GAITHERSBURG, Md. - Bomb technicians have determined that a suspicious device in Gaithersburg has turned out to be a hoax.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said the device had all the markings of an explosive device. But there were no explosives.
Earlier Friday, Piringer said the device appeared different from more routine reports of suspicious packages and said police believed the package was an improvised explosive device.
Students from Rachel Carson Elementary School were evacuated Friday afternoon and taken to nearby Quince Orchard High School.
The suspicious package was found in a park in the middle of Kent Island Circle and the bomb squad was called to the scene around 12:30 p.m., Piringer said. Technicians used a robot to investigate the device.
Thus ends the official report.
The incident began for me when I was attempting to leave the building to get some lunch and was told that the police would not allow me to leave. The reason being that we were about to enter into a Code Red. Instinctually, I went to the cafeteria where the final lunch of the day was about to commence, I knew some children where already in the lunch line and/or sitting down at their tables, while others were on their way. I also knew that my colleagues who had dropped off their children were already somewhere else in the building, and that upon a Code Red being called EVERYONE locks down where they are.
I had no sooner entered the cafeteria than it was called on the intercom and so myself and three other staff members (Ms. M. Special Ed teacher, and Mrs. K and Mrs. V. instructional support staff) began to coax the children in the room onto the stage that rises above one side of the cafeteria. Mrs. G., a Special Ed. IA, and Mrs. S. our Counselor soon joined us. Within 60 seconds we had secured the cafeteria, arranged approximately 110 students in a silent and seated position on the stage behind closed curtains, where we were prepared for what we did not then know. After only a minute, a member of the building services personal entered the cafeteria and said, "Where are they? Where did they go?" To wit, we made no response and the door closed then upon a silent and empty cafeteria. It was a picture perfect disappearance on our part!
This phase of the incident lasted a little over 30 minutes, until an announcement from our assistant principal down graded the situation to a code blue. We emerged from our hiding place and began the process of feeding the children. The 110 who had arrived earlier where joined by the remaining 100 of our 4th and 5th graders, and they had their lunch. And the delayed lunch proceeded relatively normally.
But by the time lunch was over the decision was made to move children from the front of the building with windows facing the “bomb,” as the apparent IED seemed more menacing upon closer examination by the police, to rooms further away from any possible harm. And moments later, we got the word to evacuate the building. Mind you, Rachel Carson Elementary has over 700 students, and appx. 100 staff. We successfully had every one out of harm's way in about 10 minutes. Getting everyone over to Quince Orchard High School was a little trickier as we had to walk the .75 miles and cross a few busy intersections. But throughout the children remained basically calm and everything transpired in an orderly fashion.
On a personal note, I was feeling a little vaclempt regarding my friend, Kimeo; whom I'd only recently gotten on board as a substitute teacher at my school. But he took the whole event in stride and contributed very positively to the successful conclusion of moving students and reuniting them with their often-anxious parents.
I now know how much a cab ride from work to my home costs! $44.40! When we finally had all of the students safely accounted for, it was 5:00 PM, and the security force told us that it was not possible to retrieve our vehicles from the parking lot before the morning. So my principal, Mr. C., very generously turned to me and offered to cover my cab ride home; which enabled Kimeo and a new student teacher, Mr. L, to get home, too. Little things are not so little in times of disruption -- "Thanks!" Mr. C.
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i remember my first lock down...i was student teaching, and it was one of the first days my teacher had left me in the room alone. the principal came over on the intercom and said, "code yellow lockdown". i had no earthly idea what to do...it took everything i had not to freak out, as that's what some of my students were doing. it turns out they had brought in drug dogs to do locker checks...wish someone had told me.
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