NEWS

Keizer police and fire train for major school incident

A “McNary Blue” Keizer fire engine in front of Marion County Fire District trucks at the training
held Tuesday, June 18. Photos courtesy of the Salem-Keizer School District
Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies determine their next movements with a Salem police officer. Photos courtesy of the Salem-Keizer School District
Several SWAT vehicles from the Salem Police Department. Photos courtesy of the Salem-Keizer School District

Firefighters and police from Keizer recently participated in a drill to prepare them for a major incident in a local school.

They were among several agencies at Sprague High School in Salem on Tuesday, June 18.

Eight Keizer Police Department officers and the Keizer Fire District were both involved in training that simulated a response to a major school incident, according to Salem-Keizer School District officials.

According to Keizer Police Department officer Lt. Tim Hein, inter-agency training, such as how to get someone who was wounded out of the school, allows agencies to work in tandem and fine tune the process of communicating and working together. 

Hein also noted that, for future events, the goal is to introduce smaller agencies, such as Aumsville, into the training as well. 

The event was held in order to gauge the effectiveness of a safety system for the school and community or an action plan in the event of an emergency such as an earthquake or fire. 

Other safety systems the school utilizes include offering mental health support and counseling services, creating a stronger network of communication between public safety agencies as well as fostering stronger relationships between students and adults on campus. 

The safety systems used by the school district also entails physical systems such as locking doors and even the placement of them within a building. 

The goal of the training revolves around helping the district build a system with better communication lines between partner agencies, such as police, fire and health services, according to the district press release. 

A volunteer receives a wristband denoting them as a parent that must be reunified with a student. Photos courtesy of the Salem-Keizer School District

The event trained first responders in reunifying children with their families after an emergency event takes place. 

Training for a major incident within a school gives public safety agencies the chance to identify issues or lags in communication by creating a standardized model for such situations. 

A firefighter/EMT directs a patient who requires medical assistance. Photos courtesy of the Salem-Keizer School District

These events also provide law enforcement and other partners the chance to identify what actions they need to take should an emergency situation take place. 

Keizer Fire District members waiting to begin their training.  Photos courtesy of the Salem-Keizer School District

Contact Quinn Stoddard
[email protected] or 503-390-1051

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