School Safety and Security Commissioner James M. Thomas July 22, 2009 Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security

School Shootings  April 16, Virginia Tech: Seung-Hui Cho kills 32 people and wounds many others before killing himself. Photos: ll

 February 8, 2008 – Louisiana Technical College: A nursing student shoots two women and then herself.  February 11, Memphis, TN: A 17-year-old student at Mitchell High School shoots and wounds a classmate in gym class.  February 12, Oxnard, CA: A 14-year-old shoots a 15-year-old classmate, who later dies of his injuries. Photos:

 February 14, 2008 – Northern Illinois University: A 27-year-old man shoots 21 people, killing five and later himself.  Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich declares a state of emergency, which opens the governor's disaster fund to reimburse local government entities for "extraordinary expenses related to the response in NIU DeKalb" and which allows the state Emergency Management Agency to provide assistance. Photos:

 August 21, 2008 – Knoxville, TN: 15-year-old Ryan McDonald is shot and killed by fellow student 15-year-old Jamar B. Siler in the Central High School cafeteria.  November 12, 2008 – Fort Lauderdale, FL: A 15-year-old female student is killed by a classmate at Dillard High School. Photos: Ryan McDonald

 May 6, Wesleyan University: Stephen Morgan shoots and kills Johanna Justin-Jinich, a student working at the campus bookstore. Photos:

Substitute Senate Bill No. 760 Public Act No An Act Concerning School Crisis Response Drills and Fire Drills  (a) Each local and regional board of education shall provide for a fire drill to be held in the schools of such board not later than thirty days after the first day of each school year and at least once each month thereafter.  Key Words:  “Stop, drop, and roll.” Photos:

New Language  (b) Each such board shall substitute a crisis response drill for a fire drill once every three months and shall develop the format of such crisis response drill in consultation with the appropriate local law enforcement agency.  A representative of such agency may supervise and participate in any such crisis response drill. Photos:

Crisis Response Drill Concerning H1N1  Goal is to keep students and staff safe during any crisis.  Suggestions include:  Lockdown of classroom  System to have staff and teachers report any issues  Coordinate with law enforcement and other first responders

DEMHS School Security Competitive Grant Program  In 2008, schools throughout the state received $5 million for security improvements.  Eligible expenses include:  Surveillance cameras  Entry buzzers  Scan card systems  Panic alarms  Portable screening devices  Training of school personnel in the maintenance of security

 Schools applying for state grants completed a security checklist for their facilities and provided it to the state.  More than 360 schools across the state applied for assistance.  The review committee included staff from:  The Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS),  The Department of Public Safety (DPS),  and the Department of Education.  The Commissioners of DEMHS and DPS determined which particular items were eligible for reimbursement.

Determination of Schools with Greatest Security Needs  First priority, schools with no security entrances.  Within that group, schools identified as priority districts.  District must have demonstrated that they had an emergency plan in place developed with first responders.  District must have demonstrated that they had practiced their emergency plan.

“Connecticut school children and their parents should know that we are, and have been for some time now, working to make our schools as safe as possible.” Governor M. Jodi Rell, Press Statement, January 2008