'We Conduct Safety Drills Each Year': Milford Superintendent

MILFORD, MA—In yet an all-too-familiar mass school shooting, 17 people lost their lives and many were injured when a former student opened fire at a high school in Parkland, FL, on Wednesday.

When this happens, the fear is re-ignited throughout the country's schools. "Could it happen here?"

In the wake of the shooting, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School's authorities made the decision to cancel its ALICE training, which had been scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 15, only a day after the shooting.

ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) Training is preparation and planning for people and organizations on how to handle the threat of an aggressive intruder or active shooter event. L-S Superintendent Bella Wong sent a message to the school community announced the cancelation of training, saying it is, "out of concern that proceeding with training on this day will trigger or exacerbate emotions of anxiety and fear especially now so soon after yesterday's terrible occurrence."

The threat and fear is once again at the forefront of many minds within the school community.

"We are obviously horrified and saddened by the tragic events that occurred in Florida," said Milford Superintendent Kevin McIntyre. We take the safety of our students as our number one priority. "

McIntyre told Patch that the Milford Public Schools conducts safety drills each year to "ensure that students and faculty are prepared in the event of a crisis or emergency."

The drills include various procedures and trainings related to active shooters or similar threats such as the ALICE training.

"We work very closely with the Milford Police Department and Milford Fire Department so that we are all on the same page and the expectations and procedures are clear for any potential threat or issue," said McIntyre. "Our students, faculty and families were impacted by the tragedy in Florida and nobody wants to see the news or a headline with this kind of a story. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and community impacted by this horrific event."

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