Drill helps law enforcement tighten response during active shooter drill held at Woodland High School

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Agencies in Dorchester County participated in an active shooter drill at Woodland High School as the district prepares to welcome back students for the 2023-24 school year.

Corporal Nikie Humanitzki, a school resource officer at Woodland High, helped to lead some emergency personnel during a simulation of a shooter in the school halls.

“It gave me an insight on a real-life scenario if things was to happen on how everyone came together, got the job done, and made sure that everyone was able to be safe and do their job,” she said.

About 150 people from various law enforcement and emergency departments in Dorchester County took part in Wednesday’s simulation, working together, helping victims get out, and in some cases, even be carried out of the school.

“Teams there have an idea of what their roles are, and what we need to do to try to save lives and take care of anyone that may get hurt,” said Dorchester County Sheriff L.C. Knight, who also attended the drill.

While many learned about various things that could help in a real-life situation, one thing they learned was that radio communication was not as strong as it could have been inside the school.

They were able to get their rescue task force teams into the school within four minutes. It took them about 17 minutes during another simulation that happened a few weeks ago.

“The better we all understand the event, the better our reaction will be to the issue,” said Chief Deputy Sam Richardson with the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office.

Humanitzki says she, and the rest of these men and women, are glad to do this training, and they are ready to protect their kids at all times.

“The kids here at Woodland High School — I always tell everyone that every last kid … are mine. So, every day I come to school those kids are my kids, so I make sure that when they leave this school they leave and go back home because eight hours a day, they are mine,” said Cpl. Humanitzki.

Drills like this happen at schools across the Lowcountry on a regular basis to ensure law enforcement knows how to respond – and do so in a timely manner.