From 2000 to 2022, there have been 971 school shootings. Further, in the past ten years, there have been 654. 2022 alone held 188 of these. This means that a school shooting occurred every other day during the year of 2022, on average.
School shootings are becoming increasingly common in the United States. However, they are no longer front page news, but merely a blip on the screen. The fact is that dangers such as these persist despite many speaking out against such danger. As a student that is in high school, this threat can be very alarming. However, Mount Vernon High School is in good hands.
Rick Shaffer, the Safety and Maintenance Director for Mount Vernon City Schools is constantly updating and innovating our district’s security measures. Shaffer has made countless improvements to our district’s security during his time here. These innovations are highlighted by the installation of resistant film on entryways, the lockdown button on all phones in the district, better building mapping, audio-visual alarm systems, and the Rapid Barricades installed in every classroom.
Shaffer explained a lot of these tools himself. He said that, “Every phone in our district has a button that reads a lockdown, and once that button is pushed, it takes over our PA system. You hear the alarm, and it calls 911. 911 also gets a ‘lockdown has been pushed by Mr. Caughlan in the main office, so they know where the threat was notified. It also calls 38 first responders personal cell phones.”
Shaffer explained that by calling not only 911, but also the cell phones of first responders, the response can be much faster. If someone who is off duty is close, they can help ensure the safety of students and staff in any building in the district.
Shaffer takes the safety of our schools very seriously. He holds the patent for the Rapid Barricade, which is now being implemented by school districts statewide. Principal Caughlan attests to Shaffer’s continuous drive to improve the safety of our students, saying that “He’s never stopped, even when there’s long periods of quiet [in regards to danger in schools] he’s still diving into this stuff and researching. So I just want everybody to know that we’re in good hands. He meets with our staff during staff meetings and does tabletop scenarios where he says, okay, here’s the situation, where do you go. And then as a group, we need to discuss those kinds of things.”
Taking preventative measures is one thing, but in emergency situations, being able to create solutions on the spot is vitally important. Shaffer is implementing changes that are being adopted by schools all over the state of Ohio, and in doing so, making even more schools safer.
While Shaffer continues to make improvements to our district’s safety precautions, the safety of its constituents ultimately lies in the hands of those in the building on a daily basis. So, what can we, as students and staff, do to improve the safety of our schools?
There are a few steps that one can take. If you see a door propped open, close it. The reason that the doors are locked during the day is to ensure that anybody who enters the building is identified by the front office. If people enter the building by other means, even if well intentioned, they are not known to be in the building, which could create problems for staff.
Another way students can help make the building a safer place is learning and understanding the plans for if anything were to happen. Although we always hope that nothing bad will ever happen, knowing the plan for if it were is vital. Whether the plan is for a fire or a tornado, knowing where to find safety can make the difference between life and death in some instances.
Lastly, students can work to associate the “street names” in the school that label hallways with their physical location in the building. By being able to identify where an intruder could be in the building in comparison to yourself, an evacuation plan can quickly be created and utilized. Although this is not the sole purpose of these labels, it is a very useful tool. First responders can use these labels to navigate the district’s buildings in the case of any emergency. This allows for a safer environment for everyone in the school district.
Although everyone should feel comfortable and confident that Mount Vernon City Schools are incredibly safe, it is important to understand the precautions that are to be taken if necessary. By understanding this, our district can become even safer for all students and staff.
