‘This make us more confident’: Active attacker drills appreciated by students
In the wake of school shootings in the United States, students and staff at St. Clair College in Windsor say “active attacker” drills are a good idea.
The college conducted the first of three emergency communication exercises Tuesday at its downtown campus. Similar scenarios will take place at other campuses next month.
“It's great to secure the life of students,” said event management student Sangeeba Sharme.
“They teach us how to hide, how to escape, how to save the people,” Sharme said. “It's a very good activity to teach, to learn more things, right? For our life, for others' life.”
Sharme explained similar drills have taken place where she works, suggesting it’s not scary but beneficial to be prepared.
“This make us more confident when we know how to handle the things. If people don't have much knowledge how to escape themselves and how to save others, then it's really scary,” she said. “But if you have a little knowledge about these things, I think then it's great.”
Classmate Teran Grewl agreed, but admitted it is worrisome to think about a tragic event unfolding.
“Whether we are in the mall, whether we are on the street, it helps everywhere.”
“Yeah, it is scary thinking about a risk like this. It's a scary thing, like active attackers are happening every day back in the U.S. I think. So it's really scary. Yeah. But we need to fight on it. We need to mitigate the risk,” Grewl told CTV News.
College staff said the communication exercise will happen again Apr. 6 at the South Campus and Apr. 13 at the Chatham Campus.
“It's to help staff and students understand what communication would be sent out if ever such an event happened,” explained Rebecca Demchuk, associate vice president of safety security and facilities management.
“To understand what they should do if that happens, it gives them options and we think it's important that everybody understands there's options in a situation like that.”
Demchuk said recent events in Nashville and Michigan State University emphasize the need to be prepared.
“When I heard it last night, it's very unfortunate that these events are happening in our world, but we need to be prepared. You know, it really hits home when it's close to home. And we thought it just it became essential that we ran such a drill.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.