PUBLIC SAFETY AND SCHOOL DIVISION
CONDUCT UNIFIED HOSTILE INCIDENT DRILL
Local public safety agencies and the local school division held a Unified Hostile Incident DRILL at Grace Miller Elementary School in Bealeton on Saturday, Jan. 10. Participating in the drill were Fauquier County Public Schools; Fauquier County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management; and Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office. Also participating were Fauquier Hospital, Town of Warrenton Police, and Virginia State Police. The drill was designed to evaluate the county’s ability to respond to a hostile incident and effectively follow the plans in place for such an event. The drill is evidence of the growing partnership between county departments and the school division for a well-planned response to emergencies in the community.
The four-hour drill, directed by Janice Bourne, FCPS assistant superintendent for administration, and coordinated by participating agencies in concert with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, involved three components: lockdown, incident command, and joint communications. The focus was to assess FCPS lockdown procedures; establishment of a unified and coordinated operational structure; and timeliness and efficacy of emergency communications with the media, parents and public while clarifying the roles and responsibilities of all agencies involved.
This drill scenario tested active shooter and mass casualty response plans. No students were involved in this drill. All participants responded to the drill scenario as if the emergency were real. School and county personnel role played, and debriefings were held at the conclusion of the drill. To prevent confusion and interruption of the exercise, access to Miller Elementary was limited during the drill.
///FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE///
January 10, 2015
Lt. James Hartman
Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office Public Information
Phone 540.422.8650
james.hartman@fauquiercounty.gov
Karen Parkinson
Fauquier County Public Schools Coordinator of Information
Phone 540.422.7031
kparkinson@fcps1.org
