News : This is only a drill, until it's not

On Friday morning, students at the Vinton-Shellsburg High School were tested on their fire drill response, and they performed perfectly!

Just before noon, they were tested again, but this time it was a real life situation. Kyle Koeppen, Superintendent said that there was a heating and cooling unit in the Guidance Office that began smoking. (smoking is not allowed in the building, even if you are an HVAC system!)

"We cleared the building as a precaution, but once we cut power to the unit, everything was cleared." Koeppen said. It is suspected that because of the shift in the ourtdoor temperature from cold to warm that the unit seized up as it tried to adjust. There are plans to have the HVAC repairmen come to the school to see what will need to be done for the unit.

There was no damage reported.