Thursday, October 19, 2006
Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Participates in School Safety Internet Broadcast
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt today participated in an Internet broadcast to Missouri schools, law enforcement, first responders, parents, and community members discussing school safety.
“Everyone has a meaningful role to ensure children do not fear for their safety as they enter classrooms. We cannot take the provision of safe schools for granted,” Blunt said. “Safe and secure schools are a consequence of deliberate, proactive planning that integrates schools, law enforcement and first responders at the state and local level.”
In the wake of school shootings around the nation, the Department of Public Safety and the Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA) jointly arranged the interactive broadcast titled “Enhancing School Safety: A Dialog on Targeted School Violence.” The program provided information on school violence with particular emphasis on planning, incident management, and post-incident response and recovery. To effectively prepare against school violence, school officials, law enforcement and first responders must develop plans that meet each other’s expectations and capabilities.
Immediately following the school shooting incident in Joplin last week, Blunt visited the town to thank school officials, law enforcement and first responders for their dedicated work and response.
In September, Blunt’s Homeland Security Advisory Council established a Safe School Working Group to ensure Missouri has a seamless approach to school safety. The group is evaluating an all-hazards planning tool for schools to address health safety issues. They are also examining the possibility of using Homeland Security grant money to expand the use of this tool to include preparation for a terrorist attack or a hostage situation.
Today’s Internet broadcast may be viewed on the Education Solutions Global Network, a service of MSBA, at www.esgn.tv.
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