NH State Police Bomb Squad Sweeps Evacuated Litchfield Schools

LITCHFIELD, NH — A large response from Litchfield police, fire, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and New Hampshire State Police Bomb Squad was sent to three Litchfield schools Friday at about 8:30 a.m.

Litchfield School Superintendent Michael Jette said they were notified by several students who received text messages of a meme or screenshot specifically mentioning Litchfield Schools. A pre-planned emergency action plan was implemented bringing together several town departments and coordinated with the NH Department of Homeland Security.

The plan involved evacuating three schools of up to 1,200 students to pre-determined alternative locations. Litchfield Police assisted at the schools, and Litchfield firefighters responded to the alternative locations.

Parents were notified to pick up their children at the alternative locations where they were reunited.

Several buses were loaded at Griffen Memorial School, and the students were brought to the Tabernacle Baptist Church on Derry Road. Derry Road was lined with cars for about a half-mile with parents parking and quickly trying to find their children. School teachers and administration worked to coordinate the matching of students to parents.

Litchfield Police Chief Ben Sergeant said the threat was vetted and it was not considered credible. Stressing the students did what they are urged to, and are trained if the “see something, say something.”

After the schools were evacuated, members of the New Hampshire State Police Bomb Squad and K-9s were used to sweep each school looking for any hazards.

All schools were cleared and nothing suspicious appears to have been found.

Litchfield Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Frank Fraitzl said the emergency procedures for school incidents are reviewed, and discussed monthly. The pre-planned response worked as it was planned. At the press conference, it was discussed that coordinated and unified decision-making was an important part of executing the plan.

The incident will be investigated by Litchfield police coordinating with state and federal agencies.

Watch Litchfield officials at press conference:

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Screenshot of message that was submitted to Patch from Litchfield parents that said their children received.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news