HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-10-01, Page 28The terms “lockdown” and “hold
and secure” will now become part of
the vocabulary – hopefully only in
the form of fire drill-style practice
run-throughs – in schools
throughout the Huron-Perth
Catholic District School Board.
At a regular meeting Monday,
Sept. 28, trustees approved
amendments to the board policy
governing each school’s
“Emergency Procedures Manual.”
According to education
superintendent Dan Parr, the main
impetus for the changes was a
decree from the provincial
Education Ministry that schools
throughout the province use the
same terminology to identify and
react to potential criminal threats on
or adjacent to school property.
The first change was to the
policy’s title: it now governs each
school’s “Emergency Procedures
and Lockdown Manual.”
In an interview, Parr explained
that the term “lockdown” has not
been used in the Huron-Perth board.
But, he added, each school was
directed to develop its own
emergency response plan, and
“we have found that . . . some
schools were practicing what
amounted to lockdowns as part of
that plan.”
Now, every school will have to
follow that practice. As part of the
amendments, “Lockdown
Procedures” was added to an
already-existing list of actions that
must be included in a school’s
emergency response plan. Also
included is a list of things which
must be addressed when practicing
a lockdown.
In an already-existing section
about the arrival of an uninvited
intruder or trespasser, additions
were made to differentiate between
a “lockdown” and “hold and secure”
scenarios.
“If we have what are termed ‘a
major incident’ or ‘a threat of
danger or violence’ that’s actually
occurring on the school property,
the school goes into lockdown,” Parr
explained.
“If the threat is in the
neighbourhood, the school goes into
‘hold and secure’.” Under a
lockdown, teachers are directed to
keep students in classrooms and
secure the doors to the classrooms.
Under a “hold and secure,” the
school continues to operate as
normal, but the external
entrances/exits are locked.
Stratford trustee Ron Marcy
wondered if students will be made
aware that a lockdown practice is
underway, or if it’s the real thing.
Parr said students will not be
informed.
Fellow superintendent JoAnn
MacGregor, who was a principal
until last year, added there was no
advance notice when her school
practiced a lockdown, even for the
teachers. She said it’s important,
however, to inform teachers and
parents at the beginning of the year
that the possibility exists of
conducting a lockdown practice
drill.
On the run
Students made the trip to Londesborough last week for the annual regional cross country
meet at Hullett Central Public School. Hullett’s Colin Wilts is hot on the tail of Clinton
competitor McKenzie Stevens. Hours of races were topped off by awards in the afternoon for
the day’s top performers. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009.
HPCDSB amends
emergency policy
404 Queen St.,
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By Stew Slater
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Blyth firefighters battled a fire at
a Nature Centre Road property
Monday night.
Keith and Barb Black reported the
blaze which was in a shed on their
property at 8:30 p.m. Chief Paul
Josling said the shed was full of
firewood. “There was 50-60 cord. It
was packed to the rafters.”
Also in the building was the boiler
for the house. “As of today they
have no heat for the home.”
While the cause was not officially
determined, Josling suspects that
some sparks from the boiler were to
blame. “The fire started around the
furnace and caught a pile of wood.”
The chief added that there was
nothing unusual in having the wood
in the same building as the boiler.
“It was back the right distance. It
was just one of those things.”
The building is a total loss and
Josling estimates the damage at
between $20,000 and $25,000.
Firefighters were on the scene
until 11:30 p.m. While the shed was
close to another exterior building on
the property, Josling said, the wind
was in their favour. “There
was never any danger of it
spreading.”
Wingham Fire Department
assisted at the fire with their tanker
to draw water.
A Blyth woman and her childrencame upon a shocking display ofcruelty while out for an eveningwalk on Sunday.
Erlene Caldwell said it was about
8:30 p.m. when she, Jessica, 11 and
Jarvis, eight, noticed something
strange on the Queen Street bridge
just north of downtown Blyth. As
they got closer, they discovered a
small kitten with a plastic bag over
its head.
“The string around it was tied so
tight we had trouble getting it off,”
said Caldwell.
Though the kitten appeareddisoriented, Caldwell said shedoesn’t think it had been in thissituation for too long by the timethey arrived. “It took off as soon aswe got it loose. It was so scared,poor little thing.”
Caldwell said it was a
tortoiseshell kitten, probably about
six months old.
Anyone who may have any
information on who might be
responsbile for this is asked to call
the Huron Branch of the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals at 519-440-0250.
If caught the person responsible
would face criminal charges.
Family saves kitty By Bonnie GroppThe Citizen
Blyth firefighters
battle shed blaze
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
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