Ogresgals Primary School to hold first-ever practical drills for air threat response
On Friday, Ogresgals Primary School will conclude a cycle of drills in which fire and rescue authorities are testing, for the first time since Latvia restored its independence, how schools respond to air threat scenarios.
This week, four Latvian schools are taking part in unprecedented practical drills in which representatives of the State Fire and Rescue Service (VUGD) assess how school staff and pupils respond to various possible air threat scenarios. Vilmārs Vecvagaris, advisor to the Interior Minister, said such practical drills conducted together with schools are being held for the first time since Latvia restored its independence.
According to the advisor, written response plans alone are not enough — they must also be tested in practice. The drills will help identify what still needs improvement so that staff and students know how to act in the event of an air threat. Preparations for the drills have already revealed several shortcomings in schools' existing response plans.
New legal framework
The drills stem from amendments to the Education Law adopted by the Saeima on 23 July, which set out the obligations of municipalities and educational institutions to ensure that the education process can continue even under threat conditions. Under the new provisions, municipal schools must develop a business continuity plan that includes a specific response algorithm for threat situations.
Each drill will be followed by a separate analysis, and once all four drills are complete, the results will be evaluated together. The conclusions will help municipalities and schools improve their continuity plans, and the guidelines already prepared will be refined if necessary.
Schedule of the drills
The cycle covers four schools in different regions of Latvia. On Wednesday, 23 September, drills began at 9:40 at Liepāja's Liedags Secondary School, followed at 10:00 by drills at Aknīste Secondary School in Jēkabpils municipality. On Thursday, 24 September, drills are scheduled for 10:00 at Riga's 64th Secondary School. The cycle will conclude with drills at Ogresgals Primary School on Friday, 25 September, at 10:00.
