Saugus Police Department, Saugus School Committee Looking to Address and Improve School Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness within Saugus Public Schools
(SAUGUS, MA) March 8, 2019 – The Saugus Police Department, working with the Saugus School Committee, is looking to address and improve school safety, security, and emergency preparedness within the Saugus Public Schools.
At the upcoming School Committee meeting on Thursday, March 14, 2019 at 6:30 p.m., Saugus Police Interim Chief Ronald Giorgetti will present the School Committee with ALICE, a comprehensive emergency response program that will better prepare the school department and prove the safety of the students and the community as a whole. This program will bring the Saugus Public Schools’ safety standards up to the nationally-recognized standards of the ALICE program.
ALICE, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate, is the #1 civilian response program for all organizations that provides options-based strategic methods to help individuals better respond to an active threat. This cutting-edge program will provide the Saugus Public Schools with more skills, response techniques, and options in the event of an emergency situation.
“The safety of our children is the primary concern for the School Committee,” said School Committee Chairwoman Jeannie Meredith. “I am thankful that the Police and Town have brought in this nationally recognized response system that will prioritize the safety of the kids, staff, and school, and better prepare ourselves for this changing environment.”
The Town Manager, Police Chief, and Superintendent of Schools have met several times over the past year to research, study, and discuss improving the safety, security, and emergency preparedness within the Saugus Public Schools through ALICE.
“I want to commend the Saugus School Committee and the Superintendent of Schools for addressing school and student safety, in working with the Saugus Police Department,” commented Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree.
This comprehensive, multi-tiered certification-based program uses a blended model of online courses and hands-on drills to ensure learning retention as well as proper application of strategies. Training modules, which will be made available to all staff, will be tailored based on students’ ages and needs.
The Massachusetts Task Force Report on School Safety and Security’s recommendations to the Governor state that Lockdown is no longer a stand-alone strategy to secure in place during an active shooter threat. The report specifically recommends ALICE, which is endorsed by the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the United States Department of Education. ALICE is also recommended by the Secretary of Public Safety, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health & Human Services, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Massachusetts Teacher Association.
Historically, government agencies have recommended a lock-down only approach that includes students hiding under desks or against walls. Some of these techniques originated during the cold-war as a method of protection from a nuclear threat. Today, government agencies have spent considerable resources researching active shooting events. Their findings have resulted in a change in guidance and a movement away from the cold war era techniques typically used in a lockdown-only approach, and towards Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate.
The School Committee will vote on whether to formally adopt this safety and security program at their Thursday, March 14, 2019 meeting, located at the Roby School Administration Building and starting at 6:30 p.m.
“With this cutting-edge safety and security program, we are providing educators, staff, children, and residents with resources that could potentially save their life in an emergency situation,” said Police Chief Ronald Giorgetti. “I would like to thank the School Committee and the Town for their support of this extremely important initiative.”
For more information, please contact the Town Manager’s office at 781-231-4111.
About The Town of Saugus
The Town of Saugus, Massachusetts, is a family-friendly, historic neighborhood Town located along the north shore, ten miles north of Boston. First settled in 1629, Saugus is home to historic sites, top-tier public services, and a thriving business community. Strong community support, a forward-thinking approach to town government, rich recreational opportunities, affordable choices, and easy access to all the amenities that Boston has to offer – they all contribute to make Saugus a Town where businesses flourish and families make their home.
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