Photo by Mike Brothers
Sullivan schools’ security Gary Eller and Kim Swinford of the Moultrie County Health Dept. review first responder checklist while Sullivan police chief John Love and Moultrie County chief deputy Gary Carroll go over rapid response procedures during active shooter training March 9.

•March 16, 2016•

By Mike Brothers

A man walked into the Sullivan schools’ office March 9 asking to deliver flowers to his wife, a teacher.

That set off an active shooter exercise involving 18 first responders and 118 teachers and administrators on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon.

Jan Haegen, Moultrie County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency director, explained the active shooter exercise was held in cooperation with Sullivan schools to get an idea how emergency plans might play out if a shooter tried to enter the local school.

“All departments work together,” Haegen said of the combined training operation for the schools and county emergency services. “Anytime training is needed, everyone contributes, keeping us all up to speed.”

With headquarters set up at the American Legion across the street from the schools, state, county and city police were dispatched according to the ESDA approved plan. Moultrie County ESDA board prepared the county’s emergency response plan over six months, which was approved by Illinois Emergency Services.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.