Gov. Butch Otter, state schools Supt. Tom Luna, and the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security came to Burley yesterday for a school-safety drill that simulated a violent attack at a school, inspired by the Newtown, Conn. school shootings last December.  School wasn’t in session at Burley High School during the drill, which was based on a scenario involving a disgruntled parent who caused an explosion in a chemistry lab. “It gives us an opportunity to say if we find any problems in Burley, we need to check that all over the state of Idaho,” Otter said of the exercise.

The 90-minute exercise involved multiple state and local agencies and was watched by a team of evaluators who will make recommendations on how to improve local preparedness and readiness in schools across the state. The Twin Falls Times-News has a full report here. After an ambulance crew removed a simulated burn victim from the school, Burley High Principal Carolyn Hondo told the Times-News, "I can't believe how real it feels."