ADAMS TWP — Teachers, administrators and other adults who work in the five Mars School District buildings will receive further training on reacting to a situation that everyone hopes will never happen.

Officer Conrad Pfeifer of the Middlesex Township Police talked to school board members at the Tuesday night meeting regarding additional training in the event of a shooter in one of the schools.

Pfeifer, who is trained in critical incidents and command and was involved in security at the G-20 Summit in 2009 in Pittsburgh, said an emergency response presentation was held for teachers during an in-service day in April regarding the issue.

Teachers and staff learned the indicators to look for that would suggest a change in a student’s mental status. Severe mood swings, unstable or emotional responses, and increased talk of problems at home are some of those indicators.

They also learned to be aware of their surroundings, to keep their doors locked, to question anyone on school grounds who looks like they don’t belong, and to avoid denying that a school shooting could happen in Mars.

“It never happens in big cities,” Pfeifer said. “It happens in areas like this.”

He said there have been 100 school shootings since the 1999 Columbine High School shootings in Colorado, and police, administrators and teachers must understand what steps to take should that happen at Mars.

Pfeifer, who attended the board meeting with Adams Township Assistant Police Chief Shawn Anglum, Middlesex Sgt. Randy Ruediger and Dorothy Riesmeyer of Quality Ambulance, said all the police departments and the ambulance corps in the school district would work together in the event of an emergency.

Pfeifer suggested a more hands-on training session in October, in which a school-shooter scenario could be played out. Teachers and administrators would participate in the training instead of listening as an audience.

He proposed two sessions of three to four hours each using two buildings.

The school board agreed on a date for the training, which is an in-service day in the district, and on which Mars, Adams and Middlesex police plus Quality Ambulance could participate.

“We can’t do it without you, and on behalf of the school board, administration and parents, we sincerely appreciate it,” said board President Dayle Ferguson.

The board, administrators and those in attendance in the crowded meeting room broke into applause for the officers and their proposal.