Category: LegacyImport2

Norcross Statement on New Jersey’s Commitments to Public Employees

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) released the following statement:

“We all share the common goal of upholding the pension and health care commitments made to our state, county, municipalities and school board employees. The issue is how best to meet these promises,” said Congressman Norcross. “I believe we cannot let New Jersey fall to the ways of

Washington but should instead work together to resolve tough issues. That is why I oppose any effort to place pension and health benefit reform bills on the ballot. Instead, all parties should come together to work on solutions that keep our promises to New Jersey workers. I am happy to participate in a dialogue with legislators, the Governor and union leaders to work together to meet New Jersey’s obligations to its workers.”

SURVEY SAYS! One-Third Of Americans Don’t Trust The Media

Around one-third of Americans don’t trust that the media’s reporting is based on factual information, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.

The poll,

released Nov. 20

,  asked Americans “how often” they think each of the questions asked “are based on factual information.” It found that about two in 10 – or less – Americans

trust

that the media’s reporting is based on facts. Only 21% of Americans always or often

trust the media

and 47% sometimes have that trust. 31% said that they rarely or never believe that media reports based on facts, the poll found.

This distrust was even bigger when Americans were asked if they believe that the decisions made by policy makers are fact-based. The poll found that 55% of those polled only sometimes believe in their lawmakers decisions, and only 14% always or often trust them.

The trend of skepticism continued throughout the questions, with many Americans expressing doubt about whether their fellow Americans vote based on facts. Americans also doubted whether political candidates’ campaign messages are fact-based and if debates between candidates are legitimate, according to the poll. Only 9% always or often trusted in politicians’ campaign messages.

Republicans are more skeptical of Democrats and baby boomers are less confident in what politicians say compared to

millennials

, the poll also found.

“Democracy is in danger when Americans so overwhelmingly lack trust in the candidates, the policymakers, the news media, and each other,” USAFacts President Poppy MacDonald said according to

a press release

.

October’s poll saw 1,032 U.S. adults interviewed between Oct. 15-28, Axios

reported

. There is a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2% and the final numbers were rounded.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact

licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

published here with permission |

The Daily Caller

Maryland Fishing Report Nov. 20: Winter Temps Forcing Fish/Blue Crabs to Deeper Waters

November 20, 2019

By Keith Lockwood

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Photo courtesy of Eric Packard

The chill of late November is beginning to lay its hand upon the Maryland landscape. Freshwater species such as trout, walleye, and chain pickerel seem to love the cold. Our blue crabs are seeking the perfect mix of deep water sand and mud to take a winter’s nap.

White perch and resident striped bass are moving into the deep waters of the Chesapeake to snooze out the cold winter months. The late fall offers plenty of good fishing as fish feed heavily to build up winter stores, so don’t miss it.

Forecast Summary: Nov. 20 – Nov. 26:

As we approach Turkey Day, Bay temperatures continue to drop. The cool weather has reduced the water temperature of upper Bay main stream and rivers to the upper 40s, and surface waters from Annapolis south to the Virginia state line down to near 50 degrees. This cooling will continue through the next week. Warmest waters continue to be found in the bottom quarter of the water column. Anglers should focus on

prime habitat areas

for larger concentrations of baitfish and hungry gamefish as they migrate to their winter holding areas. As always, make sure to focus on moving water periods for best results.

Expect normal flows from most of Maryland’s rivers and streams this week.There will be above average tidal currents Saturday through next Tuesday as a result of the upcoming new moon November 26.

Bay surface salinities are largely back to normal conditions.

There will be reduced water clarity from the bottom of the Susquehanna Flats down to Tolchester as a result of the recent spill gates being opened at Conowingo Dam.

To see the latest water clarity conditions, check

Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps.

For the

full weekly fishing conditions summary

and more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, be sure to check out

Click Before You Cast

. You can now get regular updates on Maryland’s waters and the creatures that call them home sent to your inbox with our new Eyes on the Bay newsletter.

Sign up online

.

Upper Chesapeake Bay

Photo courtesy of Herb Floyd

There continues to be some early morning striped bass action at the Conowingo Dam pool and the lower Susquehanna River this week, but the action is slowing down as water temperatures drop. Yellow perch are moving into the lower part of the Susquehanna and Northeast rivers and can provide some fun fishing for those using minnows or small jigs on bottom rigs or small beetle spin type lures in shallower waters.

Farther down the Bay, water temperatures are still high enough that the resident striped bass are feeding on small menhaden that are coming out of the tidal rivers. This exodus of baitfish will be coming to an end soon as colder water in the tidal rivers drive them down the Bay.

Those fishing in the upper Bay whether jigging or trolling are constantly watching for diving seagulls, mostly along channel edges. Light-tackle jigging is always a favored fall activity. The mouth of the Patapsco and Hart Miller Island are great places to look for striped bass suspended over channel edges or under birds. White, pearl or chartreuse 6-inch plastics on half-ounce jig heads are a popular way to imitate young of the year menhaden. The mouth of the Chester River and shipping channel edges are also holding striped bass.

Trolling is a very effective way to fish for striped bass along channel edges and anywhere bird action can be spotted. Using heavy inline weights in front of umbrella rigs is perhaps the best way to troll for these fish, which are holding close to the bottom. Swimshads and bucktails dressed with sassy shads in chartreuse or white are popular trailers.

White perch are providing good fishing over shell bottom in deeper areas at the mouths of tidal rivers and out in the Bay. The Bay Bridge rock piles and piers are always a great place to fish for larger white perch this time of the year. Most are using bottom rigs baited with pieces of bloodworm or dropper rigs with small plastic or metal jigs. Channel catfish are also being found in the lower sections of the tidal rivers and fishing on the bottom with cut bait or other favored baits is the way to catch them.

Middle Bay

Herb Floyd invited his friend Chuck from Pennsylvania to fish the Choptank River; they hold up a pair of nice striped bass. Photo courtesy of Herb Floyd

Watching diving seagulls has been the primary focus of most anglers on the Bay. That may start to become a scarcer scenario as the bulk of the young of the year menhaden successfully complete their migration out of Maryland waters. Some of this year’s juvenile hickory shad and river herring will soon be exiting several tidal rivers thanks to the efforts of the

department’s shad restoration program

.

Right now, birds mark the way to fishing fun with mostly 3-year old striped bass with some larger 4- and 5-year fish showing up at times. Generally speaking, the 2-year-old striped bass have stopped feeding due to cold water temperatures and are hunkering down in deeper waters to sit out the winter months. Light-tackle jigging is good this week in the lower sections of the tidal rivers and along the shipping channel edges out in the Bay. Soft plastic 6-inch jigs in white, pearl or chartreuse are a popular choice as are metal jigs in half-ounce to three quarter ounce size.

Trolling is an excellent option — and it can be especially nice inside a boat cabin protected from the elements. The most popular way to troll this week is deploying umbrella rigs behind heavy inline weights to get them down to the depths where striped bass are holding. The most common trailers being used are Storm type swimshads or bucktails dressed with sassy shads. The shipping channel edges and channels leading out of the major tidal rivers — along with areas near active birds or slicks — are good places to look for suspended fish.

As water temperatures drop, white perch have now moved out into the deeper areas at the mouths of the tidal rivers and in the Bay. Oyster shell bottom is often a preferred habitat for them and a good depth finder will reveal their presence. Bottom rigs baited with pieces of bloodworms or dropper rigs with small jigs is the best way to catch them.

Lower Bay

Photo courtesy of Greg Jenkins

Striped bass can be found scattered along the shipping channel edges and channel edges in the lower Patuxent and Potomac rivers and Tangier Sound. On most days it is easy to spot bird action as baitfish continue to move out of the tidal rivers and travel down the bay. The most common bait being seen are 4-inch to 5-inch juvenile menhaden.

Light tackle jigging is one of the most fun and productive ways to fish for striped bass in the fall and this year is no exception. Using half-ounce to 3/4-ounce jigs skirted with six inch soft plastic bodies in white, pearl, or chartreuse is the ticket to this fun. Metal jigs with single hooks are also a good choice, and braided line is a real asset in regard to sensitivity and line drag.

Trolling is a great option along channel edges and wherever bird action is spotted. Trolling with umbrella rigs and heavy inline weights is the most popular trolling option to get down deep to where the striped bass are holding.

White perch can be found deep — often 30 feet or deeper — in the lower parts of the major tidal rivers over good hard bottom with some amount of current flowing through the area. It’s best to use bottom rigs baited with pieces of bloodworm or dropper rigs holding small jigs or a metal jig with a dropper fly-rigged above. Anglers are reminded that rigs may not have more than two hooks per rig.

Speckled trout can still be found along the eastern and western sides of the Bay in deeper holes, but it’s hard to get them to bite due to cold water temperatures. This is a great time of the year to target blue catfish in the tidal Potomac River, the Sharptown area of the Nanticoke River, and the Patuxent River. Fresh cut bait or items such as clam snouts work well, and channel edges are a good place to look for them.

Freshwater Fishing

Photo by Brian Morgan

The fall turnover of surface and bottom waters at Deep Creek Lake has occurred and stabilized. There are wonderful fishing opportunities for several coldwater species. Walleyes can be caught from shore by casting jerkbaits and crankbaits along steep rocky shores in the evening hours. Smallmouth bass can be found near rocky points and deep sunken structure. Crayfish are making an exodus from shallow water for deeper cover to spend the winter. Crankbaits and jigs that resemble crayfish are a perfect choice to target both smallmouth and largemouth bass.

Photo courtesy of John Mullican

Yellow perch fishing is very good for those using minnows under a slip bobber along steep shoreline edges. Crappie are holding near deep structure and bridge piers and can be caught with small minnows or jigs under a slip bobber. Chain pickerel are holding near shorelines, near fallen treetops and sunken wood. Northern pike are holding in the open waters of coves.

Trout fishermen visiting the catch-and-release and delayed harvest trout management waters are enjoying some peaceful fishing in this beautiful setting of late fall. Nymphs, streamers, and other various flies can offer productive fishing for trout.

Fishing for smallmouth bass and walleyes in the upper Potomac River is good this week. The largest smallmouth bass tend to be the most active, and of course, walleye love cold water. Tubes, jigs, and small crankbaits are good choices. This time of the year is also a great time to do a float trip down the section from Cumberland to Paw-Paw and enjoy good fishing and beautiful scenery.

Largemouth bass are steadily moving to deeper waters seeking warmer water temperatures. They can be found in transition areas near drop-offs or over the edge in deeper water along channel edges or structure. Casting spinnerbaits along transition zones and shallow waters can be a good bet, especially during sunny late afternoon hours when the sun’s rays warm the waters. Working small crankbaits and jigs that resemble crayfish, which are moving across open bottom headed for deeper winter haunts is a good option. Blade lures can also be a good choice when fishing the deepest waters.

Chain pickerel are holding near shoreline sunken wood or fallen treetops, waiting to ambush baitfish or anything else that swims by. The largest chain pickerel can often be found holding near deep structure. Crappie are also holding near deep structure in ponds reservoirs and tidal rivers. They can be caught with minnows or small jigs under a slip bobber.

Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays

The southbound migration of striped bass is underway and has advanced as far as New Jersey. There are reports of a 67-pound fish being caught off the Jersey coast this past weekend. The bottom line is that they are on their way and surf fishermen and those that will be trolling along the nearshore shoals are anxiously awaiting their arrival. Those that have to give it a try are soaking cut menhaden baits in the surf.

The last of the flounder are moving through the inlet, headed to their offshore wintering sites. The focus at the Inlet and Route 50 Bridge area has been jigging for striped bass and fishing for tautog. Most of the striped bass fail to meet the 28-inch minimum but are plenty of fun. There is also some striped bass action at the Route 90 Bridge. Tautog are being caught on sand fleas and pieces of green crab along the jetty rocks, bridge piers, and bulkheads.

The sea bass action at the wreck and reef sites seems to have taken a few knocks from last weekend’s winds and tend to be moving to deeper areas. Catches have been good but limit catches are not as common as they were. Triggerfish along with a few bluefish and flounder are also mixing in with catches. Some are starting to target tautog and are doing well.

Deep dropping for swordfish and tilefish tend to round out the offshore fishing scene at the canyons. Now and then, longfin albacore and bigeye tuna are being caught.

“Fishing is a condition of the mind wherein you cannot possibly have a bad time.”

—  Zane Grey

Maryland Fishing Report

is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood,

Maryland Department of Natural Resources

fisheries biologist.

Click Before You Cast is written by Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment Director Tom Parham.

This report is now available on your Amazon Echo device — just ask Alexa to “open Maryland Fishing Report.”

Jefferson Health’s Lisa Morina Receives Corporate Excellence Award from Gloucester County NAACP

On November 3,

Lisa Morina

, Vice President of Government & External Relations, received the Corporate Excellence Award from the Gloucester County NAACP. Morina was one of 20 recipients of a “Game Changers” award at the annual Black & White Gala, held at Auletto’s Caterers in Deptford, NJ.

“Game Changer awards recognize those who, through their organization, provide significant financial or in-kind resources to assist organizations like the NAACP in meeting community needs,” said

Loretta Winters

, President, Gloucester County NAACP. “Through Lisa’s community involvement, she has recognized and met those needs with persistence, involvement and commitment to equity.”

At Jefferson Health in New Jersey, Morina ensures its mission is represented across all lines of government, community, business and trade association stakeholders.

Morina is an active member and serves on the boards for numerous community and business organizations. And, prior to joining Jefferson Health in New Jersey in November 2013, she served as Director of Economic Development for Gloucester County, the Director of Business Services for Cumberland County College, and  Director of the Business and Industry Training Center for Gloucester County College.

We are proud of Lisa’s achievements and congratulate her on receiving this prestigious award.

For more information, visit

www.gloucestercountynaacp.org

.

Atlantic City Electric Alert: Be Aware of Scams During the Holiday Season

MAYS LANDING, N.J.

(Nov. 20, 2019) – With the holiday season quickly approaching, Atlantic City Electric is reminding customers to always be on alert for potential payment scams targeting customers. Scams occur throughout the year, but the company generally sees an increase in scam reports during the holiday season. With holiday shopping and family gatherings planned, scammers are using the holiday season to trick customers into providing their personal or financial information and making false payments under the pretense of keeping their service active.

Atlantic City Electric is joining more than 100 utility companies across the United States and Canada in an effort to protect customers from scams targeting customers of electric, natural gas, water, and other utilities. Collaborating companies have joined together for a fourth year and designated Nov. 20 as “Utilities United Against Scams Day.” Utility Scam Awareness Day is part of the week-long National Scam Awareness Week, an advocacy and awareness campaign focused on educating customers and exposing the tactics used by scammers. Atlantic City Electric and its sister Exelon companies, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO and Pepco are committed to educating customers and putting a stop to scamming.

“The safety and well-being of our customers and the communities we serve is our top priority,” said Morlon Bell-Izzard, vice president of Customer Operations for Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric. “Coordinated initiatives, such as this, are important in our efforts and our partners’ efforts to educate and protect our customers. By understanding the many tips and tactics associated with these scam attempts, customers will have the power to protect themselves and those in their community.”

When scams occur, a customer typically receives an unsolicited phone call from an individual, who falsely claims to be a company representative. The scammer warns that the customer’s service will be terminated if they fail to make a payment – usually within a short timeframe through a prepaid debit card or other direct payment method.

Scammers have even duplicated the telephone systems of some companies, so when customers call the number provided by the scammer, it sounds like a legitimate business. Some scammers also use caller ID “spoofing” to replicate a company’s phone number.

Red flags for scam activity

The scammer often becomes angry and tells a customer his or her account is past due and service will be shut off if a large payment isn’t made – usually within less than an hour.

The scammer instructs the customer to purchase a prepaid debit or credit card – widely available at most retail stores – then call him or her back to make a payment.

The scammer asks the customer for the prepaid card’s receipt number and PIN number, which grants instant access to the funds loaded to the card.

How to protect yourself

Atlantic City Electric representatives will never ask or require a customer with a past due balance to purchase a prepaid debit card to avoid disconnection.

Customers can make payments online, by phone, automatic bank withdrawal, mail, or in person.

Customers with a past due balance will receive multiple shut off notifications – never a single notification one hour before disconnection.

If a customer ever questions the legitimacy of the call, hang up and call Atlantic City Electric at 800-642-3780.

Don’t Get Scammed: Customers can avoid being scammed by taking a few precautions:

Never provide your social security number or personal information

to anyone initiating contact with you claiming to be a company representative or requesting you to send money to another person or entity other than Atlantic City Electric.

Always ask to see a company photo ID

before allowing any Atlantic City Electric worker into your home or business.

Never make a payment for services to anyone coming to your door.

Any customer who believes he or she has been a target of a scam is urged to contact their local police and call Atlantic City Electric immediately at 800-642-3780 to report the situation.

Readers are encouraged to visit

The Source

,

Atlantic City Electric’s online news room. For more information about Atlantic City Electric, visit

atlanticcityelectric.com

. Follow the company on Facebook at

facebook.com/atlanticcityelectric

and on Twitter at

twitter.com/acelecconnect

.

Our mobile app is available at

atlanticcityelectric.com/mobileapp

.

###

Atlantic City Electric is a unit of Exelon Corporation (Nasdaq: EXC), the nation’s leading energy provider, with approximately 10 million customers. Atlantic City Electric provides safe and reliable energy service to approximately 556,000 customers in southern New Jersey.

Gloucester County Retailer Sells $136,000 Jersey Cash 5 Ticket

TRENTON (Nov. 21, 2019) – One lucky ticket matched all five numbers drawn winning the $136,006 Jersey Cash 5 jackpot from the Wednesday, Nov. 20, drawing. The winning numbers were: 04, 14, 30, 32 and 36 and the XTRA number was: 02. The retailer will

receive a bonus check for $2,000 for the winning ticket sold. That ticket was sold at ACME #943, 1619 Beckett and Center Square Rd., Swedesboro in Gloucester County.

Acting Executive Director James Carey announced that there were 254,951 tickets purchased for the drawing. By adding XTRA, for an additional $1.00 per play, winners are able to multiply their non-jackpot prizes by the XTRA number drawn. For correctly matching four of the five numbers drawn, 32 ticketholders won $629 each and eight others won $1,258 each with the addition of XTRA. Moreover, for correctly matching three of the five numbers drawn, 1,259 ticketholders won $18 each and 254 others won $36 each with the addition of XTRA. Lastly 3,419 ticketholders each won $2 for correctly matching two of the five numbers drawn with the addition of XTRA on their purchase.

FBI Investigating Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf over Pipeline Permits

By Dave Lemery |

The Center Square

The administration of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is under investigation by federal authorities over the process that led to the issuing of permits for the Mariner East pipeline project, The Associated Press is reporting.

Gloucester City News blog files

According to the AP

, citing three sources with knowledge of the FBI’s investigation, the corruption probe is looking into whether Wolf, a second-term Democrat, or anyone in his administration used political pressure to override the concerns of the state’s environmental agency and get the permits issued.

The FBI is also looking into whether Wolf or anyone in his administration received anything in return for getting the pipeline approved, the AP reported.

The pipeline in question transports natural gas in liquid across the state. Some environmentalists and a number of Democratic lawmakers, including state Sen. Andy Dinniman, have argued that the companies behind the pipeline have done shoddy work, polluting waterways and damaging home values in the areas where the pipelines travel through, and that the permits should not have been issued.

Wolf has thus far opted not to comment on the news of the investigation.

“From the very beginning and many times along the way, we have raised serious questions about the permitting process of the Mariner East pipeline project,” Dinniman said in a statement in response to word of the FBI probe. “I hope that this development sheds a bright light on those questions and more.”

While national Democrats, including U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren,

have come out strongly against hydraulic fracturing

, or “fracking,” in their presidential campaigns, Wolf has instead banked on the practice as a source of revenue for the state. Given Pennsylvania’s status as one of the top natural-gas producing states, Wolf has repeatedly proposed the introduction of a severance tax on natural gas production.

After years of budget negotiations with the Republican-controlled Legislature failed to produce an agreement on a severance tax – which would sit on top of the existing impact fee that produces

hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue

for the state each year – Wolf

this year proposed

a package of infrastructure projects under the “Restore Pennsylvania” umbrella. The projects would be funded by issuing $4.5 billion in bonds and then paying off those bonds with the proceeds of a severance tax.

published here with permission

The Center Square

Duvall accuses Gustafson of “Attacks”

It Didn’t Take Long For Josh Duvall To Break Reagan’s 11

th

Commandment

COLLINGSWOOD – On November 12 Republican Claire Gustafson announced she formed an exploratory committee to gauge interest and support into a possible candidacy for Congress in CD1.

Announced Republican candidate for Congress in CD1, Josh Duvall, took issue with the fact Gustafson said, “Republicans I’ve talked with don’t want a wishy-washy middle-of-the-road nominee pandering for Democrat votes.” Duvall said in a statement, “She labeled me as ‘wishy-washy’, ‘pandering’, weak on pro-life issues and the Second Amendment.”

“I don’t know why Josh Duvall would think I was speaking of him,” Claire Gustafson said. “There have been rumors out there for months that a realtor out of Washington Township is considering running for Congress. The fact is I merely stated what Republicans have said to me, that they don’t want a wishy-washy middle-of-the-road nominee pandering for Democrat votes.”

Greenwich Township Mayor George W. Shivery, Jr. said, “Claire Gustafson has a solid reputation and has stepped up for the Republican Party many times over the years. If history has taught us anything Claire Gustafson would have mentioned Josh Duvall by name if she were talking about him. Duvall should apologize for this unprovoked attack.”

“I found Josh’s remark that he was disgusted with ‘partisan politics’ odd considering if I decide to make my candidacy official we will be running in a partisan primary election,” Gustafson said. “The very nature of primary elections are partisan, filing as a Republican is a partisan act. Seriously, who performs an act that disgusts them?”

“Obviously it upsets Josh that I’m considering getting into this race,” Gustafson said. “I’ve met Josh, I like Josh, he’s a nice young man. Unfortunately, he’s just a little inexperienced. Whatever the case, when I issued my statement I was careful to honor Ronald Reagan’s 11

th

Commandment and did not speak ill of any fellow Republican. Josh Duvall violated that Commandment.”

RELATED:

POLITICAL NEWS

NJBIA Hires Christopher Emigholz as  VP of Government Affairs

Christopher Emigholz, a state budget expert with nearly 20 years of legislative experience, will join the New Jersey Business & Industry Association as vice president of Government Affairs in Taxation and Economic Development, NJBIA President & CEO Michele Siekerka said Thursday.

Emigholz, who is currently the associate executive director/budget director for the Senate Republican Office, will lead NJBIA\’s advocacy efforts on economic development and taxation issues affecting the business community, effective Dec. 9, Siekerka said.

\”Christopher\’s career has been focused on improving New Jersey\’s business climate and making our state more affordable,\” said NJBIA President & CEO Michele Siekerka.

\”His legislative experience, including the past eight years he has spent working on tax, budget and economic development policy in the Senate, will make him a tremendous resource to the businesses whose interests NJBIA fights for every day,\” she said.

Emigholz joins a distinguished and respected NJBIA Government Affairs team that includes Chief of Government Affairs Chrissy Buteas, Vice Presidents of Government Affairs Frank Robinson, Michael Wallace and Ray Cantor, and Director of Economic Policy Research Nicole Sandelier.

Prior to joining the Senate staff in 2012, Emigholz served as director of the state Department of Education\’s Office of Legislative Affairs (2010-2012) and as NJBIA\’s associate vice president of Education & Workforce Development Policy (2005-2010).

\”I have worked to support the needs of New Jersey\’s business community in every job I have had for nearly two decades in Trenton,\” Emigholz said. \”I am very excited about this opportunity to return to NJBIA and to serve its mission of advocating for the best interests of New Jersey business.\”

A resident of Robbinsville Township, where he is currently a member of the Board of Education, Emigholz has also held positions on the boards of numerous other municipal and community organizations. He has been a board member of a Trenton charter school, served on the Hightstown Planning/Zoning Board, and was on the Robbinsville Economic Development Advisory Committee.

A graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Emigholz earned his masters\’ degree in Public Policy from Rutgers

Active-Shooter Drills in Schools May Do More Harm Than Good, Says Rutgers–Camden Nursing Scholar

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (Nov. 22, 2019)–– Active-shooter drills in schools expose students to frighteningly realistic scenarios with masked intruders and loud gunfire sounds. They also may be doing more harm than good, says a Rutgers University–Camden nursing scholar who urges school and law enforcement officials alike to include school nurses in their plans to prepare for violent situations.

Robin Cogan

, a lecturer in the

Rutgers School of Nursing‒Camden

and lead author of an article published in Current Trauma Reports, says school nurses are ideally positioned to work with other medical professionals, law enforcement, and government officials who are committed to public health approaches to prevent mass shootings.

In the article, titled “School Nurses Share Their Voices, Trauma, and Solutions by Sounding the Alarm on Gun Violence,” Cogan and her co-authors say school nurses know of the acute need for evidence-supported, school-based mental health services. Based on those metrics, active-shooter drills may not be achieving their desired outcomes.

Since World War I, schools have been holding safety drills, fire drills, and natural disaster drills, but Cogan says today’s active-shooter drills can expose students and staff to frighteningly realistic scenarios.

Cogan says there is no evidence to show that the drills are effective in preparing students, teachers, and administrators to deal with gun violence in schools.

“While the incidence of school shootings is rare, now more than 95 percent of schools across the country have active-shooter drills,” says Cogan, who also works as a school nurse in Camden. “We do not prepare our students for fire drills by making them walk through smoke and debris-filled hallways.”

Cogan worries about the impact that the drills have on the psychological development of young children, and the effect the drills have on school nurses.

In the article, the authors share concerns from school nurses who have participated in active-shooter drills. One nurse reports that her heart sank the day she was in her office when she heard the sounds of gunshots from the school’s loudspeaker. She did not know if it was an unannounced lockdown drill or if there was an active shooter in the building. Instinctively, she locked her office door, closed the blinds, and hid in a corner. After she found out it was just a drill and the gunfire sounds were from an app used by the person running the drill, she did not understand the need to endure the fear and concern for herself and everyone in the building.

“Our brains cannot always differentiate when an incident is real or just a drill,” says Cogan, who adds that there is no evidence that even some of the most recognized programs – including Alert Lockdown Inform Counter Evacuate (ALICE), which uses a run, hide, fight options framework – are effective in preventing injuries.

Among the problems Cogan sees with the programs are that they are not evidence-based and do not consider the students’ ages and developmental stages, if they have special health care needs, or if they have learning challenges.

“These are reactive measures and are not taking into consideration the need for preventative programs to create a culture of kindness, acceptance, and safety in schools,” says Cogan. “Money is being spent on hardening schools instead of softening them.”

Cogan and her co-authors suggest a better approach to preventing violence: a multistrategy, multidisciplinary approach that takes into consideration student and faculty development, and mental and emotional health. They authors say investing in a nurse workforce in the school “would transform fear into courage and anticipation into action by implementing student-focused strategies rooted in prevention.”

The Rutgers–Camden educator says that an emergency preparedness program such as Stop the Bleed, a national awareness program launched by the White House in 2015, may be effective in saving lives. The program encourages bystanders to be trained to help stop bleeding victims in an emergency before medical professionals arrive.

The Sandy Hook Promise organization offers programs that encourage relationship building, which Cogan says could help to prevent violence. She says initiatives that focus on safe gun storage to keep guns out of the hands of students and offering gun locks to families on Back to School Night activities could also be effective.

Cogan’s own family experience motivates her to work to prevent gun violence. In 1949, her father was 12 years old when he hid in a closet in his family’s Camden home while a deranged neighbor went on a shooting rampage, killing Cogan’s grandmother, grandfather, and great-grandmother, and 10 other people in the city. Nearly 70 years later, Cogan’s 17-year-old niece hid in a Parkland, Fla., high school closet with her teacher and other students in 2018, when a gunman opened fire at the school. Fourteen students and three teachers died, and 17 students were injured.

“My decision to use my position as a school nurse to fight against gun violence came from a promise I made to my sister and niece in the aftermath of the Parkland shootings,” says Cogan. “Prevention of firearm violence belongs in the health care arena and requires funding for research as any public health issue has been afforded.”

The article, “School Nurses Share Their Voices, Trauma, and Solutions by Sounding the Alarm on Gun Violence,” is co-authored by

Donna Nickitas

, dean of the Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden, Donna Mazyck of the National Association of School Nurses, and Sunny Hallowell of Villanova University