Easton School – Easton, MA
New protocols and policies have been put in place in school districts across the country to address all kinds of emergency scenarios and some states like Massachusetts have task forces assigned to study the issue. School Superintendent Andrew Keough said they will be taking a look at the ALICE protocols, a program gaining traction nationwide in the past couple of years. ALICE stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter, evacuate and was developed by a Dallas/Fort Worth police officer after the Columbine attacks in 1999 who wanted his wife, an elementary school principal, to have a better plan in case of an active shooter event. Some of the protocols differ dramatically from previous schools of thought where shelter in place was the mandate. For example, more information would be given about where a gunman is to allow folks in a different area of the building the chance to evacuate. Other suggestions might involve building a barricade or creating any kind of obstruction for an assailant. Read more
