PATASKALA, Ohio (WCMH) — Several students at Summit Station Intermediate elementary school in Licking County received medical attention Thursday morning due to an “incident” with suspected drug paraphernalia.
The Licking County Sheriff’s Office said it was alerted to an incident at the school “involving an unidentified object that was believed to potentially be drug paraphernalia.”
Students found a “pipe device” at an off-campus park near the school, and EMS was called to ensure no students were in contact with an illicit substance, according to the school district. The sheriff’s office said testing confirmed there were no narcotics detected on the object.
Summit Station Intermediate is for fifth and sixth graders.
A student found the object on Wednesday and brought it to school Thursday, according to Col. Chris Barbuto with the Licking County Sheriff’s Office.
“We started having some issues with students feeling not right so that triggered the mass casualty by the fire department, which goes out when hospitals can receive up to five or more patients,” Barbuto said.
No students ingested anything, and less than five students were transported, according to Barbuto. The main symptoms reported were headaches, and all students are expected to be OK.
The sheriff’s office didn’t specify exactly how many students were involved, but said those students received medical treatment as a precaution. The families of the students have been notified.
Below is a message the district sent to families:
Dear Licking Heights Families,
This message is regarding a situation at our school today involving a pipe device found by students at a nearby park off our school’s campus. Emergency medical services were called immediately to ensure that students did not accidentally have contact with an illicit substance.
This event was mistakenly labeled a “Mass Casualty Event” on EMS scanners. There is no mass casualty at Licking Heights. All students and staff are safe and there is no threat to student or staff safety.
We take our commitment to being a drug-free district extremely seriously at Licking Heights, and student safety will always be our top priority. Please remind your students to always be cautious of foreign objects and potential drug risks–and if they see something, to say something.
Thank you for your partnership to keep our schools and students safe. We appreciate your support of Licking Heights Local Schools.
Sincerely,
-Licking Heights Administration
