MLMS conducts safety drill by locking down their campus
BEING PREPARED

News Herald Photo by Lester Murray Students huddle in a MLMS classroom during the lockdown drill held this morning on their campus. Jody Sanders, principal did the drill to help students and staff prepare in case of an emergency. Though the pictue appears bright, the students were actually in the dark during the drill along with their teacher.

Maude Laird Middle School conducted a lockdown drill on their campus this morning.

Principal Jody Sanders, along with Richard Stanley, Kilgore Independent School District resource officer initiated the drill at approximately 9:15 a.m.

Sanders said the reason for the drill is in case of a threat on campus, in other words person with a gun or knife. "We have special procedures which tells all staff on campus of the situation and at that time all classrooms are locked down, lights out and students moved to a safe area," said Sanders. "Once the threat is eliminated we have special procedures to make teachers aware it is safe to come out."

Sanders said the drill went well but there is still room for improvement.

Stanley said it will soon be a requirement from the state that four drills of this nature be conducted every year on each campus.

During the drill, police and principals would go around the campus and see if doors were secured, if anyone was still out on campus and to see whether they could get teachers to open their doors or respond to them without the appropriate codes.

Sanders said both the regular teachers and the substitutes are aware of the procedures and different types of scenarios will be used for future drills.