All Pennsylvania school employees to get safety, security training through new program

HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) - All Pennsylvania school employees will get three hours of safety and security training every year for free through a new state program.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency's School Safety and Security Committee approved using $4.8 million in state funding to support the development and launch of the training program. 

The program will include training for school employees on emergencies like natural disasters and active shooters and teach them how to identify or recognize student behavior that may indicate a threat.

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, who is the chairman, said the "horrors" of Sandy Hook, Uvalde and most recently Nashville keep parents up at night, but "we cannot harden our hearts to the violence that is plaguing our schools and our communities."

"Every kid deserves to be safe and feel safe, whether they're in the classroom, on the playing field, waiting for the bus or walking home from school. Once launched, this new training program will empower and educate teachers, administrators, counselors, librarians, cafeteria workers and more on topics like situational awareness, suicide, bullying, substance abuse and emergency training drills. This is a critical investment in our kids' safety and security."

More information on the training will be announced over the next few months, the lieutenant governor's office said.