By By SPIROS GALLOS / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Imagine a scenario, a series of events which unfold to cause a major crisis in Niles schools, putting hundreds of children at risk.
At 8:35 a.m., Niles Community Schools Superintendent Doug Law receives a phone call from a very upset person complaining about kids running wild and unsupervised.
Two hours later, several students at Niles High School fall ill, some are vomiting, others are having trouble breathing and are coughing.
Not more than 20 minutes after the students at the high school become ill, suspicious packages are discovered at three Niles elementary schools.
This was the scenario presented to principals and administrators in the Niles Community Schools district and local public safety officials by Berrien County Sheriff's Department Deputy John McCoy during a crisis scenario simulation held at the Niles Community Schools administration building Wednesday.
The main question McCoy had for the school and public safety officials as the scenario unfolded was: What are you going to do?
The purpose of the scenario is to get the schools prepared to protect themselves toward any sort of emergency that can affect their buildings, McCoy said.
The exercise was also designed to bring everyone who would be involved in handling such a crisis to meet each other and talk face-to-face with each other about what to do in an emergency situation, McCoy said.
Numerous questions were raised in the scenario presented by McCoy, among them: Should students who have not yet arrived at school be diverted away from the building? Should the ill students be quarantined? Should school be evacuated?
Who will be responsible for informing students, parents, and the media in the event of an emergency? What will health officials do when it appears a biological emergency is at hand?
Local health officials told Niles Community Schools administrators that health workers would not be sent into a potentially hazardous situation for fear of themselves falling ill and not being able to help.
McCoy said the exercise identified the need for continued training of all officials involved to ensure crisis situations, such as the one presented in the exercise, are handled quickly and effectively.
After the exercise, which lasted about two hours, Law said the crisis simulation was a positive experience for everyone involved.
Law said the exercise provided school officials with the knowledge that the are several levels of support available from the community during a crisis situation.
Wednesday's exercise was part of the Safe Schools Initiative grant program, which is funded by the Office of Homeland Security, McCoy said.
Through the program, schools are required to conduct a threat assessment of their buildings, which Niles Community Schools has already done.
After the threat assessment, the district must update its crisis plan, which establishes protocol in case of an emergency.
Yesterday's exercise was designed to test the updates made to the district crisis plan.
Law said the next step in the process is to sit down and evaluate the event.
Michigan State Police Trooper Rob Herbstreith, who attended the exercise, said the event showed that a crisis is not merely the responsibility of the police or fire departments, but of the whole community.
Niles City Police Officer Kevin Kosten said the event revealed the need for officials involved to be prepared for any crisis which may arise.