BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–Berkeley County School District practiced its responses to a simulated crisis at Whitesville Elementary Thursday, March 17.
District staff and principals coordinated the planning and execution of the crisis simulation with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office and Berkeley County Emergency Preparedness Department.
The School District conducts crisis simulations at schools each year to ensure that policies and procedures in place are the most effective, promoting the safety of the students and staff.
Whitesville Elementary conducted an intruder drill, though the crisis during simulations vary each year. All precautions were taken to ensure that no students were in danger during the drill. The results were positive.
“Whitesville Elementary staff responded quickly and appropriately to the simulated intruder on campus,” said Tim Knight, BCSD Safety and Security Officer. “As a result of security measures in place, the intruder, a BCSO detective, was unable to gain external access to the building, and teachers immediately reported seeing the intruder on campus. For purposes of this training, the officer was eventually granted access into the school to further test the internal response of school staff. I was pleased to see that school staff followed all emergency procedures.”
Law enforcement, first responders and school district staff demonstrated all of the steps that they would take during an actual school emergency.
The crisis simulation resulted in minimal delay to the school day and had no effect on dismissal.
“These exercises provide all of us tasked with keeping Berkeley County children safe the opportunity to practice our collaborative responses and external communication,” said Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis. “We look 
forward to continuing our relationship with the school district and working together to ensure that we are all successful in keeping our students safe.”
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