By Emmy Trivette, Editor-in-Chief

Police cars blocking the entrances. Officers with guns establishing a perimeter around the campus. Bomb-sniffing dogs checking every classroom and locker.

From Monday’s lockdown to Wednesday’s closure, it’s been a challenging week for students, staff and parents at all three First Flight schools.

“With Monday’s lockdown and then (Wednesday), my initial reaction was frustration,” FFHS Principal Chuck Lansing said. “Because I don’t want students to learn to let fear dictate their actions, or just be a part of their lives, and that’s something that’s very easy to do and can happen very quickly.”

Fear and uncertainty spread quickly Monday (Dec. 16) when a lockdown announcement came over the intercom around 11:45 a.m. A student shared with FFHS administrators an old Snapchat in which a former student posted an image of a weapon with a threatening message.

Even though they realized it was an older post that had just resurfaced, Lansing said school officials and the Dare County Sheriff’s Office still investigated the matter. The sheriff’s office called for all three First Flight schools to go into lockdown as a precaution.

Five minutes passed. Then 10. Some students could hear police sirens, while others saw officers with guns on the sidewalks. After 15 minutes, the lockdown was lifted, and 30 minutes after that parents were notified that the campuses were safe and the person of interest in the case had been found at home.

“Whenever we call a lockdown, the police arrive and they kind of take over the actions and investigation from that point. We really followed their lead and just worked to provide them with information,” Lansing said. “My main focus was making sure everybody stayed in the building and nobody new came in the building.”

Lansing said administrators “felt really confident after lifting the lockdown” and that student and staff reaction to the lockdown was calm and organized, as orderly as a drill would have proceeded. Administrators and staff met Tuesday afternoon to exchange feedback on the situation, discussing what may help them improve preparation for future scenarios.

But the future scenario was closer than anyone anticipated. 

In an OBXToday.com story about the lockdown, someone identified as “darren” posted a comment at 11:53 Tuesday night. The commenter disparaged an FFHS teacher by name, said they “hated the school,” and added that two bombs had been placed at the school: “we all die,” it concluded.

Before most First Flight students had even rolled out of bed Wednesday, Lansing, School Resource Officer Ed Cottrell and Superintendent John Farrelly had to make the hard call that it was not safe to allow students in school.

With buses already rolling, the call to close the high school went out around 6:40. Shortly thereafter, FFMS and FFES also were closed as parents reacted to the news on social media.

“It wasn’t really on everyone’s radar until about 6 (Wednesday) morning,” Lansing said. “Everyone reacted really, really quickly to make the best decisions.”

So as most students were either distressing over the cancelation or appreciating an extra day off before winter break, Lansing was back at the school anticipating the police muscle arriving on campus to begin the investigation and search to clear the school.

As the very real bomb dogs and officers moved through the building, scouring for the two bombs threatened in the post, Lansing watched and waited and eventually received word that the school was clear.

“It definitely gives you a heightened sense of security,” Lansing said. “They were very thorough, so it went form a very surreal feeling to very appreciative and informed.”

Lansing explained that Wednesday’s bomb threat likely fed off the Monday lockdown, and authorities are always concerned about “copycats” in situations like this.

“But hopefully, kids realize the effect that this has on their peers and on their parents and on everyone else, and that works as a deterrent,” Lansing added.

After dealing with both situations this week, though, Lansing feels confident that local law enforcement and the students and staff at FFHS will confidently handle any threats that might arise in the future. 

“I or the staff might not know every single personal detail about (the students), but we do love them and care about them, and we do want them to be safe,” Lansing said. “When we meet and talk and say things like ‘safety is our No. 1 priority,’ that is the absolute truth.”

Senior Emmy Trivette can be reached at trivetteem0626@daretolearn.org.