MonticelloLive

This morning at 9 a.m. the final preparational meeting will be held for ”Operation Safe & Ready Schools”, which will lead up to a practice drill on July 8th.

This morning’s meeting will again include city and county leaders and workers, Monticello Police, Drew County Sheriff’s Dept., ambulance services, UAM, and both school districts.

The program director is Katrina Caveness, of the Monticello School District, is shown here from the last meeting, discussing the upcoming needs of the event with one of the committees.

Monticello School District, in coordination with the Drew County Office of Emergency Management, will host the county’s annual full-scale emergency exercise drill on July 8, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. until noon.  Persons traveling in the area of Old Warren Road as well as Scogin and Jordan Drives are advised this is only an exercise. 

July’s drill will mark the second annual county emergency exercise hosted by a local school district.  Drew Central School District hosted the first emergency drill in the fall of 2007.  In light of recent school violence incidents around the country, student safety is a first priority for both school districts as well as local law enforcement.  Exercises help to better prepare school staff and first responders in the event of an actual crisis situation.

Bill Horn, OES co-ordinator, who is leading the program is shown here with Monticello Schools Compliancce Officer, George Strain.

Funding for the full-scale exercise was provided through a Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe & Drug Free Schools.