Secure Environment Consultants founder and President Jason Russell is a former Secret Service Agent. His company has worked with thousands of schools across the country to help make them safer. He says during football season, all districts should have a plan in place for emergencies.
“We’ve created with MHSAA here in Michigan a training for not only coaches and athletic directors but also a training for volunteers on how to control the entry, how to communicate.”
Russell says paying attention to parking lots, limiting bags, and not allowing re-entry to games are other ways districts can keep attendees safe. And when it comes to potential threats?
“We recommend to parents, to our school leaders, to just rely on official sources, and the only official sources are law enforcement, emergency responders, and the school district. Anything else has a strong, high potential for being incorrect.”
Russell says the percentage of bomb threats that turn out to be real are less than one tenth of one percent, so law enforcement knowing the source of the information is key to deciphering whether a threat is legitimate.
“If I actually wanted to bomb you, why would I tell you? Right? Wouldn’t I just do it? So, most of the threats that we see, they’re not real. They’re hoaxes or they’re just people trying to create chaos.”
Still, Russell says if you see or hear something, tell law enforcement or district leaders directly. Posting it to social media only creates more chaos and questions.
