"Shelter In Place" ordered at several Great Falls schools

Several schools in Great Falls reportedly implemented "shelter in place" procedures for a short time on Monday afternoon (September 12, 2022).

Initial reports indicate the procedure was ordered on at CMR High School, Valley View Elementary School, and Riverview Elementary School.

At this point, there is no word on the reason for the order.

We have not seen or received reports of any confirmed threat to any students on any campus, which indicates that the order was likely a precaution due to a possible off-campus threat in the vicinity of one of the schools.

Here is an overview of GFPS safety procedures:

• Evacuation: Defined as an internal emergency that requires students and staff to leave the building for their safety.  Parents should follow emergency notifications.
• Lockdown: Defined as an internal and/or immediate threat.  All staff and students are locked in rooms.  No one IN or OUT!
• Shelter In Place: Defined as a safety precaution for an external threat that is not an immediate or internal threat.
• Class Hold: Defined as a safety precaution implemented during an incident where students need to be kept in the classroom.
• Release with Care: Defined as a possible threat in the schools’ neighborhoods during arrival and release time. Release with care procedures:
  
  • To ensure safety, the building administrator may ask staff to escort students to/from buses or waiting cars.
  • Staff may also be asked to accompany students home.

Click here to visit the Safety page on the GFPS website for more information.

As of 4:05 p.m., there is no visible law enforcement presence at the schools, and students and staff are engaged in routine after-school activities, including football practice at CMR and kids on the playground at Riverview.

Also happening on the NW side of town at this time - the Great Falls Police Department says that officers are at the scene of an injury crash on 3rd Street NW at 15th Avenue NW.

Great Falls Fire Rescue and Great Falls Emergency Services are also at the scene.

Adam Fliginger

The GFPD said: "Traffic in the area is going to be seriously restricted for the time being, please make arrangements to take another route and follow instructions by emergency personnel at the scene."

We will update you if we get more information.

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