Marshall County
prepares for
emergency
compliance

By Mary Garrison
Tribune-Courier Features Editor
mgarrison@tribunecourier.com

MARSHALL COUNTY – Officials of the Marshall County School System are getting ready for virtually any situation, and they’re getting a little help along the way.

The West Kentucky Educational Cooperative of schools is a coalition of 17 school districts in the region, including Marshall. Most recently, the organization obtained a $500,000 grant through REMS — Readiness Emergency Management for Schools — to prepare those school districts to better prepare for emergencies.

Marshall County coordinator for safe, drug-free schools and associate athletic director Terry Powell said the monies were secured last year and are to be divided up amongst the school systems. The hope is to accomplish two tiers of readiness, starting with a vulnerability assessment.

The assessment includes training for school officials, principals and custodians and a security walk-through to bring schools up to date and compliant on the National Incident Management System [NIMS].

Vulnerability assessments and training have already begun in the county, beginning with North Marshall Middle School. And Powell said thus far, NMMS is up to par in security.

“This is the way people will respond nationwide,” Powell said. “Fire departments, police, emergency management — all of our agencies will be on the same page.”

Once the assessments are complete, Powell said officials will conduct a table-top drill, where different scenarios will be enacted on paper.

The second tier of the program will culminate in a full-scale mock incident, though Powell said there is no set scenario.

“It could be anything,” Powell said. “This won’t happen until sometime next year.”

Powell and other school officials have plenty to keep busy with in the meantime, however. He said the plan includes a new document guide for all schools which will outline “almost any possible incident” in depth. The guide will also have easily accessible flip charts illustrating necessary steps in the event of an emergency in each school.

“We’re establishing updated plans for recovery,” Powell said. “Including mental health incidents. We’re teaching everyone in the system mitigation, preparedness and response. We want this to be effective in both the long term and the short.”

Still, Powell said it’s a precaution he hopes never to have to utilize.

“Safety is a primary concern in the school district,” Powell said. “And we’re diligent in providing a safe environment for children to learn in. We want people to know their kids are being cared for and looked after in Marshall County Schools.”