‘Red apple’ would be silent alarm Potential hysteria over any unexplained white powder found anywhere could prompt the state Department of Education to add a page to its emergency response manual. Everyone is aware of regular fire drills conducted at
‘Red apple’ would be silent alarm
Potential hysteria over any unexplained white powder found anywhere could prompt the state Department of Education to add a page to its emergency response manual.
Everyone is aware of regular fire drills conducted at schools – even bomb-threat drills. But an anthrax drill? Or a written response plan for such an incident?
While nothing on the books currently lets a student, teacher or administrator know the proper procedures for a suspected biological or chemical agent incident, there are plans in place, and drilled, for what to do when something or someone out of the ordinary is discovered on a school campus.
“Like any (state) school, we have a school-specific emergency plan which we utilize and periodically drill for any and every emergency,” said Nathan Aiwohi, vice principal of Wilcox Elementary School in Lihu’e. “All of our students and teachers know that if they recognize something that is out of place or strange, that they can respond by our red apple or alerting the vice principal or custodian immediately.”
A laminated picture of a red apple is the silent signal of a classroom emergency. “And once it comes to the office, we immediately respond to the classroom,” he explained
Aiwohi said students, teachers, staff and administrators at his school and others would respond in common-sense kinds of ways to a suspected biological or chemical agent
A few school years ago, King Kaumuali’i Elementary School in Hanama’ulu was evacuated when some students and staff became ill from breathing what eventually turned out to be pesticides, insecticides, herbicides or fertilizers sprayed on nearby sugar cane fields.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
