HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — Hernando County School admin and staff leaders are training this week on what to do in the event of an active shooter before law enforcement arrives.
"We can’t say it’s unthinkable, they have to think about it, they have to prepare for it," said Brad Spicer, ALERT instructor for SafePlans.
Staff is doing active shooter training using ALERT (Assess, Lockdown, Evade, Resist, Tell) instructors. They are learning what they can do in their own classrooms to prevent a shooter from coming in through the door.
"We empower teachers to make decisions so they don’t have to wait for instructions," said Spicer.
They're training on everything from blocking windows to using desks, books, even belts, and cords to block the door.
Eastside Elementary assistant principal Mike Lastra plans to take what he’s learning back to his school to protect his students.
"We’re going to go ahead and practice this with the kids so if God forbid it does happen, it won’t be the first time experiencing it. They’re going to know what to do, like put desks in front of doors," said Lastra.
Next week admins will be helping to train teachers on what they can do to save lives in the event of an active shooter situation before law enforcement arrives.
