The MMS Wolf Call

In our ongoing commitment to safety and preparedness, the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District is participating in a regional lahar exercise, which is designed to test and improve the ability to evacuate or shelter students and staff in the event of an incoming lahar from Mount Rainier. Schools on the hill in Bonney Lake* will shelter in place. Our Sumner valley schools will evacuate their buildings. This message is for families whose students attend a SBLSD school in Bonney Lake.

On the morning of April 29, students at our Bonney Lake schools will shelter in place by remaining at school inside their classroom. Shelter in place is a short-term safety procedure intended to protect students and staff from potentially hazardous outside conditions, such as a lahar. As part of the drill, schools will review shelter in place procedures. In the event of a real lahar, school buildings on the hill will become gathering places, taking in students, staff and members of the community. The shelter-in-place drill should last no longer than five minutes.

The District’s participation in this full-scale, regional lahar exercise, known to be the largest of its kind in the nation, includes surrounding school districts, cities, towns and emergency management agencies. SBLSD has worked closely with the cities of Bonney Lake and Sumner to coordinate this exercise.

For questions or more information about this lahar drill, contact your student’s school.

* SBLSD schools in Bonney Lake sheltering in place:

• Secondary Schools: Bonney Lake HS, Lakeridge MS, Mountain View MS

• Elementary Schools: Bonney Lake, Crestwood, Donald Eismann, Emerald Hills, Liberty Ridge, Tehaleh Heights, Victor Falls