POSTED:
7:27 pm CDT July 20, 2004
ANNISTON, Ala. -- The superintendent of Calhoun
County Schools held a daylong disaster preparation course for school district
leaders.
Calhoun County principals and their assistants studied disaster preparation
in the county’s Emergency Management Agency building, where they reviewed
a range of threats to the school district’s 9,500 students.
“We're teaching our principals and assistant principals procedures to use
in emergency situations that might occur,” said Superintendent Jacky Sparks.
The course focused on such scenarios as potential natural disasters, as
well as a toxic chemical leak at the Anniston Army Depot’s chemical weapon
incinerator.
“Our schools are ready for shelter in place or to use the over-pressurization
systems in place in most schools,” said Sparks.Students said they would return
to class with their minds at ease.“In the long run, it makes you feel a lot
safer, because it makes you feel like the school's doing something for you
to keep you safer,” said Jessica Harbuck, a Saks High School 12th-grader.
With a checklist of safety items a page long, school administrators have
plenty to do before classes start on Aug. 12.