Thursday (Aug 3rd) Emergency DRILL at Danville High School Brings Entities Together

 ABOVE: Danville Police Chief Christopher Yates addresses participants prior to Danville High School “active shooter drill” outside the old District 118 Administration Building along Jackson Street.

Thursday morning (August 3rd) brought everyone from the Danville Police Department; to the Danville Fire Department, numerous District 118 participants and volunteers, the Vermilion County EMA, and participation from OSF as well for one important thing: PRACTICE.

An active shooter drill was held at Danville High School, starting late morning until the debriefing in the afternoon.  At the morning gathering prior to the drill, outside the old 118 Administration Building, Deputy Police Chief Terry McCord talked about the importance of this.

AUDIO: The collaboration, the teamwork, the communication; we have to have everyone on one page, any type of critical incident that we deal with.

Police Chief Christopher Yates agreed.

AUDIO: It’s very important to pay attention; see what a real life situation would bring and different confusions; but this is something, just a continuance of preparation for any time of critical incident response that we would utilize.  You always have to be prepared for everything.

(1st Picture) Deputy Chief Terry McCord addresses participants outside old District 118 Administration Building; (2nd Picture) Chief Christopher Yates addresses police officers, just south of DHS prior to drill; (3rd Picture) McCord gives instructions to volunteers outside DHS prior to drill.

New Danville High School principal Jacob Bretz said it was all a matter of learning where procedures are now, and how they can be improved.

AUDIO: It’s important to be as prepared as possible for situations like this.  We can all be prepared, in our own way, but if we’re not on the same page we’re not nearly as prepared as we think.

Adding to that, Assistant 118 Superintendent John Hart said before everything got started that he was looking forward to what would be learned.

AUDIO: This is really a step in the right direction.  I’m really excited to see what comes of this, and what the next step will be; because, again, you’ll want to practice and practice and practice.

The drill included volunteers acting as wounded victims being transported to OSF Emergency.