People are the most crucial component of any emergency safety plan. Is this a fair statement?
When we step back and look at different levels of security for schools – armed or unarmed guards, security gates, video surveillance cameras, door entry intercom systems, fences and walls, or locks – we notice a wide variety of facility related components. These are all great options!
However, what happens once that front door is breached? What happens once that suspicious or threatening person has moved beyond the gate? (I am not referring to an active shooter situation; that is for a later conversation.)
In our every day routine, we see things and we notice common occurrences. We become accustomed to the sights and sounds that make up our small areas of existence. This is true for the Home Depot employee; the Zaxby’s employee; a Darlington student, teacher or parent; a neighbor; or the UPS driver. How we react to the uncommon or the out-of-the-ordinary situation is vital. It is easy to continue with our increasingly fast-paced lifestyles and dismiss oddities or things that seem out-of-place, like that stranger on the bench or that oddly parked vehicle.
Friends and family of Darlington, we can no longer assume the next person will address an issue! It is easy to address something out of place but even easier to ignore. A willingness to act is paramount in today’s world. At Darlington, there is a new current beginning to flow. Tragic events on school campuses across this nation have moved us to become a more aware community – a proactive community in which we challenge and address seemingly out-of-place situations or people that trigger uneasy, gut feelings.
On Aug. 8, 9 and 12, all of Darlington’s faculty and staff members and several of our facilities managers attended a four-hour training session on “Suspiciousness and Tactical Communication,” led by The DRACO Group. In all, approximately 180 Darlington-related employees attended this training to begin a shift in culture.
Suspiciousness as defined at the training session:
A. Out of the normal (appearance or behavior)
B. Anything that catches your attention or makes you feel uncomfortable or “weird”
C. Any behavior that appears to be threatening harm to persons, property, or reputation
D. Any behavior that initiates reporting to security, administration or counseling
The time was thought-provoking and very hands on. There was a wide range of feedback from our employees, but in the end I believe that requiring everyone to participate created a greater sense of community. Everyone left with a greater understanding of the importance of community awareness.
So now what? Now is the time to speak up! Now is the time to act. We must all take ownership and be accountable for our safety. Together WE!
Would you like to see a perfect example of an employee taking charge of a situation? Look no further than the amazing Antoinette Tuff from Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy. If you need a reminder of the events that took place on Aug. 20, listen and read this story.
In addition, click here to watch a public awareness video released by the Department of Homeland Security, which is tied to the “If You See Something, Say Something (TM)” awareness campaign. Do not get pulled into the language but envision this as your neighborhood, your school, a local restaurant, or your place of work. To learn more about the campaign, please click here.
Stay vigilant, be aware of your surroundings, and do your part in helping us promote the safest possible Darlington School.
