January 30, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 Midland Park Midland Park police officials are working on several fronts to assure school security in the aftermath of the Newtown, CT shooting incident last month. Lt. Bernard Vandenberg and Sgt. Greg Kasbarian told the board of education in a special presentation last week that the department had learned a lot from the school lockdown in September, when reports of a man carrying a weapon in the vicinity of the Church of the Nativity/ high school failed to turn up a suspect. During that incident, which occurred at the end of the school day, some students were already on the way home unaware that there might be a problem. Parents also complained that they had been left without information during and immediately after the incident. “It was the perfect storm. It couldn’t have happened at a worse time. We learned a lot, and we are redoing our policy on lockdowns,” Vandenberg said. The officers said the department has started to devise new protocols based on that experience and input from parents and school officials. One of the changes, Vandenberg said, would be to lock down all the borough schools – Highland, Godwin, MPHS, Eastern Christian and the Children’s Learning Center – if there should be a need in the future. He said the school principals would be included in logistical discussions about the protocols. In a lockdown, he Police, schools revising emergency situation protocols said, children would probably have to stay in until picked up by a parent. In an evacuation, teachers would go with the students to a designated place and take attendance. To a question by a parent about the security involved in picking up a student if the parent could not, Vandenberg said perhaps it could be arranged that the parent could call the school and give approval for someone else. Dr. Cirasella said the school emergency procedures were also being reviewed to come up with better protocols. Parents present at the meeting raised several concerns relative to being kept informed during an emergency situation. Vandenberg said it takes a minimum of 20 minutes for the Reverse 911 or Swiftreach information to be posted. It must be generated by an officer, he said, and sometimes none is available if everyone is involved in the emergency. “We are concerned that the information you get is accurate, but it may not be as fast as you want it,” Vandenberg said. “The parent information is important, but it cannot be instantaneous,” reiterated Kasbarian. Parent Patricia Fantulin suggested a place managed by the Office of Emergency Management be designated where parents can go to await information or instructions. Vandenberg said that could be looked into, noting that it would have to be out of the emergency responder area. Board President William Sullivan suggested a church might be available. He also said the administration was looking into the possibility of using social media to disseminate information to parents. Parent Trish Olson asked whether students should use their phones in such emergencies. Vandenberg said police prefer that phones be off. “Once a light comes up, it’s a dead giveaway,” he said. The board is in the process of revising its policy on the use of electronic communications and recording devices and will involve police in its deliberations, Dr. Cirasella said. Councilwoman Nancy Peet said during last week’s mayor and council meeting that there is talk about resurrecting the Helping Hand program of the 1970s and 80s, where homes were sanctioned as refuge places for children on the way to and from school. Vanderberg made a plea for residents to sign up for the SWIFT 911 service so they can be automatically notified in case of an emergency. Follow these instructions: Go to the Bergen County Office of Emergency Management web site, bcoem.org – click on the grey box at the top of the home page which says “Swift 911.” Click on “Add/Remove Yourself” and a screen will come up which will allow for adding or removing all the phone numbers you wish to receive the notice on, including cell numbers. This is for non- Verizon customers. Verizon customers are automatically contacted.