Berkeley Co. Sheriff’s Office, School District host final public active shooter training

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Berkeley County officials are educating people how to respond in life-threatening situations.

“We’ve been traveling around the county,” Berkeley County Sheriff Duane Lewis said, “doing this presentation to try to make the parents and the citizens aware of what to do in an active shooter situation. This information can be applied to everyday life, not just in a school setting.”

The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office covered key active shooter survival tactics during the training.

“The program we talk about ‘Run, Hide, Fight’ and those kinds of things,” Lewis said. “We really want to stress to the folks to pay attention to what’s going on around them. Also, report suspicious behavior, suspicious activity.”

Several parents say they were grateful to learn more about these dangerous situations.

“My wife and I and my three kids really appreciate Sheriff Lewis,” Berkeley County parent Joel Henry said, “the schoolboard, all the school members, principals all being here and taking the time.”

Especially, because of a situation that occurred at Philip Simmons three weeks ago.

“There was recently a gun scare here,” Henry said, “a lockdown at the school and I think three weapons were recovered.”

Berkeley County School Board member Mac McQuillin says this forum was imperative to reassure parents their children are safe in the classroom.

“Part of this is to show parents that we have a safe school system,” McQuillin said, “that we’re working in conjunction with law enforcement to ensure that are students are safe and feel safe so that they ultimately can learn.”

He wants those who attended to talk with their children and share this message.

“If they see something say something,” McQuillin said, “otherwise, most of the active shooter situations, or anytime there’s something going on in school, if a child says something to the administration or a teacher, it generally will get stopped.”

Thursday’s meeting lasted more than two hours and parents had the opportunity to ask law enforcement several questions.