MOUNT VERNON – If an emergency forces the evacuation of a Knox County public school, there are two priorities: the safety of students and staff and the secure reunification of children with their parents or guardians.
A simulation drill Thursday at Mount Vernon City Schools’ Energy Fieldhouse – involving student and parent volunteers from Centerburg Local Schools – demonstrated that a successful reunification plan is in place.
“Today’s exercise exceeded our expectations as a planning group at how quickly our reunification team has adapted and overcome challenges,” said James DeChant, director of the Knox County Emergency Management Agency. His office developed the plan in coordination with Rick Shaffer, MVCS safety and maintenance coordinator, and others.
“The exercise today gave us insight into some gaps in the plan that we will discuss and correct,” DeChant said.
The reunification plan would have students bused by their district to Energy Fieldhouse if an emergency such as a fire, gas leak or security breach forces evacuation of a school. The fieldhouse was designated as the reunification site to prevent local road blockages, assure adequate access for emergency personnel and provide sufficient space for reuniting children and parents.
Thursday’s drill involved approximately 50 Centerburg students and their parents/guardians. After a mock 911 call from Superintendent Ryan Gallwitz, the reunification team – involving personnel from East Knox, Danville, Fredericktown, Mount Vernon and Highland– assembled at the fieldhouse. City, county and local law enforcement provided security around the perimeter. The Mount Vernon Fire Department was on site.
Four superintendents were present: Kathy Greenich, Knox County Career Center; Richard Baird, East Knox; Bill Seder, Mount Vernon and Nate Huffman, Highland.
The Centerburg bus unloaded students near the southeast corner of the fieldhouse. Inside, tables were set up with signs indicating each grade level. Accompanied by Centerburg staff, students were separated by grade. Meanwhile, parents and guardians entered the women’s locker room on the west side of the building, where reunification team members verified their photo identification.
A key element of the reunification plan is that every student remains with an adult until reunited with a registered parent or guardian. Counselors are present, if needed. In a real situation, Shaffer said, students could await the arrival of parents in the fieldhouse’s Community Room where TVs would be available. Reunification team members would be present at all times.
Once a parent’s ID was verified Thursday a reunification team member, designated as a “matchmaker,” escorted the parent to the fieldhouse where verifying paperwork was submitted to the “lead matchmaker.”
Ben Snedeker, student services director at East Knox, served a stint as lead matchmaker during the exercise.
“Things went very smoothly,” he said. “When parents showed up with the proper paperwork, our matchmakers walked them to the tables where their children were waiting.”
Gayle Capsel, who has three grandchildren in Centerburg Local Schools, was involved in reunification drills while an employee of the Aberdeen School District on Washington state’s west coast. Now retired, she had high praise for Thursday’s drill.
“Reunification here is much more organized that it was in Aberdeen,” Mrs. Capsel said. “Because we were on the coast, our drills were mostly related to possible earthquakes and tsunamis. We didn’t have the connections that I have seen here. This is wonderful.”
Charles Ferrell, parent of two high school students, complimented the organization of the plan he witnessed.
“Obviously, they’re put a lot of thought into this,” he said. “It seems to be organized well. What they can’t input is the chaos of a real situation. An exercise is one thing; reality is another.”
Shaffer emphasized that Thursday’s drill was focused on simulating a real emergency and expressed confidence that the team could manage chaos.
“I think today went very well. Obviously, we have more work to do but everyone worked together very well,” he said. “I feel very privileged to work alongside all who are involved. We share common ground. As we interact with parents, our mindset must be “What if this were my child?”
Amy Seward, EMA assistant director, said the exercise accomplished exactly what it was supposed to do.
“Overall, everything went as we expected,” she said. “There were a few bumps in the road but that’s how we learn and move forward.”
Gallwitz said Centerburg was glad to play a key role in the drill.
“In the event of an emergency we would need as much help as we could get. We couldn’t do it alone,” he said. “It is important to be able to count on other school districts and county agencies. The purpose of today’s exercise was to perfect the reunification plan and hope to God that we never have to use it.”