Students treated for heat illness after bomb threat forces Tennessee school evacuation into summer heat

THE TAKEAWAY

• A bomb threat prompted an evacuation at a school Friday morning in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee.
• 21 students had to be treated for heat-related illnesses. 
• The heat index in Knox County was 96 degrees.

STRAWBERRY PLAINS, Tenn. – A reported bomb threat at a Tennessee middle school prompted a schoolwide evacuation Friday, forcing students to wait outside in scorching summer heat. Twenty-one students experienced heat-related illnesses and were transported for treatment, including three who were considered critical at the time, officials said.

A threatening message discovered on a bathroom wall at Carter Middle School in Strawberry Plains prompted the evacuation of the school’s students and staff to its football field at approximately 10:25 a.m., according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

For nearly an hour, students waited at the safe, outdoor location amid scorching heat and humidity, with the heat index reaching 96 degrees in Knox County as officers swept the school for potential threats.

EXTREME HEAT SAFETY: RECOGNIZING SIGNS OF HEAT ILLNESS AND HOW TO TREAT IT

Students were allowed to reenter the school at 11:27 a.m. By then, several were showing signs of heat-related illness, prompting additional first responders to assess and treat them.

The students remained outside for approximately 50 to 55 minutes while deputies searched the building.

(Rural Metro Fire – Knox County)

According to Rural Metro Fire, in total, 21 students were treated for and transported with various degrees of heat exhaustion, with three of those considered critical at the time they were transported.

WHAT IS THE HEAT INDEX AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO YOUR HEALTH?

“Our EMTs and Paramedics performed flawlessly under extreme heat! In total, Rural Metro Fire had three fire engines on the scene and 12 total personnel! They cared for and reassured a bunch of young people in distress,” Rural Metro Fire – Knox County wrote in a social media post. 

Juvenile detectives with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the threatening message.

(Rural Metro Fire – Knox County)

At 11:20 a.m., the heat index in Knox County had climbed to a scorching 96 degrees, meaning the combination of high temperatures and humidity made it feel nearly 100 degrees outside.

Juvenile detectives with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the threatening message and the circumstances surrounding it.