This is not a test.
I remember practicing fire drills when I was in school. I loved them. Total class disruption for at least 20 minutes was my idea of a good day at school.
Eli had a few different types of drills at his school in VA. He had the typical fire drill where everyone orderly leaves the building and he had a severe weather drill where the kids all went into interior corridors away from windows. He also had a security drill where the kids were to stay in their room and the whole place went on a lock-down. This would be used in case of a nearby threat to their security, like when the Wendy's down the street was robbed.
Here at the Mannheim elementary school he has practiced so many drills I can't keep track. There is the usual fire, weather, and lock-down and then they also have one for evacuation of the building and transportation to a secure facility close by. Eli knows the codes for all of these, I don't.
Today the kids' practice paid off. A bomb threat was found at the school, and the children did exactly what they had practiced. They evacuated the building, made their way to the secure facility. Various agencies converged upon the school and once it was cleared, the kids returned.
I don't know if the kids knew this was not a test or not. I think they are so used to all the drills they just go with it and, like me, are grateful for the diversion. It makes me a little sad that Eli will grow up with security drills in school, but I'm really glad the school had the forethought to have these drills.
While this situation ended peacefully, it is a reminder of the world we live in. There is evil in places that we once considered safe, school, churches, military installations. I could live in fear, but I will not. Christ proclaimed that He came to give me peace through Him and he said "in the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
In a few minutes I will go pick up Eli for school, force him to give me a big hug, and then watch him play in the leaves in yard.
Eli had a few different types of drills at his school in VA. He had the typical fire drill where everyone orderly leaves the building and he had a severe weather drill where the kids all went into interior corridors away from windows. He also had a security drill where the kids were to stay in their room and the whole place went on a lock-down. This would be used in case of a nearby threat to their security, like when the Wendy's down the street was robbed.
Here at the Mannheim elementary school he has practiced so many drills I can't keep track. There is the usual fire, weather, and lock-down and then they also have one for evacuation of the building and transportation to a secure facility close by. Eli knows the codes for all of these, I don't.
Today the kids' practice paid off. A bomb threat was found at the school, and the children did exactly what they had practiced. They evacuated the building, made their way to the secure facility. Various agencies converged upon the school and once it was cleared, the kids returned.
I don't know if the kids knew this was not a test or not. I think they are so used to all the drills they just go with it and, like me, are grateful for the diversion. It makes me a little sad that Eli will grow up with security drills in school, but I'm really glad the school had the forethought to have these drills.
While this situation ended peacefully, it is a reminder of the world we live in. There is evil in places that we once considered safe, school, churches, military installations. I could live in fear, but I will not. Christ proclaimed that He came to give me peace through Him and he said "in the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
In a few minutes I will go pick up Eli for school, force him to give me a big hug, and then watch him play in the leaves in yard.
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