Orange County unveils new safety video for active shooter incidents in schools
Orange County authorities unveiled the video from November on Tuesday that will show school staff and parents what a real emergency would look like.
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Officials are releasing a new video of an active shooter drill at Orange-Ulster BOCES that shows a scenario that's unfolded many times across the nation.
Orange County authorities unveiled the video from November on Tuesday that will show school staff and parents what a real emergency would look like.
The two-minute clip includes audio from 911 and shows law enforcement officers responding.
Mock students are shown shoring up doors with desks and eventually boarding school buses during an evacuation.
“Our biggest fear is one of these incidents actually happening,” said Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus.
One hundred people were killed in active shooter incidents across the U.S. last year, according to the FBI.
Neuhaus said Tuesday that schools are now one of the biggest targets for active shooter violence in America.
"The most important thing we can do is continue to train and practice and drill with all our partners," said Neuhaus.
Crawford Police Chief Dominic Blasko oversaw a real-life drill in his own jurisdiction at Pine Push High School in April when a potential threat there turned out to be a hoax.
“You get there, you go in and you stop the threat. That’s what we’re here for," said Blasko.
Authorities say in that case, as is their policy countywide, police first on the scene went inside the building within seconds.
“We just want to make sure that everyone knows what they are supposed to do,” said New York State Police Capt. Peter Cirigliano.
The video is part of the county's evolving efforts to keep students safe.
Authorities say they're working on implementing a communication system to bypass cellphone dead zones and phone outages within county schools.
"The video is a reminder to parents that police officers and law enforcement are committed to keeping our community safe and we will respond with the full force that's necessary," said Blasko.
