In the event of an emergency lockdown at Rochester Memorial School, Principal Dr. Moira Rodgers wants to be prepared.

While the school's staff has been trained for such a situation, Rodgers said additional training could only help.

Currently, Rodgers is talking to the Rochester Police about holding a mock lockdown later this month. She is also planning to purchase new walkie-talkies for the teachers to use in the event of an emergency.

"In cases of crisis management, it's important to have that coverage," Rodgers said.

On September 11, the school was placed under lockdown by the Rochester Police following reports of a suspicious person carrying a firearm in the area.

After investigating the reports, the police determined that the suspicious person was a local resident who was target shooting nearby at the Wildlife and Fisheries Reserve on Hartley Road and was not a threat.

The lockdown was lifted after 30 minutes.

Rodgers said she was pleased with how well the teachers and students followed their past training on how to handle a crisis situation. She added that continued training would serve to ensure the safety of everyone at the elementary school.

“I was very impressed with the staff and with the students for how they responded during the lockdown,” Rodgers said. “It was impressive that people followed the protocol they had been trained in.”