School Bomb Threat In Georgetown

GEORGETOWN, Del. - A frightening day for students at Howard T. Ennis school in Georgetown.

Students were immediately evacuated after the school secretary received a bomb threat phone call around 1 PM Tuesday afternoon. "Usually when this happens, we have our Assistant Superintendent and we also have a supervisor of people services . They immediately jump in a car and go to the site of an emergency, so they took care of it," said Dr. Susan Bunting, Superintendent of the Indian River School District.
     
"The principal contacted me, contacted 911 to get the emergency services there, we contacted the school bus contractors to get the buses there because we were fairly sure," said Gary Brittingham, Assistant Superintendent of the Indian River School District.

Parents were notified via automated phone call and students were evacuated in about 10 minutes - an effort that would usually take only about 2 to 3 minutes, but students at Howard T. Ennis, need more assistance. "All the students at that school are handicapped students, so that made it a little more complicated," said Brittingham.

Students were taken to safety at a Deltek building across the street as part of protocol. "Annually, we develop a protocol for a variety of emergencies from earthquakes to fires to hurricanes to bomb threats. Each of our schools must submit a plan including a place where the children will be evacuated if there is an emergency," said Bunting. State Police and K9's then thoroughly searched the building. "There were a number of K9's that arrived - searched every classroom, every office - the building has a pool, so every room in the building - every space in the building," said Brittingham.

Thankfully, they found no sign of a bomb. Students were notified to return to school Wednesday morning on time. So far there has been no word as to who made the bomb threat or where the call came from - The incident is still under investigation.