MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Emergency Management Agency has been working to ensure all schools and agencies, which care for children during the day in Knox County, regularly practice lockdown drills. The goal is to ensure that the staff and children in those buildings know what to do should the threat of violence affect one of the facilities.

Steve Short, superintendent of the Mount Vernon City Schools, said the cooperation of first responders and school staff is key in preparing to protect the students and staff should violence be threatened.

“We try to think of ourselves as educational experts and not experts on these issues,” he said regarding the drills.