SHIPPENSBURG, FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. -- An area school is taking a proactive approach to safety, thanks to help from the local Lion’s Club.
It’s a project two years in the making.
200 safety buckets - one for every classroom in the Shippensburg Area School District and other multi-purpose rooms.
The buckets are meant to help in case of an emergency situation, such as a natural disaster or active shooter situations, where students and staff would be stuck in a classroom on lockdown.
"We’re all about being prepared and being proactive and being ready for anything that would happen,” said Dr. Mummau, the district’s superintendent.
A hammer to break a window, water bottles, paper towels, and ace bandages for wounds, duct tape to secure the bandage, a fleece blanket for warmth or to cover glass, and toilet paper and the 5-gallon bucket to serve as an emergency restroom.
"It’s the kind of project that’s great to have it, but we hope we never need it,” added Dr. Mummau.
The district hopped on board when the Shippensburg Lion’s Club offered to take on the safety project.
"Our motto is, 'we serve.' We hope that no one will ever have to use the safety bucket but, you know, in case of an emergency, then those supplies are there. So it gives the teachers a little bit of material to work with,” said Beverly Horn, the vice president of Shippensburg Lion’s Club.
Ginny Lopez teaches social studies in the high school. She's been with the district for 31 years but has never seen a safety program quite like the safety buckets.
"How can you say no to something that's going to make students safer in the district?"
A sentiment echoed in the community.
All items were donated by local sponsors, and 30 volunteers donated their time to put the buckets together for the district.