Similar to the convention center, the Mount Horeb Area School District (MHASD) in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, regularly performs safety drills after Dr. Steve Salerno took on his role as superintendent for the district. He insisted that the entrance of the schools remain locked during the day, initially receiving pushback from the small-town community. Salerno stood his ground, though, explaining how the schools could enhance safety measures to best protect the children.
“Kids can’t learn, teachers can’t teach, if they don’t feel as though there’s a safety need that’s being met,” Salerno said during a recent Facilities in Focus podcast.
The district’s training proved to be beneficial in the spring of 2024 when an active shooter approached the campus. Swift actions from faculty and staff prevented anyone from being harmed. The 14-year-old student who tried to enter the school with a pellet rifle was shot and killed by police.
Salerno explains that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. He believes in performing drills in an age-appropriate way so that students of all ages are able to take them seriously.
“Understanding the audience that you’re presenting those drills to and how you’re doing it is really key,” Salerno says. “These drills can be used from anything like inclement weather days to an active shooter event. We’re doing – I think – a service, not a disservice, to our young people when we prepare them. Your mind, your body can’t go where your mind hasn’t gone. You have to be prepared to think about what you would do, and not just in a situation in school, but church and movie theaters or grocery stores. You need to really think about your surroundings.”
Since the active shooter incident, the district has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to do a free audit of its buildings. Available to all institutions, DHS will come in and provide a rig report of how managers might be able to further enhance their safety measures.
With the findings, MHASD developed a review task force for the express purpose of reviewing the ideas and then developed a team to help write grants to help secure funding for the safety and security recommendations.
“We’re beginning to learn so much more in the wake of Columbine,” Salerno says. “We try to take that research – even before what happened to us – and prepare our facility, our students and our families on how to react, whether it be in school or in a public space.”
While exercises are just that – an exercise — there’s no reason to be unprepared for the worst-case scenario. MHASD demonstrated that regularly performing drills and getting all employees trained on how to react in these types of situations can save lives.
“Safety is an ongoing commitment that we take very seriously,” Tester says. “Our approach to security is holistic, integrating advanced technology, a dedicated training program and strong community partnerships. We hope our proactive efforts set an example for others in the industry, ensuring that security and guest experience are never compromised.”
Mackenna Moralez is the associate editor for the facilities market and the host of the Facilities in Focus podcast.
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