Lessons from Newtown tragedy - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

MILWAUKEE (WKOW) -- In the wake of one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, some who deal with school safety in Wisconsin say they'll learn from the tragedy.

Peter Pechowski is a retired Milwaukee police officer and executive director of the Wisconsin School Safety Coordinators Association.

He works with schools across the state on safety plans, and says he'll study this event, to tell school leaders here how to make their buildings safer for students.

"I'll watch this, critique it, tape it. I'll make notes, because I want to then go to our WI schools and tell em what we've learned. Here's what we picked up. We shouldn't have to wait until you're a victim, your school is a target before you learn these lessons. We have a pretty captive audience right after these, and unfortunately, the best crisis plans are written the day after a crisis," said Pechowski.

Pechowski and other security officials say they can't stress enough the importance of planning and prevention.