The horrific slaughter of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., over a month ago has prompted the City of Harrison, Hamilton County Sheriff's Department, and Southwest Local School District to begin earnest planning for an intensive civil defense drill at Harrison High School and Whitewater Valley Elementary this summer.

Preliminary ideas were discussed at the Thursday, Jan. 10, school board meeting, and illuminated at the city’s Tuesday, Jan. 15, civil defense committee meeting.