Tuesday, November 2 started like any other day at Sweet Grass County High School. Students found their way to classes, laughed with friends, and some even moaned at their latest test scores. Just like every other day-almost.

With only a few minutes left of second period, Superintendent Dick Webb made the announcement, "Please lock-down the building now." It was the first time such an announcement was heard over the high school public address system, and it won't be the last.

In less than a minute the building turned vacant. Hallways were dark. None of the familiar sounds remained, no students prowled the hallways. Books still lying open on desks in one classroom were the only evidence that anyone had been there that morning. The high school building was "locked-down."

Some may think that SGHS staff is reacting to the number of highly publicized school shootings, such as Columbine High School in Colorado, but this is only partially the case. The State of Montana has been encouraging all schools to adopt lock-down plans, possibly in readiness to add lock-downs to the list of required emergency plans. Also, the need for such plans has only been recognized in recent years mostly in response to school violence. But the Crisis Response Team, the committee that developed the written procedures for SGHS, sees the newly added lock-down as a proactive step

A lock-down would be used anytime students need to be contained and protected inside the building. Interstate 90 provides the most obvious threats that would warrant SGHS staff the need to protect the students inside. A chemical spill, for example, could put students and staff at risk of toxic inhalation if allowed outside. Also, a fugitive abandoning a car chase to flee on foot could pose the risk of a hostage situation. In both these cases the sheriff's office would request a lock-down of the high school to prevent putting students and staff in danger. For these reasons, the Super 8 Motel and the Town Pump also have lock-down procedures, according to Sheriff Dan Tronrud.

An unarmed intruder inside the building can also be cause to implement the lock-down procedure, separating the intruder from students. In this case a lock-down may also help to prevent confusion, and to make it easier for staff to account for all students as it is simpler to determine if a student is missing when the students are at least standing still.

This past August, Jesus Villahermosa, President of Personal Awareness and Protection Training, Inc., visited Big Timber to speak about school violence. Villahermosa taught students and parents that when a gunman is involved, running from the area quickly is the only option to consider. A building lock-down would be much more effective to keep the gunman outside the building where Sheriff's Deputies can apprehend him. The deciding factor in situations involving guns is time. Time to keep the gunman out, time to lock-down the building. So although a lock-down could be used against armed intruders, it is sometimes not an option.

Tuesday's drill provoked discussion between students and teachers about the need for a lock-down procedure. No one wants it to ever be used. Unfortunately, the need to protect our kids will always remain. A lock-down plan is ultimately just another tool to do the same job teachers and parents have done well for so long.

And what of the possibility that the lock-down will be used during a real emergency? "Hopefully we won't need it," says parent Sheri Campbell, who is also a Crisis Response Team member, and SGHS teacher. "But it's reassuring to know the plan is in place should we ever need it."

Since a plan is only effective if it can be practiced regularly, lock-down drills at SGHS will soon be as commonplace as fire drills. Tuesday was unique because it was a first. No one quite knew what to expect. It won't be long before a lock-down is viewed by all as just another annoying drill that interrupts the day.