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Drills and Reality
Dear Families,
This week marked the Elm Grove Fire Department’s annual inspection of an SMV Fire Drill. We practice fire drills once a month just to make sure everyone is calm and fully ready in the event of an actual emergency. Once a year the fire department stops by to observe us and give us specialized feedback. They show up with a full escort - multiple fire engines, an ambulance and s squad car. Some of our younger students dread the fire drills, with the unexpected and piercing shrill noise and the sudden hurry, but even the most timid youngsters crack a smile when they emerge into the outside and see the armada of emergency vehicles. Last year, apparently as part of some sadistic hazing ritual, I was told I had to go into the bucket at the end of the ladder, and be lifted up and spun around in front of the entire assembled school community like some sort of ancient spoil of war. I have a fear of heights. This year they lifted up Ms. Lesnjak, Mrs. Larsen, Miss Borchardt and Miss “M&M”, and conspicuously they did not have to spin.
We do drills like this because we want to know how to act in the event of a real emergency. Simultaneously we hope and pray that such an event never occurs. “Be Prepared,” as the Boy Scouts like to say. Disasters can occur anywhere, even in joyful little enclaves like the one we call our home. This is evident, because as one looks around the world right now, it seems to be disaster season, especially evident in the hurricane-ravaged southeast.
This blurb will be going out right about the time that Milton makes landfall. I have never lived in a hurricane’s path, though the idea of packing up all of my vitals in a car and driving off to anywhere else, all with just a prayer that your home and neighborhood will still be there when you return, sounds awful. At school, we prayed a special prayer this week on announcements for those affected by the previous storm, whose floodwaters carried away whole communities deep in Appalachia.
Our faith calls on us to act in these situations-seven of the eight Corporal Works of Mercy could apply to disaster relief. The least we can do is prayer, which we have done and will continue to do. While we hesitate to do two different fundraisers concurrently, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee did share with us information from Catholic Charities. Their network is having a real impact down in these affected communities. If able, please consider supporting them in any way you can.
God Bless,
Siggy Spelter
Principal
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