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WOOD RIVER WEEKLY
YOUR VOICE IN THE WOOD RIVER VALLEY
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Free | June 1 - 14, 2022 | Vol. 3 - No. 11 | woodriverweekly.com – J e r r y Ya n g
WRMS LOCKDOWN MET WITH FAST RESPONSE
A multitude of first responders lined Cobblestone Lane in Hailey on the morning of May 17 in response to reports of a possible active shooter at Wood River Middle School, located nearby on North 2nd Avenue. Following a district-wide lockdown that lasted approximately 80 minutes, it was determined that the gunshot-like sound in a sixth-grade hallway bathroom was caused by a balloon being popped. Photo credits: Kathy Swanson
First responders draw praise, scrutiny
O
By Eric Valentine
n May 17, local law enforcement responded to a call at Wood River Middle School that was every parent’s worst nightmare. There were reports of popping sounds that many feared was gunfire. It was allhands-on-deck as a fleet of first responders arrived at the Hailey school within five minutes of the intial 911 call and followed all their training for a possible active-shooter situation which included entering the school immediately. Within an hour, it was determined that the sound was innocuous; balloons had been popped in a student bathroom, but no one was taking any chances. The incident didn’t just lock down the middle school; for a time, the entire district went into lockdown. Police and paramedics from every jurisdiction rushed through multiple Main streets to get to the scene. St. Luke’s had its Life Flight helicopters ready to transport any injured students or staff to Twin Falls or Boise, if need be. And parents swarmed the area to make sure their kids were safe. While some, when it became clear that there was no real threat, felt the response had been overdone, in light of the tragedy last week in Uvalde, Texas, many are reconsidering and appreciating how seriously the situation was taken, as well as the lightning-quick response time. On May 24, at Robb Elementary School in Ulvalde, Texas, 19 young children and two dedicated teachers were murdered by an active shooter. Many questions and concerns have since arisen regarding the response time and actions taken by law enforcement, who did not go into the school for more than 45 minutes even as the 911 calls poured in and there was no question of a true life-threatening emergency. Certainly, what went wrong in Uvalde will be examined for years to come.
Here, the response to the May 17 call will also cerWhat follows is the joint statement to the press by Haitainly be discussed and analyzed. “[Hailey Police] Chief ley police and the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office detailEngland and I are very proud of the quick response by ing how quickly they got matters under control. our agencies and local partners who responded to this event and are thankful this turned out to be a false alarm. • On May 17, at approximately 10:15 a.m., the Blaine County Emergency Communications Center received We understand this was a traumatic event for teachers an electronic lockdown message from Wood River and students inside the building and for the parents of Middle School in Hailey. the students. A review of this event will occur with local agencies to evaluate our response and to see what • At approximately 10:16 a.m., the Hailey Police Department, Hailey Fire Department and Wood River improvements can be made. We also greatly appreciate Fire and Rescue were dispatched to the school for the all the support and response from the local fire departreport of a lockdown. ments,” Steve Harkins, Blaine County Sheriff, said. To recap: It took local, armed law enforcement just six • At approximately 10:17 a.m., a Wood River Middle School staff member called 911 and relayed that sevminutes to enter the building after receiving notification eral teachers had reported hearing a possible gunshot of a lockdown and to confirm students and staff were in the sixth-grade hallway. safe. It took just over an hour to determine the cause of the lockdown. And it took just an hour and 15 minutes to • At 10:21 a.m., officers from the Hailey Police Department and deputies from the Blaine County Sheriff’s lift the lockdown. Office arrived at the school and entered the building. Officers and deputies quickly began a search of the These 10 Valley agencies responded to the Election Day school for an active shooter and ensured the students lockdown at Wood River Middle School: and faculty were secure in their classrooms. • Hailey Police Department • At approximately 11:07 a.m., a student was ques• Blaine County Sheriff’s Office tioned and admitted to popping a balloon in the sixth• Bellevue Marshal’s Office grade hall restroom. At approximately 11:20 a.m., this information was confirmed and officers inside • Sun Valley Police Department ensured that the students and faculty were safe by • Idaho State Police making contact with each classroom. • Wood River Fire and Rescue • At approximately 11:33 a.m., the lockdown was lifted • Hailey Fire Department and emergency units began to clear the scene. • Sun Valley Fire Department • Bellevue Fire Department • St. Luke’s Life Flight
In the next issue of Wood River Weekly, we’ll talk with school district leadership about safety measures they plan to take before kids come back to school in the fall.