Kenton County Homeland Security, in partnership with the City of Fort Mitchell, Fort Mitchell Police Department, Fort Mitchell Fire Department, and Beechwood Independent Schools, will be conducting a Full-Scale Active Shooter Drill at Beechwood Independent School on October 4 from 8 a.m. to approximately 2 p.m.
This training drill will include a number of police vehicles, ambulances, and law enforcement officers at the school and in the surrounding neighborhood.
The drill will involve a law enforcement response to an active shooter, deployment of Swift Assisted Victim Extraction (SAVE) teams, patient triage, transports to local hospitals, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team building clearance, and full use of the Incident Command System (ICS).
“It’s imperative for first responders and school districts to have the opportunity to test emergency planning in the case of an actual event,” said Steve Hensley, Kenton County Homeland Security & Emergency Management Director. “This exercise pulls together first responders from Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties and only strengthens their skills and current crisis management plans. Every school district, city, and first responder agency has the opportunity to benefit from this exercise.”
Several roadways will be impacted during the event including: Dixie Highway, Buttermilk Pike, Orphanage Road and Beechwood Road. Local traffic is advised to use caution and should expect delays when traveling the area.
Hehman
“Many parents with children who attend school in Fort Mitchell want to know our commitment to school safety,” said Mayor Jude Hehman. “When I reached out to the Kenton County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management about opportunities to strengthen our preparedness, and they proposed this drill, I thought that it would be a terrific opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to safe schools and improve the readiness of our first responders. Of course, I hope and pray that we never have to use what we learn in this training in a real situation”
Residents should not be alarmed as this is only a training exercise intended for emergency personnel. The general student body will not be present for the drill as it is taking place during fall break. Thank you for your patience and understanding while this training is performed in order to enhance safety.
“We will continue to address safety and take any and all measures to make sure our campus is safe and our response to any emergency is performed at the same level of excellence that we expect from our students in the classroom,” said Dr. Mike Stacy, Superintendent of Beechwood Independent Schools.
For questions about this exercise, contact Kenton County Fiscal Court at (859) 392-1400, the City of Fort Mitchell at (859) 331-1212 or Beechwood Independent Schools at (859)-331-1220.
Kenton County Homeland Security
