ILOILO City – To prepare schools for armed attacks, the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 carried out a full-scale “active shooter” incident simulation exercise, teaching personnel the internationally recognized “Run, Hide, Fight” survival strategy amid heightened security concerns following the recent discovery of a student carrying a loaded firearm in an Iloilo school.
Shooting is one of the most dangerous emergency scenarios schools may face. Just this June 30, a Grade 10 15-year-old student was found with a gun loaded with six rounds of ammunition when his class adviser inspected his bag at Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo’s national comprehensive high school. This triggered tighter security measures across schools in the province.
The Aug. 3 exercise, held at DepEd-6’s regional office on Duran Street, underscored the agency’s growing emphasis on crisis preparedness amid heightened public concern over campus safety and violent incidents affecting educational institutions. The activity was designed to ensure that school personnel can respond quickly, decisively, and in a coordinated manner.
Before the simulation, participants underwent a comprehensive orientation on emergency communication protocols, lockdown procedures, evacuation methods, incident command systems, and accountability measures to ensure a unified response during a security crisis.
The centerpiece of the activity was a realistic active shooter scenario in which participants applied the “Run, Hide, Fight” survival strategy while carrying out lockdown and evacuation procedures intended to reduce casualties during an armed attack.
To make the exercise as realistic as possible, DepEd-6 partnered with the Police Regional Office 6, particularly the latter’s Special Weapons and Tactics personnel and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams, which demonstrated tactical response operations and inter-agency coordination during high-risk incidents.
Emergency medical responders also took part by demonstrating casualty management and emergency medical procedures, emphasizing the importance of rapid treatment and seamless coordination among responding agencies.
Following the exercise, participants and partner agencies conducted an After-Action Review (AAR) to evaluate operational strengths, identify gaps, and recommend improvements that could further enhance emergency preparedness.
DepEd-6 said the successful simulation reflects the agency’s continuing commitment to fostering a culture of safety, preparedness, and resilience throughout schools and workplaces in Western Visayas.
The regional office added that regular emergency drills and capability-building activities are essential to ensuring that personnel possess the knowledge, skills, and readiness needed to respond effectively to critical incidents while helping create a safer educational environment for learners and employees alike./PN
