NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – Miami-Dade Public Schools Police officers conducted a large-scale active shooter drill Thursday morning to prepare students, staff and faculty for the worst possible scenario.
Participation from various officers and fire rescue personnel took place at Miami Central High School in Northwest Miami-Dade.
The chilling reenactment, leaders said, is something that nobody wants to imagine or live through it, but must be prepared for it.
Officers shot gunshots, blasted the fire alarm, and used student actors covered in red makeup and bandages to resemble a school shooting response. A police officer also pretended to be the school shooter, running across hallways and classrooms.
Following the drill, a news conference was held with Superintendent Dr. Jose Dotres and the school’s police chief Ivan Silva.
“It allows us to view our level of coordination and our level of preparedness,” said Dotres.
“We have three priorities. The first priority is to stop the killing, which is basically take the threat out as soon as possible. The second priority is to stop the dying which basically is treat the wounded immediately and third secure a safe passageway to be able to extract and take the injured victim to the nearest facility.”
The exercise also implemented the Family Reunification method, an evacuation plan used to identify safe locations for students and staff to be reunited with their family members after an emergency within the school.
The drill was a joint effort by Miami-Dade Schools Police, City of Miami Police, Miami-Dade County Police, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the school administration.
Silva said the dramatization of the drill is a necessity in today’s world.
“There is no waiting. Officers, in the moment they arrive, whoever is there first, is to engage that threat immediately. That’s the difference between learning from our past incidents to what we do today.”
Silva said that local leaders are doing everything they can to prepare their officers in case tragedy strikes.
“We want parents to know that when they come to our schools, they’re in good hands with officers and our school police department,” said Silva.
The drill is an important reminder to parents to talk to their kids about the importance of school safety and about standing against any school threats.
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