and injured fellow students and teachers before killing themselves. We stare at the unwelcome reality that it does happen, and that we must think and talk about it. It’s a very scary "what if."
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At the start of the 1999-2000 school year, Dan Fulscher, director of the Logan County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA), received a call from Lincoln High School Superintendent, Fred Plese about initiating some kind of emergency/crisis plan, beyond the school’s own, involving all available agencies in the community. Three meetings and six months later, the result of that call is the "Logan County Safe School Task Force." The main function of the Safe School Task Force is to define and outline the objectives and responsibilities of each emergency response agency that would be involved in a school crisis situation. Some of the local agencies are the obvious ones such as the police, fire and rescue crews and emergency medical services. Others include Logan Mason Mental Health, the Logan County Health Department, Sangamon Valley Red Cross, and Logan County Salvation Army. Each agency serves cooperative and individual functions, from counseling to feeding and sheltering.
[Dan
Fulscher, ESDA Director on the left . On Wednesday, Feb. 23, the newly formed task force held their third meeting at the Logan County Safety Complex. Patrick Keane from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency led a tabletop exercise in which a school shooting scenario was presented. "Shots fired at Lincoln High School," Keane began. The group then walked through the proper chain of response and notifications. It was evident that the two most important keys in that type of crisis setting would be continual situation assessments and communication among the agencies involved. The scenario continued starting with school administrators reaching 9-1-1 emergency services and the Lincoln police quickly responding and appraising the situation. The task force members mentally and verbally simulated the incident. School lockdown. Notify all other local schools to lockdown as well. Police establish an on-site tactical command center.
[Patrick
Keane from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency
presenting a school shooting
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The imagined scenario developed further. They now learn there are four or five students in the gymnasium. The fire department, ambulance service, ESDA and Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital are notified. The media is contacted. ESDA then contacts the Sangamon Valley Red Cross and Logan County Salvation Army to set up a secure shelter facility. Evacuation of the school begins as soon as the area is secured and it is safe to do so. Transportation must be provided to safely remove the students and faculty from the school and transport them to the shelter where the Logan Mason Mental Health and Logan County Health Department workers will tend to physical and emotional needs. There is a need for still another site, away from the school, and the first shelter, where the students may be reunited with their parents. There is much to be considered says Fulscher, "First of all it is a reality that we have to plan for these types of things. Terrorist attacks, bombs, chemicals, or any weaponry, if we fail to plan in these areas, then the plan will definitely fail us." Fulscher added, "In this area (Logan County) we appreciate the police, all of the emergency agencies, Patrick Keane and Fred Plese, for bringing this to light, and helping spearhead the task force so we can be ultimately prepared in case of the actual event." Lincoln Community High School Superintendent, Fred Plese stated, "If there is a crisis at the school, we will have the plan in place." When asked how he personally felt about the Safe School Task Force, Plese replied, "I feel good about the task force but, as an educator I don’t feel good about having to do this. A school shouldn’t have to be a fortress." Keane stated, "What I am pleased with is that Lincoln recognized the potential threat and has prepared to meet that threat. Because of that, they are miles ahead of many other, much larger jurisdictions."
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Fire at Mount Pulaski business [FEB. 23, 2000] "It sounded just like a bomb, followed by a fireball which shot out of the building through a doorway, knocking down a wall," Chief Robert Thomas of the Lincoln Rural Fire Department declared. Firefighters from Atlanta, Beason, Chestnut, Lincoln, rural Lincoln and Mount Pulaski fire departments responded to a report of heavy smoke and some flames at a maintenance building for Mt. Pulaski Products, Skelton Plant. Logan County paramedics also responded and remained on the scene.
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Firefighters were called out at 10:13 a.m. yesterday morning. The Lincoln Rural Fire Department, the first on the scene, worked with State Fire Marshal Jim Oliver, using what is commonly known as a "defensive attack." No one was sent into the building immediately, since no people were believed to be inside. As firefighters surrounded the scene, an explosion followed by a fireball erupted. It is believed that an acetylene tank caused the explosion. Three firefighters, Chris Sprinkel, Chad Letterly and Ron Shawgo were sent to the hospital with minor injuries. All suffered burns and one had a knee injury.
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Decisions were made on the spot as to how to best contain the fire and preserve evidence which will help determine the cause, Thomas explained. The fire marshal will be sifting through and assessing the site -- an "overhaul of the fire" -- this afternoon. The building, tools and maintenance equipment, along with an older water truck were declared a total loss. Total official inventory and dollar amounts have not yet been declared. By fire department estimates there was $85,000 worth of damage. This morning Mt. Pulaski Products had no comment on the issue.
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