Today, the Community Outreach Center (COC) hosted a vital training session for school principals and staff, focusing on the importance of conducting regular lockdown drills. The training was led by Lieutenant Howell and Sergeant Navarro of the Ramapo Police Department, which was attended by representatives from 25 local schools.
The session emphasized the need for consistent and thorough emergency preparedness to ensure the safety of students and faculty in the event of a crisis.
Rabbi Hersh Horowitz, Executive Director of the Community Outreach Center, opened the event by expressing gratitude to the Ramapo Police Department for their continued dedication to public safety.
“We thank Supervisor Michael Specht and Chief Danny Hyman for making this training possible and for always supporting the needs of our community,” said Rabbi Horowitz. “With Hashem’s help, may these drills remain just that—drills—and never be needed in real life.”
Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht stated, “We are proud to partner with the Community Outreach Center in advancing the safety of our Town’s children and school personnel. May our schools always be prepared for the worst but never need to put that training into actual use.”
Also present was Ethan Erlich, Regional Security Director for the Community Security Initiative (CSI), who has conducted numerous security assessments and trainings for school personnel. He was available throughout the event to answer questions and provide guidance to attendees.
Due to the strong interest and importance of the topic, a follow-up training session is planned for after Yom Tov to extend this awareness to even more schools.
