The Ministry of the Interior, together with the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), will conduct a series of practical exercises in four schools in Latvia. During the drills, specialists will assess the actions of teachers and students in the event of an air threat, as well as the effectiveness of the plans prepared by the schools. The exercises take place following the enactment of amendments to the Education Law, which were adopted by the Saeima on July 23. According to the new requirements, municipal schools are required to develop continuity plans, including action algorithms for emergency situations. These are the first such exercises in Latvian schools since the restoration of the country's independence. Until now, such plans existed mainly on paper; now they will be tested in real conditions for the first time. Advisor to the Minister of the Interior Vilmar Vecvagaris noted that the main task is not only to develop instructions but also to ensure that they actually work. According to him, certain shortcomings in the plans became evident even during the preparation phase, which need to be addressed. During the exercises, representatives of the SFRS will observe the actions of the school administration, teachers, and students in various air threat scenarios. After each training session, specialists will conduct a debriefing, and upon completion of the entire series, they will prepare overall conclusions. The results obtained will help municipalities and educational institutions adjust their action plans and, if necessary, update methodological recommendations for all schools in the country. For parents, these exercises do not mean the introduction of new restrictions. The aim is to check the readiness of schools to act in emergency situations so that in the event of a real threat, staff and children understand how to act. The practical exercises will take place according to the following schedule: * September 23, 9:40 AM — Liepaja Secondary School; * September 23, 10:00 AM — Akniste Secondary School (Jekabpils Region); * September 24, 10:00 AM — Riga Secondary School No. 64; * September 25, 10:00 AM — Ogre Primary School (Ogre Region). The conducted exercises will serve as a basis for assessing the readiness of Latvian schools to act in the event of an air threat and will assist in the further improvement of the civil protection system.
