During a three-hour exercise on the morning of May 30, faculty and staff at Arcadia prepared for an active shooter scenario. The yearly emergency preparedness training session, which Arcadia’s Department of Public Safety conducted with the Cheltenham Township Police Department and the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety, closely reviewed proper protocols in case of an active shooter or campus threat. More than 50 Arcadia community members participated in the session, including representatives from Facilities, Student Affairs, University Relations, Landman Library, and Human Resources.

After a brief overview of the University’s responsibility to the wider Cheltenham area, attendees received recommendations for improving response efficiency, such as planning evacuation routes, designating safety areas on campus, and constructing barricades. Properly implemented, these measures could save valuable seconds–and lives–in an emergency situation. They also learned more about communications methods for both the internal and external communities should a crisis happen.

To wrap up the session, Cheltenham Police Department and Montgomery County Public Safety gave suggestions about coping with the aftermath of a crisis. They emphasized the importance of building strong community bonds as a means of moving beyond tragedy.