J.L. Crowe Secondary School staff and students are safe and in the clear following a real life lockdown scenario Friday afternoon.
Just before 1 p.m. a 911 dispatcher contacted the school to initiate lockdown protocol following a call to the police by a Greater Trail resident.
The caller reported he/she might have witnessed a person with a rifle in the vicinity of the high school, and then he/she heard a loud pop.
Within minutes after the 911 operator contacted the school, officers arrived on the scene while the school was in lockdown, explained Principal David DeRosa in an emailed information update.
“We practiced our lockdown procedure and students and staff reacted in a very timely fashion,” he said.
Based on the RCMP’s immediate investigation, police confirmed the noise was made by a “firework,” and had determined there was no rifle, said DeRosa.
“I updated staff and students with the information that we had,” he continued. “And that the RCMP had determined that our safety and the school was secure.”
The lockdown ended at 1:35 p.m.
He acknowledged to staff and students that a lockdown and related circumstances can be traumatic, and if anyone was feeling anxiety or wished to debrief with a counsellor or call home, they were encouraged to do so.
“Once students returned to classes, I thanked staff and students for their patience and cooperation,” DeRosa added.
