BHS and Twp. Partner to Conduct Critical Incident Training

Bloomfield Hills Schools and Bloomfield Township Partner to Conduct Critical Incident Training at Bloomfield Hills High School, Wednesday, August 30, 2023
 
One of the first in our region: Bloomfield Hills Schools and Bloomfield Township Police and Fire Departments will partner on a comprehensive critical incident training on August 30^th from 7 AM to noon at Bloomfield Hills High School. 
 
The exercise is focused on critical incident preparedness for approximately 100 police officers and firefighters/paramedics from over a dozen agencies and approximately 500 Bloomfield Hills Schools staff members. Township Police and Fire will continue normal operations and calls for service within our community. 
 
There will be some closures on August 30 in order to facilitate the exercise:

• Senior Center will be completely closed until 12:30 PM.
• Township Hall will be closed for in-person business but staff will continue to be available via phone or email throughout the exercise.  Township Hall doors will re-open for In-person business at 12:30pm.
• Bloomfield Hills High School, including all athletic fields, will be closed until 4:00PM.
• Andover Road will be closed until 12:30pm
• Exeter Road will be closed between Dublin and Andover

“This training exercise is an opportunity for both school staff and police/fire personnel to practice together, in a school setting, with student and staff safety as the number one focus,” said interim superintendent, Dr. Randy Liepa. “It’s an opportunity that exists because of the extremely valuable and collaborative partnership between this school district and our police and fire partners - we are thankful and fortunate for that strong relationship and it continues to benefit our students, staff, and community.”
 
A joint effort between the Township’s head of Reality Based Training, Lieutenant Mike Buczek, and BHS’s Administrator of Public Safety, Patrick Sidge, the exercise is a well-coordinated effort requiring a year of planning. 
 
“We’re doing this exercise so that our first responders and school personnel are as prepared as possible in the unlikely case there is a tragedy, they can fall back on what they saw on August 30^th and keep calm and respond appropriately,” said Buczek.
 
Participating police officer training prior to this large-scale exercise includes implicit bias and de-escalation, defensive tactics, weapons, medical training and other reality-based drills. Firefighter/paramedics are certified, and train in mass casualty response, de-escalation and rescues in preparation for this exercise.
 
Bloomfield Hills School, in partnership with the Bloomfield Township Police Department, uses ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) protocols. All staff and students are trained to the ALICE protocols over the course of the school year, with portions of this training conducted by Township police. The purpose of ALICE is to prepare school staff to recognize and respond if there ever is an emergency/lockdown situation.
 
Bloomfield Township Supervisor Dani Walsh talked about this training in two Bloomfield in Focus episodes which began airing on Bloomfield Community Television August 17th:

• The first episode with Police Chief James Gallagher and Fire Chief John LeRoy can be viewed at this link
• The second episode with the now retired superintendent of Bloomfield Hills Schools, Patrick Watson can be viewed at this link

“I am thankful for the partnership between Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills Schools. Together, we are creating the gold standard of how to train teachers, staff, and community leaders as a united front against those that try to harm our children and the community,” said Township Supervisor Dani Walsh. 
 
After the exercise, Elected Officials, Police and Fire chiefs will be available for questions at the Township Hall Auditorium between 12:30 – 1:00pm.