Seneca prepares for worst
CRANBERRY TWP — Seneca Valley officials know the unfortunate truth that violence in schools across the country is on the rise, and they want to be prepared for any scenario that could unfold in any of the district's nine buildings.
That's why the school partnered with the Cranberry Township Police Department and about a dozen other county police, medical and emergency response agencies Monday to conduct a drill involving a shooter at Haine Elementary and Middle schools.
The campus along Haine School Road looked very different from a normal day, with the parking lot packed with dozens of police cars, fire trucks and ambulances.
Tactical teams comprised of officers from a variety of agencies participated in the drill, in which an “active shooter” was on the loose inside the building.
The teams participated in several drills throughout the afternoon, with each scenario being different in regards to the number of hostages, injured students and staff and different evacuation routes.
Each tactical team, as well as the emergency medical responders waiting outside, was kept in the dark regarding each drill and was forced to react as they would during a real event.
The school was empty for the day due to the Columbus Day holiday, although Seneca Valley had about 100 staff members in attendance to either observe or participate.
At the center of command was Superintendent Tracy Vitale, who held a thick crisis manual as the drills unfolded.
She explained that the first drill involved the principal being shot and killed and the phone line being disconnected. That's all the information police were given before tactical teams stormed the building.
Vitale noted that every school administrator has access on their laptops to nearly 25 cameras inside the school, cameras they could access from their offices on Seneca Valley's secondary campus in Jackson Township.
However, Vitale added that absolutely anything is possible in these scenarios, and said the first drill included the shooter blocking out each camera, leaving school officials and police responders blind as to what would be unfolding.It's important to practice every kind of scenario and outcome, Vitale said.“We practice for fire drills all the time, but this is something that needs to be practiced, too, in today's environment,” she said. “We have a top-notch safety plan in place but it's something that really needs to be put into practice. That's the most important piece.”Mike Manipole, a teacher at the school and a member of Cranberry Township's board of supervisors, participated in the drill and acted as a parent looking for his son.He described the process of hearing gunshots, albeit blanks, and how he reacted.“That's something you should never hear inside a school,” he said. “But then you flash to reality and you realize that's where we're at in our world today. And that's a very sobering thought.”Sgt. Chuck Mascellino of the Cranberry Township Police Department said none of the police responders had live ammo in their guns, and that most were plastic or replica guns.He added that nearly 50 officers from departments across Butler County participated in the event, which was monitored by Penn State Fayette's Center for Community and Public Safety.That group, which filmed, studied and organized the shooting seminar, will later sit down with both police and school officials to brief them.That aspect is just as crucial as the actual drill, Vitale said, given that the participants will get a chance to analyze their movements and procedures and make changes accordingly.Manipole added that the entire drill was sobering, albeit necessary.“Our district is very proactive,” he said. “We always want to be prepared.”
