Emergency services participated in a mock exercise involving high school and post-secondary students in Yorkton, Sask., on May 1.
RCMP said the exercise will help the Yorkton Regional High School and the Good Spirit School Division develop their ‘lockdown’ and ‘hold and secure’ emergency policies.
Police added the drill would be more extensive than others in the past. As part of this exercise, students, staff and daycare children were to be moved to three off-site locations.
The mock drill also aims to give members of RCMP, Yorkton Fire Protective Services and Crestview Ambulance the opportunity to practice their protocols.
“Activities such as this are extremely important for all first responders. They allow us to coordinate our efforts, procedures and policies to ensure we are all working in a cohesive and effective manner,” Staff Sgt. Jeff Simpson, detachment commander of Yorkton RCMP, said in a press release.
“Every organization involved today is hoping these plans are never called to action, but these preparations and training exercises create learning opportunities for improvement and confidence in our own respective actions and responsibilities.”
Yorkton RCMP said students’ parents were notified about the drill in mid-April, however, the date of the exercise was not revealed to make it more authentic.
The drill, also taking place at the main Parkland College campus at 150 Gladstone Ave. North, was scheduled to run roughly 1-3 p.m.
Yorkton is roughly 180 kilometres northeast of Regina.