The “Uvalde Strong” School Safety Act was passed three years after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde.
LITTLE CYPRESS, Texas — A new Texas law is changing the way first responders prepare for active shooter situations, requiring agencies to train and work together.
The “Uvalde Strong” School Safety Act was passed three years after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde. The law mandates school district police departments and local law enforcement meet annually and complete joint training for responding to an active shooter.
“Local sheriff’s departments, EMS medical people, ambulance services, all the above will be included,” Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD Police Chief Michael Hennigan said.
Hennigan said the law standardizes emergency response across agencies.
“So that piece of it standardized protocol is going to be where everybody knows what they’re gonna do before the incident occurs,” Hennigan said.
The chief added that the requirement is a new strategy for Texas schools.
“There weren’t any mandates for us to get with other departments. It’s just like, OK, you’re a school district, you handle your protocols. They didn’t involve the communities,” Hennigan said.
Orange County Sheriff Bobby Smith said his deputies would respond to at least four school districts in the event of a shooting.
“We’re trying to enhance that partnership because the school districts and law enforcement need to work hand in hand in these incidents,” Smith said.
Smith said the law ensures his deputies are better prepared.
“We’re going to have on sight training, active shooter training at the school districts. We’re going to expose them to our personnel and resources on sight,” he said.
Orange County Constable Joey Jacobs also emphasized the importance of the new state-mandated alert training.
“It teaches us how to provide that critical care to the victims and it also teaches us how to extract those critically injured individuals in a zone that was just moments ago hot,” Jacobs said.
Hennigan noted that the district-wide emergency plan, created with law enforcement input, must meet state requirements but will be tailored to each campus.