Highlighting High School Safety Procedures

In light of recent events in Pittsburgh, Florida, and the University of Utah, high school safety should be highlighted and known to all. Skyline has safety procedures in place in case of an active or distant shooter situation that jeopardizes the safety of Skyline students. It is important to know these procedures as the worst can happen at any time of day or year.

There are two types of lockdowns for two different situations: soft lockdown (shelter in place protocol) or hard lockdown (lockdown with cover). In the event of a soft lockdown, all doors are secured and class can proceed as normal with the main door manned by police. No students can leave the room, and none will be allowed to enter a room for any reason at all. In the event of a hard lockdown, all doors are locked, lights are turned off to not attract eyes to the room, and students hide (under desks or tables) out of view of doors or windows. Once in this position, teachers and students stay there until the building is safe, even if the fire alarm goes off. If you are outside during PE, your instructor will guide you back inside into a safe place, and in the event that you are forced to lockdown in a locker room, stay there, hide, and wait for your instructor.

A hard lockdown and an active shooter situation are very similar, but there are three very important rules to follow in an active shooter situation: run, hide, and fight. In the event that an active shooting takes place and you are not in a classroom, you should exit the building while avoiding the shooter at all costs. Do not attempt to go back to your classroom for shelter or grab your personal belongings. If in a classroom during an active shooter situation, barricade the door with heavy objects as soon as shots can be heard and do not wait for others to react to the noises. Follow the hard lockdown procedure and stay away from the door.  If all else fails, then you must fight back. Do not do this unless you absolutely have to. The best strategy is to use the element of surprise and strength in numbers to increase your chances of an effective takedown. Only call the police if you are in a safe location; although, an administrator will call as soon as they hear they hear the shots. Once the shooter is caught by police or taken down, the ambulance will arrive and assist in any way they can.

If you have noticed suspicious behavior or those in need of help, utilize the SafeUT app (found on the App Store and Google Play).