Monday, January 25, 2010

Bomb Drill

Today our base school did a bomb drill. Like a fire drill everyone is required to leave the building. But unlike a fire drill, we don't just get to stay in the parking lot until the "all clear" sign. Oh, no. We get to take the students to a "safe haven".

A safe haven - that's about a twenty minute walk away from the school.

But today was a beautiful day in paradise for a walk. A perfect day for a walk, in fact!

The first grade class I had did a great job. They kept walking and didn't complain too much.

After we arrived at the safe haven (a conference center on base), we sat and waited for parents to arrive to pick up the children (buses still went as well as the CDC was still open).

This has been an interesting event for us here in Guam. Every year the school here is required to practice either the bomb threat or an intruder drill. The intruder drill involves a "lock down" - everyone has to hide and lock the door - which they did last year.

All trying to prevent another "Columbine" - now this we did do at our previous school.

But at our past schools if there was a bomb drill, they did not evacuate and move over 1,400 students to a new location. (1,400 - that's the elementary and the next door middle school)

Quite ambition if you think about it. Of course, not every school will have a "safe haven" that will hold all the students and is in walking distance. And I'm still not sure of the safety of walking that many children through base housing. I mean - if there's a bomb at an on-base school, then were are in serious trouble....so do we want all our children out in public like that??

Check Spelling
I'm glad it's over. No more speculation.

Of course, if the powers that be really want to test the schools readiness - they would do the drill again next week- this time with NO ONE knowing in-advance!

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Leaping For Joy

Leaping For Joy