Can someone explain this 20 minutes response time

[greyBeered]

Hello,

According to CNN (http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/12/us/sandy-hook-timeline/?hpt=hp_c2) it took 20 minutes for first responders to show up at the Newtown school.

This seems bizarre to me: we live way out in the middle of Nowhere in NE OK, but are less than 15 minutes away from any MWAG call (I know, for a fact).

How can it take 20 minutes to show up at a big school, back in suburbia???

This makes absolutely no sense to me at all.

Can anyone shed any light in this?? Am I crazy???

Thanks

 

[HMFIC]

That seems like a very very long time. Have they released any details on the first call for help?

I'm not sure that a faster response time would have helped prevent what did happen though. As it stands, he was really only in a small area of the front office, hall and classroom.

For reference, the Newtown Police Station is literally less than 2 miles from the School...

 

[Old Fart]

Could have been several things that impacted that time.
We don't know how many LEO's were on duty when it happened, or how many they have at all.
Busy town with lots of traffic could have played into it.
Only duty officer was 10-100 when it happened.
Where I used to live it was a 30-40 minutes average response time.

 

[CHenry]

Doesnt matter if they got there in 30 seconds, they always wait outside untill the shooting stops anyway.

 

[264killer]

C Henry Yep thats how they do it.

 

[greyBeered]

Doesnt matter if they got there in 30 seconds, they always wait outside untill the shooting stops anyway.

I thought that changed after Columbine?

 

[CHenry]

I thought that changed after Columbine?

I dont know, it was Columbine that I was thinking about when that came to me.

 

[cmhbob]

Most departments now work under an Active Shooter plan that has the first couple/four officers advance as a team, rather than waiting for a full SWAT callout. They go to the sound of gunfire. engaging whoever they see with a gun.

 

[batchman]

I dont know, it was Columbine that I was thinking about when that came to me.

Yes they trained the whole state "Oklahoma" any way rapid response to active shooter. Because of the events different radio freqs, different hand and arms signals ect. Every LEO in ok and I think most states have this standardize training. I had it as far back as 2001.

 

[30BulletHoles]

I dont know, it was Columbine that I was thinking about when that came to me.

Remember seeing the same thing in the VA tech videos.