Sheckler Elementary School faculty and staff filled the school’s library March 13 as a palpable tension filled the air. The staff was gathered for a briefing on what was about to occur - an active shooter drill.

Eric Dauberman, Sheckler Elementary principal, turned the meeting over to Joseph Carl, emergency management coordinator for Catasauqua Borough. Carl informed staff members this drill was a learning experience, not only for them, but for law enforcement and emergency personnel as well.

“The number one priority is safety first,” he said.

Carl urged teachers to use situational awareness and forethought in their actions. For example, just because a fire alarm is going off does not mean there is a fire. He asked teachers to take a moment and look out into the hallway before rushing out there with students.

Because of this training, the hope is teachers will be equipped with skills to better handle the situation and better ensure the safety of their students.

“You have a bunch of little kids looking to you, counting on you, so you have to be ready,” Carl said.

According to Carl and Shelley L. Keffer, coordinator of student services for Catasauqua Area School District, there were additional distractions during the drill, such as the fire alarm and people yelling and calling out, through which the emergency responders needed to keep their focus.

Chris Houtz played the role of the shooter. He also played the part during the March 8, 2019, shooter drill at Catasauqua Middle School.

Houtz moved through the school, shooting blanks to simulate gunfire. Faculty and staff members who volunteered to act as victims took their positions in the halls and classrooms.

Shortly after the “shooting” began, Catasauqua Police Department officers were on the scene. Officer Pat Best, school resource officer, was responsible for catching and stopping the intruder.

After Houtz was taken away by Best, other officers from both Catasauqua and North Catasauqua police departments partnered with EMS personnel to clear the rest of the school and treat the “victims.” Maria Wescoe, from Northampton Regional Emergency Management Services, set up a triage area in the cafeteria and monitored the EMS personnel.

Officer Jenna Potak, SRO, and Dauberman manned command central in Dauberman’s office. From here, they coordinated with the officers clearing the school and were able to make sure all staff members were accounted for and all areas of the school were cleared.

Throughout the entire process, both school and emergency personnel learned what worked and what systems needed to be looked at. According to Carl, this was the point of the drill - to ensure everyone was as prepared as possible in case of an emergency.

“We learned some things, and this is good,” Dauberman said, noting they now know where any weaknesses may have been in their system and can now address them.

At the debriefing after the drill, staff members raised their concerns, and Dauberman, Carl and Keffer were able to address the issues and take note of any problems they experienced.

Carl said how important it was to have the police officers in the school. They now have a greater understanding of the school’s layout and are more prepared.

“It’s reassuring for us to get people in the buildings and to work with you all,” Carl said.

Carl extended his thanks to Roger Scheirer, North Catasauqua emergency management assistant director, and Gary Krill, Allen Township emergency management coordinator, as well as the representatives from Woodlawn Fire Department, NREMS and other agencies.

Carl noted CASD began planning security and safety upgrades only a few years ago and has made great strides since then. He reported CASD personnel have fully cooperated with emergency management to implement these updates.

According to Carl, CASD stepped up and fully committed to doing everything possible to increase the safety of the students. This includes the addition of the SROs and mental health professionals in the schools, the drills and additional training for the staff, such as Stop the Bleed training, and more.