GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — The moments before school are always chaotic, but West Greene High School Resource Officer (SRO) Chad Moore never thought he would come across fentanyl in the building.
“I never thought I’d see it here, I never thought this is where I would find it,” said Moore. “Fentanyl in the girls bathroom, just off of the gym.”
Moore explained how he found a white powder inside a stall, some on the toilet paper dispenser, and some had fallen on the floor.
He tested the powder with a drug test kit, and within seconds it proved to be fentanyl. Since that April day, West Greene High School has added new protocols to increase safety.
Some of the changes include more K-9 drug dogs sweeping the school, more teachers near restrooms, and a more active approach to encourage communication between parents and students.
“My message to parents [is] talk to your students, make sure they are aware the fentanyl is in community, just talk to your students about what fentanyl is, the dangers of fentanyl, and encourage them to report it,” said Principal Dennis Wilds.
Wilds added another line of defense against the deadly drug: Naloxone.
SRO Moore has an even more powerful opioid reversing power at his fingertips.
“I carry the actual 8 milligram, it’s a double dose, just a little stronger version of it but the same concept,” said Moore.
Officer Moore and the leadership at West Greene are not alone. In Kingsport, with an enrollment of 2,300, the battle at Dobyns-Bennett High School is just as critical and urgent.
“It’s not a matter of ‘if’, it’s ‘when,'” Said Dobyns-Bennett SRO Mark Smelser.
The plan at D-B is fine tuned, rehearsed and perfected. Smelser said time is of the essence, so if a situation ever occurs, everyone knows what to do.
“{The] instant [a] kid becomes unresponsive in class, it goes to myself, the nurses, the principal–we are all heading in that direction, usually someone in the classroom will dial 911, too. It’s an instant response, getting to what’s happening and where it is happening.”
Meanwhile, back at West Greene High School, leaders know it’s only a matter of time until another issue with fentanyl happens again.
“Its a widespread problem, every high school if they’re not dealing with it already, they’re going to be,” said Wilds.
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