300 students flee ‘fire’ during evacuation drill

The Springfield School District and local emergency services conducted a large-scale drill on Tuesday afternoon to help streamline the evacuation process in the event of a real emergency.


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300 students flee ‘fire’ during evacuation drill By TORY DENIS toryd@eagletimes.com 7 min ago 0 EVACUATE A group of approximately 300 third-, fourth- and fifth-graders from Union Street School in Springfield, Vt. walk across Chester Road to Riverside Middle School as part of a large-scale evacuation drill on Tuesday. TORY DENIS SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The Springfield School District and local emergency services conducted a large-scale drill on Tuesday afternoon to help streamline the evacuation process in the event of a real emergency. The drill, which simulated a fire event at Union Street School, was conducted by SSD in conjunction with Vermont Emergency Management, Springfield Fire Department, Springfield Police Department and Springfield Public Works. The purpose of the drill was to test the district's and cooperating agencies’ procedures for “evacuation and family reunification,” according to the Springfield Police Department, which issued a notice on Tuesday morning to advise motorists and residents: “If you see a large number of students walking through town and connected police activity or you hear evacuation conversation over a scanner, it is only a drill.” Organizers timed the event to coincide with the Riverside Middle School students being released at the end of the school day, close to 2:25 p.m., so Riverside staffers could assist with the student regrouping at the middle school. “But in a real emergency, the Riverside kids might still be here,” said Kevin Anderson, a teacher at Springfield High School, who is also involved with emergency planning for the district. Staffers relocated roughly 300 students in grades three, four and five to Riverside Middle School, walking through the Union Street and Park Street neighborhoods and down Chester Road to regroup at the middle school. Vermont Emergency Management is evaluating the town’s plans for evacuation, and the school district’s ability to work with local responders in the event of an emergency at a school, according to Anderson. Superintendent of Schools Zach McLaughlin also issued a drill reminder on social media for the school, along with a “robocall” to notify parents and guardians of the simulated problem at Union Street School, and what to do next. In Tuesday’s practice drill, school and emergency management officials simulated a fire and carbon dioxide concern in which Springfield Fire Department asked Union Street School staff to relocate their students. Staff had hand-held radios, and were reminded to identify any radio communications as a “drill,” for the duration of the event. As part of the exercise, Union Street administration determined — based on the simulated emergency, and planned in advance with local emergency services — that students and staff would walk to Riverside. Safety cones and fluorescent signs stating “Training in Progress” and “Emergency Scene Ahead” helped motorists remain aware of the large group of students and staff heading from the elementary to the middle school on foot. Fairground Road near the middle school was blocked off, with motorists directed to detour up Fairground Heights and around the school. The Springfield Police Department directed traffic at the regroup site and helped keep students safe on the mock-evacuation route. In a real evacuation, a determination would be made as to whether to return the students to the school or not, McLaughlin explained in his message to parents. Following the drill Tuesday, bus-riding students were brought home by bus, and all walking students were returned to Union Street School to walk home from there. About one-third of the Union Street students are usually picked up by parents, Anderson said. Those students were picked up at the RMS gymnasium following the drill. Union Street School also had sign boards outside its doors to advise any parent who may not have received the message, advising them of the students’ location. Parents were required on Tuesday to follow the district’s reunification protocols to pick up their child. In a new process in place with this drill, that included filling out a form and providing identification to school employees. In the case of a real emergency, the superintendent said, he would also refer parents and gardens to dial 211 for ongoing updates. McLaughlin said he would also commit to putting out additional messages within a designated time frame, such as every 20 minutes, and thanked parents for their “patience, understanding , and willingness to work with us to keep students in the district safe.” For more information on Vermont Emergency Management training and exercises, or for more on community preparedness, visit www.vermont.gov.