RALEIGH, N.C. – A safety review released Nov. 21 by Governor Mike Easley states North Carolina has performed adequately with regard to school safety but needs to improve its emergency preparedness training for faculty and students.
The report also included the following recommendations: that the state provide multi-hazard training by assembling crisis teams equipped to respond to student deaths, terrorist threats or campus shootings; that the number of school resource officers be increased so that there is at least one officer for every 1,000 students; and that schools conduct more safety drills and improve communication between students, parents and school officials.
The review commended the actions of several schools whose safety policies were tested and proven to be effective in recent months. In August, an Orange High School resource officer subdued a former student when he allegedly fired shots into the building. Last month, Wake County school officials demonstrated a high level of security preparedness when school buildings were temporarily turned into shelters during the Apex plant explosion.
