Code Red

There have been a LARGE number of drugs discovered and confiscated at the prison this week.  A spike in the number of fights and stabbings often is the following pattern when that happens.  Such has been the case the last few days at work.

Security has been on high alert as a result of this.

The security shift that worked today is one of my favorites.  Those guys would run into a burning building if my life depended on it. They always keep an extra vigilant eye on me and what inmates are doing in my presence. I am very grateful for all of the security that keeps me safe and allows me to do God’s work.  But these guys are exceptional.

On our radios (walkie talkies) that every staff member carries,  we have a “magic” red button.  If one were ever to touch it, it would send off an alarm over the entire prison.  I have been fortunate enough to never need it, but for the first time I finally heard it.

I was sitting in my office consulting with my assistant about the morning class, when my radio starting beeping.  I could hear the other radios in the building doing the same.

I know the radios beep when my battery is low so I turned it off, despite the battery indicator being full.  I turned it back on… still beeping.  One of the inmates yelled out that it was THE alarm. Suddenly my heart started to race.

Before I could blink, officers came running from every direction… into my office!  They pushed my assistant to the ground and ran towards me and surrounded me.  I knew immediately they thought I was the one that had hit the alarm, and here they were coming to my rescue!

I began to scream, “It’s not mine! It’s not mine!”. Their training was in high gear and they grabbed my radio to verify what I was saying.  They were out of breath and sweating.  Many of them had even run across the compound from the dorms… all the way to my office.  I could see the relief on their faces as they looked into my eyes.  And then in an instant, panic again, and they took off.  They still needed to find the person who DID set off the alarm, to make sure they were not in danger.

Suddenly another teacher was standing in my doorway.  With a smile on his face, he looked at me and said, “Why did they only come looking for YOU?!” We both laughed.

I cannot express what that feels like.  To know a panic alarm goes off at that prison, and the first person security RUNS to protect, is me.  Even security staff that is assigned to be watching inmates in a dorm far far away, left their posts… for ME.

The story ends happily.  The librarian accidentally set off her red panic button.  All is safe in the land of maximum security, for today.

Blessed and grateful.  Glory be to God.