Hatboro-Horsham Unveils New Safety Plan As Alternative To Passive Lockdown Method

HATBORO-HORSHAM, PA — Local school district officials have announced that they will soon employ a new student safety program that they say is designed to replace a more traditional "passive lockdown" method in the event of a school emergency.

In a letter sent to the school community, Rick Kerrigan, Hatboro-Horsham's director of safety, said that beginning in April and May, the district would roll out its newly customized safety response plan known as the Run/Hide/Fight program, or ALICE, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate.

Kerrigan says that the new plan is an alternative approach to the more passive lockdown method typically employed by school districts.

"In the Hatboro-Horsham School District, the safety of our students and staff is a top priority," Kerrigan wrote in the letter to families. "We continuously work to stay current with the latest data and best practices."

Kerrigan said the district developed the ALICE plan in coordination with local law enforcement.

"Its main objective is to empower individuals in making critical decisions during a crisis," he wrote. "Over the last few years, our school-level staff has completed scenario-based drills, as well as mandatory online trainings."

Kerrigan said the district's goal for this school year is to begin introducing the Run/Hide/Fight/ALICE program to all students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

"We know that this can be a difficult topic and we will do everything we can to ensure our planning and procedures are developmentally appropriate," Kerrigan wrote.

Kerrigan said the plan would be similar to the training students receive on how to prepare for fire or weather-related events.

The letter was posted to the Parents of Hatboro-Horsham Students Facebook page. The full letter, which contains elements of the new plan, can be seen below.