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Imagine there was a shooting at a school within the county. Imagine there was an accident involving a school bus or a player down on the football field. Imagine.

Local department heads know and understand there exists the possibility of school/campus situations that require immediate response.

“In situations like that, time  can be, and often is, of the essence,” said Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas.

With that realization and the understanding that lives are or could be at risk, local Pike County agencies have come together to enhance communication between the different  departments and the local school systems to provide an extra layer of protection for students, teachers and school personnel  in the local school systems.

On Monday, each school in Pike County was given a radio that allows them to know immediately what is going on in the county and which departments are responding and if other departments are also responding.

And, this same information is received at each school at the same time.

Early awareness of threating situations allows time for emergency planning to go into effect at each school .

All school officials are trained how to use the technology and that training provides another layer for protection for students in schools throughout the county.

Thomas said local agencies are working together to provide awareness of different situations  that might occur and provide the best protection available for schools throughout the county.