Mock crisis tests Cape schools' emergency plans

At 9:20 a.m. Tuesday, a strange man dressed in hunting gear walked into a local elementary school.

A teacher noticed him and called the principal's office, but before the principal could confront the man, he disappeared.

What now? A lockdown, 911, evacuation? Which comes first?

Those were questions Cape Girardeau school officials asked themselves during a special tabletop crisis drill Tuesday morning at the board of education office.

The drill was conducted by Dr. Glenn Berry, director of the Missouri Center for Safe Schools in Kansas City. Principals from each of the district's 10 schools worked through a crisis scenario using the district's current emergency procedures plan, taking note of areas of concern along the way.

Representatives from the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments also attended the drill to discuss their roles.

"This is pretty enlightening. Safe schools only work with a plan. If you don't practice the plan, it won't work," Berry said.

During the drill, principals had numerous questions about the current emergency plan and responsibilities during a crisis. One of the main areas of concern was communication, especially at the elementary level where principals do not carry radios.

Also discussed were the need to review evacuation procedures with staff and form security teams at the schools.

"The perception of safety is our best defense," said Mark Bowles, Cape Girardeau's superintendent. "We already have an emergency plan in place, this is just to flesh that out a little bit."