FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2018
ARLINGTON, Va. – Thomas Polera, Chief Fire Marshal
and Emergency Manager for the City of Falls Church, has nominated Fr. Patrick Posey, Pastor; Rich
Blickendorfer, Business Manager; Sr. Mary Sue, Principal; and the entire staff
of Saint James Catholic School for Employees/Community
Heroes of the 3rd Quarter of 2018. “St. James Catholic School and its
church community have been instrumental in the support of forwarding emergency management
principles within the school and church campus setting,” said Mary Gavin, Chief
of Falls Church Police.
According to Police Chief Gavin:
- Every year without delay Saint James Catholic
School coordinates a back-to-school meeting with the Falls Church Public Safety
Team to explore all needs, goals and new best practices.
- Each year, Sr. Mary Sue, principal, and her staff enhance
their toolkit for safety and engage all human, technological and physical
assets to fortify the campus for the utmost safe, healthy and enriching
environment.
Additionally, Saint James
Faculty and staff received the latest training in August for intruder/active
shooter response measures. They were the first entity in the City of
Falls Church to receive such training. In the attached photo Tom
Polera, Emergency Manager for the City of Falls Church (white shirt) instructs
members of the faculty in the appropriate measures to take down an intruder
(Pictured Lt. Joe Carter of the FCPD)
The Leadership at Saint
James also graciously allowed the Falls Church Police Department to utilize
their classroom/ lecture space to teach Falls Church City Employee ALICE
training amongst many other community events throughout the year. “Fr.
Posey, Rich Blickendorfer, and Sr. Mary Sue have demonstrated selfless,
compassionate and strategic leadership in their efforts at Saint James, and it
has become a model example of cooperation which supports the entire Falls
Church community,” said Gavin.
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