BEAVERTON, Ore. — If a school shooting happens, it is normal for parents to want to rush to their child’s school. However, first responders said that is not the best thing to do. If first responders are dealing with parents, it takes resources away from dealing with the threat.
Rick Puente, the Director of Public Safety for the Beaverton School District, said first responders need to be focused on the safety of staff and students during an emergency.
"I understand, I'm a parent, I have three children and I understand the fear, but please let us do our job as first responders and we will do our best to make sure your students go home safe,” Puente said.
Puente said it is crucial for parents to understand emergency response protocols now. If parents do not know what to do ahead of time, he said they definitely will not know what to do during the chaos of an emergency. Many schools have what is called a parent reunification plan that lays out where to go during an emergency. He thinks many have heard about it, but do not really understand it.
If you really want to be prepared, Puente recommends reviewing the emergency plans now to get familiar with it. Information can be found on school district websites. In an emergency, schools will use social media and their website to update parents.
"I think parents should be talking to kids all the time, because it's not just about an active shooter,” Puente said. “There's bullying, there's, you know, drugs, alcohol, I mean there's so many different things that are within the walls of our school that endanger our kids just as much."