Run, hide, fight: School holds active shooter drill

While only a drill, exercise allowed staff to work through paralyzing fear to think clearly in crisis

"It was awesome, I’m glad I participated. I feel like I learned a lot.”

— Sue Pileski, a science teacher

Multiple first-responding agencies participated in a safety drill March 10 at Lorain High School, 2600 Ashland Ave., to go through what everyone’s role would be if an active shooter were in the building.

“It brings another dynamic for our drills,” said Lorain City Schools Safety Coordinator Reuben Figueroa, who also is a Lorain County deputy sheriff, and organizer of the drill. “I think it (the drill) brought awareness of how difficult and how much effort is needed in such a critical incident like this.

“But the effort is to make our schools safer, make our community members feel safer. And my goal today was to ensure teachers understand a little bit more of the process so they can make our kids safer as they go through drills.”

Figueroa said the drill was a state-mandated active shooter program.

“It’s state mandated, which is called a full-scale drill,” he said. “(Mercy Health - Lorain Hospital) was also here.

“They had nurses from their staff who helped do the moulage kits,” Figueroa said. “They did all the dress up and the injuries were actually real according to what would happen in a shooting.”

“Then they also have LifeCare come to do transports and medics were on scene as well.”

Figueroa said the Lorain and Amherst police departments; Tom Kelley, director of Lorain County Emergency Management Agency, Lorain Auxiliary Officers Chief Jim Malick and other auxiliary officers helped at the drill.

Also, the drill will be implemented at other Lorain Schools buildings, he said.

“It will be a smaller size, smaller scale,” Figueroa said. “The scenarios would not be as dramatic around elementary (and middle). We will start to introduce to elementary teachers to understand the same response.”

The drills, however, can be difficult for some of the participants, Figueroa said.

“I think it’s hard (for new participants) because it’s traumatic,” he said. “They feel like they have to try and get past that.

“Our goal in law enforcement is to help educators get past that shock scenario

where they’re initially in shock and can’t move ... to we got to get the kids out of here. Trying to be sensitive to that (the drill). Today, the way we prepared, we gave them an option because we wanted to be as sensitive as possible to the different families.”

Darrel Smalls, sergeant of the Lorain City School Safety Officers, said the drill was an excellent learning experience.

“I thought my team responded well,” Smalls said. “Communication was key.

“My role was to get to the monitor room and

communicate with Officer Figueroa,” he said. “I was able to account for all safety officers within five minutes once the shooter was down. We want to communicate to make sure there are no victims.”

Sue Pileski, a science teacher at the school, was one of the shooting victims for the drill.

“It was awesome, I’m glad I participated,” Pileski said. “I feel like I learned a lot.

“I have a better understanding of what everyone’s role is not just in a shooter situation but any emergency scenario.”

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Darrel Smalls, sergeant of the safety officers with Lorain City Schools, talks to the wounded as he would during an actual shooter situation. For the drill, Lorain High School teachers Airyn Hunter, left, and Sue Pileski, lie on the ground as if they had bullet wounds.

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL LifeCare emergency medical technicians Hannah Cook, left, and Bailee Echols, treat Sue Pileski, a teacher, March 10 during the safety drill at Lorain High School.