ROCKVALE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Elementary, middle and high school faculty got together at Rockvale High School for a reunification exercise.
The training focused on what happens after a crisis, the process of reuniting parents with their children. From the moment parents arrive to when leave with their children, every step was rehearsed.
"If you think about it, recovery starts when the crisis begins, and the first step in a recovery process may very well be reunification," said executive director of the I Love U Guys Foundation, John-Michael Keyes.
The Keyes' travel the country training schools on crisis response and recovery.
"In 2006 a stranger entered my daughter’s high school in Platte Canyon in Bailey, Colorado," said Keyes. "While my daughter was held hostage she sent a text message: ‘I love u guys,' and ultimately the stranger killed my daughter. The SWAT team took care of him."
Now he's made this work his life's mission.
Participants broke into groups, role-playing as students, parents, and faculty. Faculty also learned a new vocabulary for crisis response, known as Standard Response Protocal (SRP).
"So instead of hearing code red or code yellow, they’re going to hear lock-down, secure, hold, evacuate, and shelter. Common words," said School Safety Director of Rutherford County Schools, Patti Oeser.
The experience was a first for many of those participating.
"We've never had a drill where we've gone from the beginning all the way to the reunification with parents," said principal of John Colemon Elementary School, Christy Brown. She said she felt empowered following the training.
It's an exercise that may become more popular as these real-life situations occur across the country.
"We’re seeing a growing awareness around the country that we’ve got to do this reunification thing, and once we start looking at it it has so many more applications," said Keyes.
"It’s huge," said Assistant Safety Director of Rutherford County Schools, Sean Martin. "We want them to have that sense of security that their student or their child will be returned to them at the end of the day."
The training is totally free. You can learn more and download free information from the “I Love U Guys” website.
