Recently, WRAM hosted the 2026 Warren County Sheriff’s forum featuring 4 candidates running as republicans in the March 17th primary. Thomas Hawkins, Superintendent of the United School District shared the geographic challenge of the 15 to 20-minute triangle for first responders to reach their campuses spread throughout the county.
“It is a fifteen-mile triangle, any way you look at it between our campuses. So, it is definitely a challenge, but that is just one of the challenges of a rural community and our people understand that. We wish it could be better, but we all have to understand that the resources are what the resources are. We just have to make the best and do the best we can, so if that means on-site training of a lot of our staff, which is something that we started to do with AED training and CPR training, those are important and also the safety drills.”
In total, 38.2 square miles is the coverage area for the United School District. Hawkins notes that training with law enforcement continues on a regular basis.
