Lorain Schools Hosts SWAT Training Exercise at Lorain High
Lorain Schools Hosts SWAT Training Exercise at Lorain High
Lorain High School became the stage for a critical training exercise Tuesday afternoon as members of the Lorain Police Department's SWAT team swept through the halls, weapons drawn, simulating a high-stakes emergency scenario.
The drill did not involve teachers, students, or even the presence of fake blood or wounds. Still, the role-playing was enough to immerse the officers and the district’s safety and security team into a first-responder mindset.
Reuben Figueroa, the district’s Executive Director of Safety and a sworn police officer, emphasized the importance of these exercises in achieving greater efficiency and teamwork.
“We create these scenarios and trainings, so we know what to do,” Figueroa said. "We have very detailed and layered safety plans because the safety, well-being, and health of our students, staff, and families are the district's top priority. But plans on a shelf are useless without good quality training."
Lorain Schools is highly regarded for its school safety plans.
In 2023, Dr. Ken Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, commended Lorain Schools for prioritizing relationship-building between adults and students while also implementing robust policies and procedures. Trump, who was present at Toni Morrison Elementary School last May to observe the pressure testing of the district's Level 3 Lockdown protocols, said then that the exercise was among the best he had ever seen.
Tuesday's drill took yearly training drills a step further by integrating SWAT officers into the building.
In the fictional scenario, a student upset about a failing grade returns to school armed with a gun. The student approaches a teacher but is quickly confronted by School Resource Officer Nick Gerace. The attacker shoots Gerace, who, despite being wounded, manages to radio for help, initiating the SWAT team's response.
Gerace, who is stationed in the district daily, said the training was invaluable, allowing him to work alongside SWAT officers in a real-world scenario within the halls he walks daily.
"In an actual emergency, I'm trained to run toward danger," shared Gerace, who was hailed as a hero last school year when gunshots rang out just as Washington Elementary School was dismissing for the day, and the veteran officer took off in pursuit of the shooter. "I know I'm the first person tasked with confronting anyone who intends to harm students or staff before SWAT arrives with their more tactical approach."
Lorain Police Officer Juan Rodriguez, the department's training coordinator, highlighted the importance of quick reactions.
"The quicker people can react, the more lives can be saved," Rodriguez shared. "The faster we can recognize a situation and respond, the better the outcome."
Figueroa also invited 2022 Lorain High graduate Wilfredo Gotay Cotto to observe the exercise, knowing his aspirations to pursue a career in law enforcement. Gotay Cotto said witnessing the drill gave him a deeper appreciation for the measures taken to ensure the safety of students and staff.
"When I heard that call about someone being shot, my heart dropped, thinking about the 'what ifs,'" Gotay Cotto said. "But seeing the attention to detail puts everything into perspective. You see how quickly they improvise and react even when something as simple as a phone call going to voicemail happens. Everything has to move and work together."
When asked if he now knew he was safer at Lorain High than he realized, Gotay Cotto didn't hesitate.
"Knowing what I know now, if I had to, I would trust them to get me out."