Buffalo High School has five lockdowns a year. Students go through the procedure of turning off the lights in their classrooms and quietly waiting for the “all clear.” They are not supposed to answer the door for anyone they are not familiar to and they are to remain calm. The principal is responsible for every person in the building including the teachers, the staff, the volunteers and the visitors and the teacher is responsible for every person in the classroom. There needs to be a head count during the drill.
Students are prohibited from using their cell phones. They should sit on the floor away from windows and doors (a.k.a. the “line of fire”).
“We practice lockdowns for two reasons,” said Principle Brandon Prell, “one reason for them is to practice being safe and it is required by law.” Every time there’s a drill, the administrators debrief and discuss the drill afterwards. They also bring it up to the staff in meetings which shows that they take this very seriously.
