At Woodland Regional High School, safety is a big deal, and lockdown drills are a key part of making sure students and staff know what to do in an emergency. These drills might feel routine, but they’re actually really important because they prepare us for real situations. Woodland has a solid plan in place so that every student, whether they’re a freshman or a senior, knows exactly what to do if something happens.
Lockdowns start with an announcement over the PA system, telling students and staff to take action. The school uses a color-coded system to make things clear. A Code Yellow means we evacuate like in a fire drill. Code Blue is for evacuating a specific area while staying inside the building. Code Red is a full lockdown where everyone has to freeze in place, and Code Green means everything is back to normal. These codes make it easy for everyone to understand what’s going on and how to react.
Senior Kaitlyn Sheehan thinks these procedures are really important, saying,
“I’m glad these policies and plans are set in place. It makes me feel safe, especially considering the state of school safety today.”
Fellow senior Chase Standard agrees, saying the lockdown plan is a big part of keeping us secure.
“I’m happy the plan is no longer just sitting in a corner,” he said, referring to how much the school has improved its safety measures.
For a Code Red, the school follows the “Run, Hide, Fight” method. If it’s safe to leave, students and staff should get out of the building right away. If not, they should lock and barricade the doors and stay hidden. And if there’s no other choice, they have the right to defend themselves. This gives people options based on the situation.
There are also other emergency procedures, like Shelter in Place, which is used when it’s safer to stay inside rather than evacuate, like during a storm or hazardous material situation. “Secure School” happens when there’s suspicious activity nearby—doors stay locked, but classes continue as usual with extra awareness.
In today’s world, knowing what to do in an emergency is really important. Woodland has put together a strong safety plan that keeps students protected without causing unnecessary panic. These drills make sure everyone knows what to do, so we can feel more confident about our safety.
As senior Katie Sheehan put it,
“It’s useful because real dangerous situations can happen, and it’s good to know we have procedures.”
Hopefully, we’ll never have to deal with a real emergency, but if we do, Woodland is ready.
