Cary-Grove High School 'Code Red Drill' Includes Gunfire Sounds
Police on Wednesday will fire off blanks at Cary Grove High School to simulate a real-life lock down situation involving guns.
In an effort to familiarize teachers and students with the sounds of gunfire, Cary-Grove High School will conduct a lock-down drill on Wednesday where police officers plan to fire blanks in the hallway.
Cary-Grove Principal Jay Sargeant explained in a letter to parents the drill is part of a districtwide effort to increase student safety. Sargeant asked parents to discuss the drill ahead of time to ease any possible emotional reactions from hearing the sounds.
"The simulation will take approximately 15-20 minutes, during which time teachers will secure their rooms, draw curtains, and keep their students from traveling throughout the building," Sargeant said.
The school's resource officer and members of Cary Police Department will assist staff in sweeping the building, located at 2208 Three Oaks Rd. in Cary, to ensure all students are in a secure location during the drill, he said.
At the conclusion, staff and police officers will evaluate the drill, and students will return to normal classroom routine.
"These drills help our students and staff to be prepared should a crisis occur, but it may cause some students to have an emotional reaction," Sargeant said.
"In those cases, your voice may provide reassurances of the drill’s importance. Additionally, we have trained social workers on staff who can speak directly with your child should he or she need added support."
Parents with any questions can contact Sargeant, or any member of the Cary-Grove’s administrative team.
Last month, Crystal Lake South conducted a similar drill before winter break, said Jeff Puma, communications director for District 155.
"We are using the simulated gunfire to help inform our students and staff what it sounds like so that they can react more quickly should actual gunfire occur," Puma said.
"Cary-Grove is working hand-in-hand with the Cary Police Department to ensure that we prepare our students and staff should an emergency occur. We believe that any effort we can undertake to keep our students safe is time well spent."
In This article
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Cary-Grove High School
2208 3 Oaks Rd, Cary, IL -
Cary Police Department
654 Village Hall Dr, Cary, IL
DalaiMama
4:55 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
I'm a mom of three in Cary. Personally, I praise the school and town officials for this idea. Teachers as well as students involved in past school shootings reported being unable to identify the sounds of shots fired as being actual gunfire. Having heard the sound of a weapon discharged, and correctly distinguishing it from other loud sounds, can help students and staff react more quickly and appropriately in the heat of the moment.
kat mary dowdy
9:00 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Praise them?? Really? Like medicine, the benefits must outweigh the risks....the risks of mental trauma for outweigh the possibilty that there will be an armed, firing intruder to any school. Because this &^%$ is being discussed in schools, my son has been terrified of going to school and having nightmares. As far as knowing the sound of gunfire and distinguishing it from other sounds....that is ridiculous as all firearms sound different. Like dealing with a sick patient, you glove and assume they have any miriad of diseases they could give you and you protect yourself accordingly. Any "popping" sound that is not expected should be a concern for anyone at a school. Is the assumption that people are so stupid that noticing something like gunfire needs to be taught?? Really?? Safety drills can take place that do not scare children! Does anyone think that Sandy HOok would have been different had the children gone through a bunch of drills about armed intruders and gunfire? The teachers and students did what they needed to do. Can anyone point out something that would have been smarter then what the teachers already did?? And as far as reacting appropriately......please...
marylou frost
11:04 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Totally agree! What ever happened to common sense! Drills are necessary but this make about as much sense as setting off a small atomic bomb so we could practice duck and cover during the late 50s and 60s!
FBAddict
9:27 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
I have to say that I agree with DalaiMama in that this is a good idea. It is a sad testament to how our society has changed, but school shootings have become a very real issue faced by schools (and shopping malls, movie theaters, etc) around our country and the world. Letting students know what to expect - not only by practicing the process of the drill, but by providing a sensory experience as well - will help them cope with the very scary possibility of a school shooting. The sound of a gun can be especially startling. As a mother of a student at Cary Grove, I'd rather my son hear that sound in a safe, secure, and prepared setting for the first time rather than having to hear and cope with the shock of how loud it is in a life-or-death situation.
RonnieTheLimoDriver
9:43 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Safety and training = good. Shooting guns in schools, even with blanks = bad. This is going to be a traumatic experience for the children. Hopefully the doors will all be closed and the children will be far enough away that they will not suffer any hearing damage. I think we can conduct a reliable training exercise without discharging any firearms. We are not training these children for battle. If their parents want to expose them to shooting in a more safe and positive manner at a firing range, then that is their prerogative.
Tbone
11:13 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
It is a sad day for our society when I read the negative comments above regarding how this will negatively impact the kids, they will have trauma, nightmares...are you kidding me???? These kids are in high school for one, they are not in kindergarten, give me a break. Keep in mind the "GUN" is a Starters pistol used in Track, I'm sure you have seen them used at the Olympics. The thing that concerns me is that although this drill provides awareness, all the teachers do is draw the blinds and shut the door, that does nothing to protect anyone! All you parents saying this will traumatize the kids, have they not been to a fireworks display? Really, really are we that stupid.
TheWhiteOwl
12:45 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Its a white suburban neighborhood, if kids are going to be traumatized by this what will they do if they ever have to work or live in an urban environment where gunshots are a regular occurrence and a social norm?
Jimmy Johns
8:43 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
A track starting pistol was used. It's not like it was a 12 gauge. A starting pistol sounds like a book falling on the ground...not loud at all. This was good practice for the school. Nobody was traumatized by a track pistol firing blanks. I would know I go to the school and it went completely fine today. This was a great idea and I praise the school for trying something new. That's the only reason this is on the news, because no one has tried it before. Whoever says that this could be traumatizing to us kids is ridiculous and just doesn't realize that kids can handle the sound of a little pop gun.
Local
9:03 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
You are the same people that would scream and cry that the schools didn't do enough, if god forbid something did happen!
"the risks of mental trauma"....seriously? "as all firearms sound different"...SERIOUSLY?? You are way misinformed, all firearms go BANG, it's just a matter of how loud!! It's obvious you're child could probably benefit from some real world experience, if this is the information he gets at home.