Springdale High School Active Shooter Drill Prepares Students For Worst

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SPRINGDALE, Pa. (KDKA) – Perhaps as bit of a coincidence with Steel Valley High School being on lockdown, Springdale High School was the scene of an active shooter drill Friday.

Students, teachers and dozens of emergency teams took the time to prepare for the worst.

"We want to make this as realistic as possible for all the emergency personnel, fire, ems, police, and for the hospitals, because they are testing their systems too," emergency management coordinator Bruno Moretti said.

From the makeup room where students were given fake bullet wounds to ambulances, gurneys and even a life flight helicopter, everyone had a role to play.

These drills give us time to practice … training for situations if they were to arise," Springfield Police Chief Derrick Dayoub said.

There were simulated gunshots, which some students admitted added to the reality of the drill.

"It was very scary," sophomore Becca Selzer said. "I didn't expect it to be that loud, I almost cried, I'm not going to lie."

As part of the drill, students practiced ALICE - Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate - training scenarios. The program teaches participants to fight, run or hide. In this case, students worked together, planning to throw encyclopedias if the shooter entered their classroom.

"Whenever we heard the gunshots, we all just ran and barricaded the doors as best as we can," junior Colleen Marsili said.

Students say what they learned will help them outside of the classroom.

"This is kind of our world now, sadly," senior Alicia Matthews said. "Even though I'm leaving a high school setting, I'm going to college, it can happen anywhere."