The Rick Rescorla School Safety Award

Back in February, I blogged about Doe Creek Middle School's Sheepdogs of the Month.  At the end of the school year, one of the Sheepdogs of the Month was selected as the first recipient of the Rick Rescorla School Safety Award.

Rick Rescorla’s picture was featured on the cover of the book “We Were Soldiers Once, And Young” by General Hal Moore and Rick Galloway. Rick served in the British Army, enlisted in the US Army, and fought in the Battle of Ia Drang, Vietnam. This battle, in which Rick was awarded the Silver Star, is chronicled in Moore’s and Galloway’s book. During the battle, Rick sang Cornish martial songs to keep up his troop’s morale.

After he retired from the Army, he became Vice President of Security for Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter, housed in the World Trade Center(WTC). He was there in 1993 for the first attack, and his actions, along with his foresight and preparation, saved the lives of 2,700 people. He pushed, cajoled, and wheedled employees to practice evacuations. When the building authorities gave safety directives that were not the best, he ignored them and continued to drill his employees, cheerfully ignoring their protests.

He was there in 2001, on the day when the twin towers were attacked in the manner he had predicted. When the building authorities told everyone to stay put, he once again used his cheerful, forceful personality to get the employees to disregard the bad instructions. The employees of Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter used the protocols he developed and relentlessly drilled into them to successfully evacuate the tower, all the while listening to his singing of Cornish martial songs.

All but six of Morgan Stanley's 2,700 WTC employees survived. Four of those six were Rescorla and three deputies who followed him back into the building; Wesley Mercer, Jorge Velazquez, and Godwin Forde. (Time Magazine, June 9, 2008).  Rescorla’s honor cost him his life, a cost he gladly paid. When told he needed to evacuate as well, he replied, "As soon as I make sure everyone else is out." Rick lived his life, and gave his life, with honor. He was a man I definitely consider to be an outstanding example for all sheepdogs.

I can think of no better man to represent the epitome of a sheepdog.  It was Rick's example that inspired me to create this program.  Our PTO provided funds for a plaque that would list the winners of each year.  The individual being honored also receives a personal plaque.

This year's winner is Ellen Krug.  Mrs. Krug was our choir teacher.  Her relationships with her students helped her intercede in numerous situations that might have led to violence.  It also led to a student trusting her enough to come to her with a rumor of a student who had run away from home.  Not succumbing to denial, Mrs. Krug brought the problem to me, and I contacted law enforcement.  They were able to locate her at her home.  Her parents did not know she was there, but were able to get to her at home and address the situation.

Her watchfulness over her charges extended to bus trips between Doe Creek and New Palestine High School.  She would be able to take over 80 students on these trips with no discipline issues, and always had complete accountability.  Not an easy task with middle school students.  She was also very conscientious about her safety responsibilities, often being the first to ask questions about a procedure.  

Ellen Krug exemplifies the spirit of Rick Rescorla, and represents the best of our Sheepdogs.  Mrs. Krug, thank you for helping to keep Doe Creek students safe and secure.