For the past three years, Rick Steele, retired Battalion Chief for the Vancouver Fire Department and former HHS football coach, has been working alongside the HSD's Safety Director, Superintendent Steve Marshall, to continually improve safety in HSD Schools. Most recently, the two have collaborated on revising our district's parent-student reunification procedures (see below). Here is a quick Q & A with Rick:
What is your background with school and student/staff safety?
When I worked for the Vancouver Fire Department, I served as the department’s liaison with the Clark County Safe School Task Force. In the 25 years since, I have participated in the annual Safety Summits and consulted with the Vancouver Public Schools and Evergreen School District. For the past 3 years I have worked with the HSD to improve its safety program.
How do you feel about seeing schools take steps to get more prepared, more safe?
School safety is something I am passionate about and it is gratifying to see the improvements we implement pay off. Hockinson has made some big gains in its safety program and I feel very good about this progress.
What’s ahead for school safety in the HSD?
As we implement new procedures, I’m excited to see how the staff and students respond and the overall level of knowledge and preparedness [in Hockinson Schools] continues to improve. What I really want to do is provide people with the tools so they do not feel helpless and instead know what to do to act and make a difference in an emergency situation. Specifically, Steve [Marshall] and I are working to make an HSD school a pilot school for a new emergency labeling system that directs students and staff toward exits, AED devices, and designated shelter-in-place locations.
Thank you, Rick. Also, thank you Hockinson. Funds from the 2022-26 EP & O Levy enable the district to purchase the services, supplies, and equipment that make our schools safer.