MacDill’s Tinker Elementary School puts student safety at forefront

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Brandon Shapiro
  • 6th Air Mobility WIng Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Children are the most treasured assets a community possesses and such is the case for the students at Gen. Clarence Tinker Elementary School on MacDill Air Force Base.

In the wake of the recent shootings and security incidents happening across America, community leaders at MacDill and throughout Hillsborough County gathered on Jan. 15 to evaluate Tinker's standard emergency response procedures.

"Student safety is and will always be the number one priority in my school," said Nancy Mooy, Tinker Elementary School principal. "The importance of preparation and readiness is essential in accomplishing this goal."

As a result of the evaluation meeting, structured exercise procedures were hashed out during a wide-scope, multi-agency response exercise Tuesday.

On the day of Tinker's exercise, participants included first responders, special investigators, operational security personnel, and both Hillsborough County and Tinker faculty members.

Emergency action procedures, threat response, organization, communication, active shooter preparations, lock down procedures and first responder familiarization were key areas of training.

As the exercise got under way, the intricacies of each action, reaction and result were carefully dialogued; strengths were noted, improvement areas were addressed and responder adjustments were made.

"These types of exercises are extremely important and train individuals who may be the target of an active shooter incident, which also includes emergency responders who are responsible for mitigating threats and those who provide medical care," said Mike Roberts, installation antiterrorism officer. "Giving the responding law enforcement, fire rescue and medical personnel the opportunity to walk through the facility without the school children present is an integral part of proper emergency planning."

Upon completion of Tinker's first of three scheduled exercises for 2013, safety, communication and readiness were exceedingly apparent. Loose ends were tied, communication gaps were hemmed and Tinker's Emergency Response Plan was solidified.

"This event played a vital role in both Hillsborough County and MacDill AFB's ability to understand each other's staff contingency plans," said retired U.S. Air Force Capt. David Friedberg, director of security for Hillsborough County Schools. "The success of today's exercise hinged on the various organizations being able to collaborate, sit down and discuss the measures needed to safeguard our children."