Two members of the staff at Nichols College in Dudley were at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida at the time of Wednesday's mass shooting.
Dean of Admissions Paul Brower and assistant football coach St. Clair Ryan are OK, according to Nichols officials.
A very brief fire alarm was the first indication Mr. Brower noticed that something might be amiss Wednesday as he met with four prospective recruits in the coach's office at the Parkland school.
Brower recounted the incident in a telephone interview with the Telegram & Gazette Thursday morning.
He said he heard "code red alert" being called out over the school's loudspeakers, and it quickly became apparent that something was seriously wrong.
"The students were saying they they didn't think it was a drill. They sound really concerned," he said.
Brower said he and Ryan were in one of the safest places on the campus when the shooting began — the locker room office of football coach Willis May.
He said that as soon as it became clear something bad was happening, Mr. May locked the doors of the locker room.
The students they had been interviewing frantically tried to check on friends and family, texting and communicating through social media. They heard some were in hiding, others were hurt, and were also looking for answers. The young athletes remained as calm as possible.
"They're a tough group of kids," Brower said.
While the little group waited, they listened in on radio conversations between police and the operator of the school's video surveillance as they tracked the suspect. They had one window they could look out, and at one point they saw a young man walk past outside. He was not armed, but they realized afterward it was the suspect, apparently trying to blend in with the students who were fleeing the school.
Brower said that, as someone who has dedicated his life to educating students, the shooting is difficult to comprehend.
"It's an absolutely crazy, tragic situation," he said. He noted that schools in Florida already have strict security, something he believes Massachusetts schools should consider.
"It's becoming more and more common. Schools need to take tougher measures," he said.
Another Nichols College coach, Bradley Watkins, was also in Florida, but at another Broward County school at the time.
Seventeen people were killed in the shooting, including Aaron Feis, an assistant football coach and security guard at the school.
Feis was well-known to Nichols staff, who occasionally visit the Florida school on recruiting trips. Brower said he has met with him several times, but did not see him that day at the front door.
"He was a genuine nice guy, a really nice guy," he said.
After the Nichols representatives and students they were with were found and brought out by police, Brower headed off to other schools he was to visit before he returns home Thursday night. He had to leave his rental car in the school parking lot, but was able to get another. He said he was later in contact with Coach May but there was not much else he could do to help the school which is now mourning the loss of so many students and staff.
"I was there. I feel for those people there, but the best thing I can do now is focus on work," he said.
Return to telegram.com for more on this story.
The Nichols College community’s thoughts and prayers are with the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and #Parkland, Florida, communities. We are deeply saddened for all those affected by this senseless tragedy. ❤️ (2/2)
— Nichols College (@Nichols_College) February 15, 2018
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