EVACUATION … Students evacuate the middle and elementary schools during the simulated train derailment. (PHOTO PROVIDED)
By: Jacob Kessler
Students and Staff in the Wauseon School District performed a Full-Scale Emergency Management Drill on May 10th.
The drill took place in the morning hours and saw cooperation between the different school buildings and local organizations such as the Wauseon Fire Department, Wauseon Police Department, Fulton County Emergency Management Agency, Fulton County Board of Commissioners, Ohio Emergency Management Agency, and The Norfolk Southern Railroad Company.
The drill simulated a train car derailment which contained a flammable liquid. No derailment actually occurred, and the train tracks remained live.
All four school buildings participated in the drill with students being told to shelter in place with some then being evacuated from the buildings and placed on buses.
The drill also helped with training for the multiple communication methods that will be used if a real-world situation were to occur.
Jacob can be reached at jacob@thevillagereporter.com