all hazards emergency manual - scottsbluff public schools · n source materi the ol als. ... neb....
TRANSCRIPT
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Dear Colleague,
The critical importance of school safety outweighs all other priorities for Scottsbluff Public Schools. Parents must be able to send their children off to school each day with confidence that they will return “safe and sound” to them each afternoon. As superintendent, this is always at the forefront of my mind and I know our school principals and their staffs share that same priority.
This All‐Hazards Emergency Response Manual highlights our district’s comprehensive approach to school safety and is consistent with recommendations from multiple agencies including the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), The Nebraska Department of Education, The US Department of Education Emergency Response and Crisis Management Center, the US Department of Homeland Security, the FEMA Incident Command System for Schools and the “I Love U Guys Foundation.”
As is undoubtedly the case for many of you, my own life and professional experiences have made me all too aware of the potential of tragedy and violence in school settings. And, while we must admit to ourselves that not everything is preventable, we must maintain a vigilant focus on ensuring that processes and policies are in place to optimize the likelihood that our children will be safeguarded from the catastrophic and unexpected as much as is humanly possible.
Many initiatives and enhancements are in place and in process as we examine safety components of our school district’s safety and security planning. The following are some of the most significant:
∙ Card Access Control Security Systems were approved in July of 2011 by our Board of Education for installation in all of our schools. These systems now help to ensure that our buildings are protected from intruders both during the school day and after hours. Associated policies regarding staff and community access and automatic notification to the Scotts Bluff County Communications Emergency 9‐1‐1 Center will help to provide additional support.
· A web‐based, anonymous “Tip Line” provides an opportunity for anonymous reporting of concerns
regarding harassment, weapons, drugs and other potentially dangerous issues. While this is not intended to replace 911 calls or face‐to‐face contact, it does afford another option to our students and their families.
· School Resource Officers (SRO’s) are a vital part of school based security. With an officer assigned to the high school and another to the middle school, armed and trained personnel are available to quickly respond as needed throughout our district.
· Campus Supervisors/Security personnel assist school staff in maintaining appropriate campus management and safety protocols. This includes working with students and community as needed to maintain a pro‐active role in ensuring a safe and secure environment. The expansion of the Campus Supervisor program is now being extended to the elementary schools.
∙ Emergency preparedness is essential for schools to be safe. The Standard Response Protocol serves as a common implementation practice throughout Scottsbluff Public Schools. Staff and students should be trained in uniform classroom response to an incident at school. Weather events, fires, accidents, intruders
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and other threats to student safety are scenarios that must be planned and trained for by school and district administration and staff.
· AED’s (Automatic External Defibrillators) have been installed in all schools. All personnel are trained. As
additional units are acquired, all school facilities will be adequately equipped to provide emergency aid to students, staff and visitors.
· Secured entry, window ballistic/security film and the use of cameras and buzzers at all elementary schools and the middle school is being implemented as a portion of a total “target hardening” approach directed at denying or limiting access through the use of physical barriers.
∙ Threat assessment protocols are essential so that schools have specific procedures in place to determine the appropriate reaction and safeguards, if any, for any reported danger.
· Frequent building based and districtwide drills and simulations help to ensure that staff and students are
prepared to knowledgeably and effectively respond to any emergency. ∙ Partnering with community, law enforcement and other emergency services and a well‐conceived
School Emergency Communications Plan is perhaps the most important consideration in any school safety program. Scottsbluff is fortunate to have the support of outstanding and advanced services delivered by highly qualified personnel.
Because of the critical importance of this work, I want to give you my personal assurance of our focus on school safety in SBPS. This manual is intended to be a valuable resource in our work and be a companion to the SRP Plan. It will help provide guidance and highlight many of the important priorities we must continue to consider as we continually improve and adapt our safety and security procedures.
Sincerely,
Richard A. Myles Superintendent April, 2014
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All‐Hazards Emergency Response Manual
Table of Contents
GENERAL
Policy and Law 6
All‐Hazards Approach 8
Incident Command Structure (ICS) 9
Collaboration 12
Accommodations and modifications for people with disabilities and special needs 12
Safety and Security Committee 14
Steps in the Planning Process 15
PREVENTION AND MITIGATION
Physical and environmental risks 16
School culture and a climate of open communication 17
Student behavior and school discipline 18
Threat assessment 23
Anonymous TIPS Hotline 24
PREPAREDNESS
Roles and responsibilities of individuals 25
Emergency supplies and Go‐Bags 26
School nurses and assistants 27
School facilities, maps, floor plans, utility cutoffs, Pictometry 29
Human Resource information 31
Communication procedures and tools 31
Training 32
Drills and exercises 33
Preparing for an Active Shooter Situation 34
Site Assessment 35
Safe school management practices 36
RESPONSE
Activation of Incident Command System (ICS) 38
Emergency Response Teams (ERT’s) 38
BERT Command System Information 39
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DERT Command System Information 46
Initial Response Decision Matrix 50
Standard Response Protocol (SRP) 51
Red Care/Green Card System 51
Reunification procedures 52
Parent Guardian Notification 54
Controlled Release 54
RECOVERY 57
Crisis Teams 58
Physical/Structural Recovery 59
Business Continuity 59
Academic Recovery 59
Psychological/Emotional Recovery 60
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) 60
Manual Review 63
MANAGEMENT PLAN QUICK REFERENCE
Shelter: Tornado 61
Shelter/Evacuate: Hazmat Incident 61
Evacuate: Interior Fire 62
Shelter: Severe Weather 63
Bomb Threat 65
Intruder/Suspicious Person 67
Student Runaway/Abduction or Missing Student 68
Report of a Weapon/Firearm on Campus 69
Active Shooter Situations 70
APPENDIX
SRP (Standard Response Protocol) Materials
‐ 6 ‐
GENERAL
Policy and Law
Rule 10 (11.01B) requires that “Each school system has a safety and security plan for the schools in the system. The plan addresses the safety and security of students, staff, and visitors. The plan is approved by the local governing body.” Safety Plans are a visible indicator to staff, students, parents, and community that the school is taking appropriate action to keep everyone in the school environment safe. Schools may wish to have two safety plan formats, “FORMAL” and “EMERGENCY REFERENCE”, with each format having a distinct and unique purpose. Scottsbluff Public Schools has such a model in place with:
1. FORMAL: The All‐Hazards Emergency Response Manual This manual is consistent with an All‐Hazards Approach as promoted by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency since 1981. This manual provides the schools written document of established safety policies and procedures as required by the State of Nebraska.
2. EMERGENCY REFERENCE: The Scottsbluff Schools Crisis Response Plan: Standard Response Protocol The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based not on individual scenarios but on the response to any given scenario consistent with an All‐Hazards Approach. Like the Incident Command System (ICS), SRP demands a specific vocabulary and also allows for great flexibility. The premise is simple ‐ there are four specific actions that can be performed during an incident. When communicating these actions, the action is labeled with a "Term of Art" and is then followed by a "Directive." Execution of the action is performed by active participants, including students, staff, teachers and first responders.
Lockout is followed by the Directive: "Secure the Perimeter" and is the protocol used to safeguard students and staff within the building.
Lockdown is followed by "Locks, Lights, Out of Sight" and is the protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep students quiet and in place.
Evacuate is always followed by a location, and is used to move students and staff from one location to a different location in or out of the building.
Shelter is always followed by a type and a method and is the protocol for group and self ‐protection.
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Together they are the thesis of the school districts development of prevention, intervention, response, and recovery strategies for a variety of potential and actual threats to the safety and security of schools. The school system’s safety and security plan(s) must be reviewed annually by one or more persons not on the local school system safety committee and not an employee of the school system. This review must include a visit to school buildings to analyze plans, policies, procedures, and practices and provide recommendations. Any recommendations made as a result of the analysis are forwarded to the head administrator and to the school safety and security committee to be considered in making revisions to the plan. The Board of Education has long valued the importance of consistent and strong policy regarding safety in schools. Consistent with State law, Scottsbluff Public Schools has a wide range of related policies that provide guidance to the District the inform practice. These policies include: Board Policy Reference for Safety and Security:
504.11 – Weapons 504.13 – Use of metal Detectors 504.16 – Searches, Seizures and Arrests 504.18 – Harassment by Students 504.18a – Harassment by Students 504.21 – Anti‐Bullying Policy Students 504.21a – Anti‐Bullying Policy Students 903.01 – Security 903.02 – Access to Buildings 905.02 – Annual Emergency Safety Plan 905.03 – Warning Systems 905.04 – Bomb Threats 905.07 – Safety Drills 1004.04 – Crisis Management and Communications 1005.07 – Visitors to School
A variety of other State laws address topics including: immunizations; health inspections; student discipline procedures; transportation safety; fire prevention; health education; tobacco, alcohol and drugs; safe instructional environments; multi‐cultural and character education and many others. Some examples include:
Nebraska State Law includes several relevant statutes as well. One particularly notable one is 28‐1204.04: Unlawful possession of a firearm at a school; penalty; exceptions; confiscation of certain firearms; disposition. Neb. Rev. Stat. 79‐2, 137 defines bullying as any ongoing pattern of physical, verbal or electronic abuse on school grounds, vehicle, or school sponsored event/activity. Bullying can be grounds for long‐term suspension or expulsion, as can use of violence, force, intimidation, etc. in a manner that constitutes a substantial interference with school purposes or with the intent of obtaining money or anything of value from another student.
Nebraska Revised Stature 71‐9101 requires public, private, denominational, or parochial schools to offer trainings on how to recognize the symptoms of a concussion or brain injury and how to seek proper medical treatment for a concussion or brain injury to all coaches of school athletic teams.
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The Safe and Drug‐Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA) is administered by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE). The No Child Left Behind, Title IV A, formula grant program gives local educational agencies the option to establish, operate and improve local programs for school drug and violence prevention. Familiarity with each of these governing components is essential to optimally ensuring safe and secure schools.
All‐Hazards Approach The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has promoted the Integrated Emergency Management
System (IEMS) since 1981. The commonalities among all types of technological and natural disasters suggest that
many of the same management strategies can apply to all such emergencies. An all‐hazards approach to
emergency preparedness encourages effective and consistent response to any disaster or emergency, regardless
of the cause.
All school‐based emergency response plans should be based on the four phases of emergency management:
mitigation and prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Mitigation comprises actions that reduce or eliminate long‐term risk to people and property from disasters, such
as addressing the safety and integrity of school buildings, security, and culture and climate of schools to prevent
violence. Preparedness focuses on planning for natural disaster or terrorist events and involves understanding the
local community emergency plans and developing evacuation protocols prior to any event. Response is the actual
steps taken to save lives and prevent further damage during a crisis. Recovery entails methods to restore the
learning and teaching environment after a crisis.
Preparation for large‐scale emergencies: The following represent key steps in preparing school personnel for responding effectively to large‐scale emergencies:
The school central office administrators, principals, and local emergency responders should meet on a regular basis as a Safety and Security Team to update disaster preparedness and response plans.
A mechanism for emergency communication should be established between each school and the school district and town emergency responders (e.g., preprogrammed cell phones with group page capability, group e‐mail through Internet, or another type of mass notification system). Redundant means of communication should be in place in the event the primary means of communication, such as cell phones, are not available.
Emergency Response Team (building and district) members should be completely aware of their specific responsibilities after a disaster of any type. Each crisis team should establish a command post, or meeting place, in the event of an emergency evacuation. Each member of the crisis team should have access to a walkie‐talkie or cell phone, which is programmed with the numbers of all the crisis team members.
Children with special health care needs, may require specialized plans that include a means of rapid evacuation of physically disabled children from upper floors without use of elevators (which may be disabled or unavailable), efficient shepherding and evacuation of children with autism or other disorders of communication, and access to medication for children with chronic medical needs (e.g., asthma, diabetes).
Preschools, alternative school sites, and extended‐day or other after‐school programs should be included in all disaster planning.
‐ 9 ‐
All schools should have an Emergency Go‐Bag readily available for immediate evacuation. This bag should contain the evacuation plan, a first aid bag, student medical alert lists, the personnel directory, a student directory, the daily attendance list, flashlight, spare batteries, student emergency contact forms, teacher schedule list, and other emergency supplies.
Substitute‐teacher folders should include all emergency protocols for that classroom.
Incident Command Structure (ICS) The following information is directly resourced from the US Department of Homeland Security’s FEMA Incident Command
System for Schools
The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized, on‐scene, all‐hazards incident management approach that:
Allows for the integration of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and communications operating within a common organizational structure.
Enables a coordinated response among various jurisdictions and functional agencies, both public and private.
Establishes common processes for planning and managing resources.
ICS is flexible and can be used for incidents of any type, scope and complexity. ICS allows its users to adopt an integrated organizational structure to match the complexities and demands of single or multiple incidents.
The ICS is a widely applicable management system designed to enable effective, efficient incident management by
integrating a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and communications operating within a
common organizational structure. ICS is a fundamental form of management established in a standard format,
with the purpose of enabling incident managers to identify the key concerns associated with the incident—often
under urgent conditions—without sacrificing attention to any component of the command system. It represents
organizational "best practices" and, as an element of the Command and Management Component of NIMS, has
become the standard for emergency management across the country.
District and Building Emergency Response Teams are established at the District (DERT) and Building (BERT) levels.
The features and principles used to manage an incident differ from day‐to‐day school management approaches.
Effective incident management relies on a tight command and control structure. Although information is
exchanged freely through the ICS structure, strict adherence must be paid to top‐down direction. ICS principles are
implemented through a wide range of management features including the use of common terminology and plain
language, and a modular organizational structure. The ability to communicate within the ICS is absolutely critical.
During an incident, communications should be in plain English or clear text and you should not use radio codes,
school‐specific codes, or jargon.
The ICS organizational structure develops in a top‐down, modular fashion that is based on the size and complexity
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‐ 10 ‐
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‐ 11 ‐
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‐ 12 ‐
Collaboration It is critical that individuals take responsibility for their own self‐preparedness efforts and that the community
members work together to develop the collective capacity needed to enhance their community’s security and
resilience.
Recent research conducted by the New York Academy of Medicine indicates that the public is ready to take a more
active role in preparedness planning. The research found that emergency management planners must engage the
public in the planning process in order to fully understand the public’s needs and concerns and that the public is
vitally interested in getting involved in this process.
Partners to Consider Engaging
Private schools
Other school districts
Community councils
Volunteer organizations
Faith‐based organizations
Individual citizens
Community leaders (e.g., representatives from specific segments of the community, including seniors, minority populations, and non‐English speakers)
Disability services
School boards
Higher education institutions
Animal control agencies and animal welfare organizations
Small and large local retailers
Home care services
Medical facilities
Government agencies (all levels and disciplines)
Nonprofit organizations
Media outlet
Accommodations and Modifications for People with Disabilities and Special Needs Planning for students in emergencies means planning for all students, including those with disabilities and special needs. Lessons learned from recent disasters have not only emphasized this point, but they have also illuminated the critical steps schools need to take to protect their campuses. Meeting the needs of students with disabilities and special needs in the event of an emergency does not have to be a daunting or a costly task. It simply requires administrators and officials to take into account the entire school community, from students and staff members to visitors and volunteers, and then take the appropriate actions to ensure the safety of all. In fact, in July 2004, President Bush signed Executive Order 13347, Individuals With Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness, which adds to existing legislation that provides for students with disabilities, and requires public entities to include people with disabilities in their emergency preparedness efforts.
‐ 13 ‐
All Emergency Response Teams should also consider the variety of disabilities—including visual, hearing, mobility, cognitive, attentional and emotional ‐ to adequately integrate these students and their vulnerabilities into all emergency preparedness planning. When creating a school emergency management team, administrators should include a disability specialist, who can provide guidance on how to meet students’ physical and emotional needs. Members of a school’s multidisciplinary team make ideal candidates for a crisis team, not only because they are experts in disability issues, policies and legislation, but also because they are experts in dealing with their school’s students with disabilities—their needs and the services with which they are provided. School multi‐disciplinary teams should consider the need emergency response accommodations when developing Individual Education Plans (IEP’s) as appropriate. Specialists can also inform a school’s ERT about the extra barriers to mobility and communication that students with special needs may encounter during a crisis. They can also detail how to effectively address specific disabilities and their corresponding characteristics and integrate proper responses into crisis planning activities. Teachers should be encouraged to discuss emergency procedures with parents as part of an IEP meeting or other review to ensure parental input. The Emergency Response Team should provide training to students with disabilities and to the adults responsible for their care as appropriate. The adults and the students both need to understand the crisis response plan; learn to communicate with first responders (in case of a separation from their caregivers); be able to communicate specifics about their special needs; and use any necessary tools such as personal response plans, evacuation equipment or visual aids.
To further enhance the district’s integration of students with disabilities into emergency response and crisis management planning, crisis teams should:
Include short‐term accommodations for students with temporary disabilities (such as a broken limb).
Create a buddy system for students with special needs.
Inform a student’s peers of their special needs during an emergency, to the the necessary, being careful to respect and ensure confidentiality about the student and his or her disability.
Invite local responders to establish a relationship with individual students with disabilities and their teachers. Ask them to conduct special sessions explaining how to support students and staff members with disabilities during an emergency.
Make sure that if a student has a service animal (e.g., a seeing eyedog), the animal is familiar with as many members of the school staff as possible.
Additionally, and equally importantly, school leaders must identify individual needs of staff members who are potentially in need of specialized support due to their own disability. Such needs may be purely physical or can be emotionally grounded relative to PTSD or other previous events an individual has experienced. Health plans, behavior plans, 504’s and IEP’s may all – depending on circumstance – be appropriate vehicles for addressing these specialized accommodations or services for both adults and children. Finally, it is important that visitor sign‐in logs are consulted in an emergency response situation to determine if any guest may be in need of special assistance.
‐ 14 ‐
Safety and Security Committee
It is the belief of the Scottsbluff School District that effective planning emergency requires that the whole
community is represented and involved in the process. This is in accordance with recommendations from the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that, “The most realistic and complete plans are prepared by a
diverse planning team, including representatives from the jurisdiction’s departments and agencies, civic leaders,
businesses, and organizations (e.g., civic, social, faith‐based, humanitarian, educational, advocacy, professional)
who are able to contribute critical perspectives and/or have a role in executing the plan.”
A shared planning community increases the likelihood of integration and synchronization, makes planning cycles
more efficient and effective, and makes plan maintenance easier.
This plan should be a dynamic document that is continually upgraded as lessons are learned through our own
implementation as well as that of others. The District should take advantage of the experience of other planners,
as well as plans generated by other jurisdictions. Further, many states, including our own, publish their own
standards and guidance for emergency planning, conduct workshops and training courses that may be helpful.
RULE 10 states:
Each school system has a school Safety and Security Committee which includes representatives of faculty, parents, and the community. The committee meets at least annually to prepare and/or review safety and security plans and procedures, including emergency plans and procedures.
The Safety Committee provides advisory assistance on creating physically safe and emotionally secure schools. The committee researches and develops school “Safety Plans” to address potentially dangerous and unsafe situations that may occur.
Considerations for Establishing Membership:
Large enough to be effective without being cumbersome.
Generally comprised of school staff members, support agency representatives, and community members, and parents with diverse expertise. Equal representation from each group is encouraged.
May use members of existing safety committees
Considers potential incidents from various perspectives.
Included on school districts/systems organizational charts.
Regularly scheduled meetings held to monitor and evaluate the safety plans.
Fosters communication among committee members and agencies, allowing for smooth response and operations during times of crisis or emergency.
Some areas in which the committee may wish to gather information are:
Safety/Security perceptions of administrators, staff, students, and parents
Facility conditions inside and out, and surrounding grounds
Previous school incidents
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‐ 15 ‐
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‐ 16 ‐
PREVENTION AND MITIGATION
Physical and Environmental Risks
Among other considerations, the Nebraska Department of Education recommends the following facility items be
considered on a regular basis:
Alarm system (functioning properly)
Building access control (human or otherwise)
Room to room communications system
Door locks properly used, and in good repair
Key Control / with limited access
Facility housekeeping ‐ chemical storage
Chemistry lab ‐ chemical storage
Windows locks and security
Office/Supplies/Cafeteria security
Heat & A/C unit accessibility
Roof access and openings
Additionally, grounds should be regularly inspected regarding:
Fencing
Driveways/Traffic Patterns
Exterior Lighting and Landscaping
Portable classroom security
Storage sheds
Chemical storage (for example: gasoline, weed killer, etc.)
Playground/Sports equipment
Power/Lawn tools
According to the US Department of Education, “Historically, site weaknesses have made it easier for violence to occur and harder to intervene quickly. Offenders had easy access into school. Victims had inadequate escape paths. Staff were unable to spot threats in time. Communication was inadequate.” It is the belief of Scottsbluff Public Schools that those who are most intimately involved in using a school facility as well as community resource people who possess a variety of specific skills and knowledge should be involved in assessing physical plant safety. School principals should ensure that each building is reviewed on a regular and ongoing basis and should resource the following people as they see appropriate.
Students
‐ 17 ‐
Parents
Teachers
School nurse
School custodian
School principal, assistant principal
School secretaries
Local emergency service officials
Local experts on geology, structural engineering, and architecture
School district and/or city building inspectors
Members of local environmental groups, civic organizations,
Community/neighborhood representatives with special skills that can be useful in emergency situations (doctors, engineers, nurses, etc.)
Safety experts in business and industry The National Clearinghouse of Educational Facilities (NCEF) Safe School Facilities Checklist is designed for assessing the safety and security of proposed and existing school buildings and grounds. Facility assessments are best performed by experienced building and safety professionals working closely with school officials. This resource can provide specific guidance at both the district and school level.
School culture and a climate of open communication
According to the United States Secret Service and the US Department of Education’s Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School that Support Climates, “In educational settings that support climates of safety, adults and students respect each other. A safe school environment offers positive personal role models in its faculty. It provides a place for open discussion where diversity and differences are respected; communication between adults and students is encouraged and supported; and conflict is managed and mediated constructively. Cultures and climates of safety support environments in which teachers and administrators pay attention to students’ social and emotional needs as well as their academic needs. Such environments emphasize emotional intelligence as well as educational or intellectual pursuits. Students experience a sense of emotional fit.” Additionally, Scottsbluff Public Schools has initiated an anonymous TIPLINE whereby students and adults can make reports of concerns. Reports may be made electronically via the website or on the telephone via a 24‐hour hotline. Furthermore, it must be a core value of all schools that relationships and a trusting openness between adults and students is a norm. The major components and tasks for creating a safe school climate include:
• Assessment of the school’s emotional climate • Emphasis on the importance of listening in schools • Adoption of a strong, but caring stance against the code of silence • Prevention of, and intervention in, bullying • Involvement of all members of the school community in planning, creating and sustaining a school culture of safety and respect • Development of trusting relationships between each student and at least one adult at school • Creation of mechanisms for developing and sustaining safe school climates.
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Additionally, the District has initiated a campaign in partnership with I Love U Guys Foundation, Regretting is Harder than Telling, to encourage students to let an adult know of any issue of potential concern or danger. Bully prevention initiatives are also of primary importance as are research based social education programs such as Second Step and other curricula determined to be developmentally appropriate ways to teach core social‐emotional skills such as empathy, emotion management, and problem solving. Strong partnerships with members of the law enforcement and public and mental health communities are essential in all phases of maintaining safe schools. Additionally, the District’s Crisis Response Team is trained and available for crises at schools that require counseling and support for students and adults following a traumatic event or loss. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth in the United States (Consolidated Data Collection,
2006). More often, youth are sent seriously injured to the emergency room after attempting suicide. In 2003, 18%
of Nebraska high school students reported that they seriously considered attempting suicide (Nebraska Youth Risk
Behavior Survey, 2003).Substance abuse is seen as a major risk factor for youth violence against themselves.
Educators should be aware of the warning signs and risk factors to prevent suicide attempts in young people.
Student Behavior and School Discipline
Scottsbluff School District is committed to increasing the number of students:
•Who are safe and not victims of bullying or other violence •Who are mentally and physically healthy •Who are engaged in school and avoid truancy and dropping out •Who have strong social and emotional skills •Who refrain from alcohol, tobacco and other drug use •Who report caring and supportive relationships with adults in their families, schools and the community Additionally, all children should grow up free from fear and violence.
PBiS
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBiS) has been implemented in Scottsbluff School District to
provide schools a capacity‐building structure for identifying, adapting, and sustaining effective school‐wide
disciplinary practices. According to PBiS, “One of the foremost advances in school‐wide discipline is the emphasis
on school‐wide systems of support that include proactive strategies for defining, teaching, and supporting
appropriate student behaviors to create positive school environments. Instead of using a piecemeal approach of
individual behavioral management plans, a continuum of positive behavior support for all students within a school
is implemented in areas including the classroom and non‐classroom settings (such as hallways, buses, and
restrooms). Positive behavior support is an application of a behaviorally‐based systems approach to enhance the
capacity of schools, families, and communities to design effective environments that improve the link between
research‐validated practices and the environments in which teaching and learning occurs. Attention is focused on
creating and sustaining primary (school‐wide), secondary (classroom), and tertiary (individual) systems of support
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that improve lifestyle results (personal, health, social, family, work, recreation) for all children and youth by
making targeted behaviors less effective, efficient, and relevant, and desired behavior more functional.”
According to the Nebraska Department of Education, PBiS...
Benefits all students, and is not limited to any particular group
Is based on effective behavioral practices, instructional design, and strategies
Approaches behavior in a proactive way by teaching appropriate behaviors
Fosters positive adult‐to‐student relationships
Supports the local school continuous improvement process
Is focused on improving academic achievement through creating safe, disciplined environments
NDE emphasizes, “This program can only work if the school adopts the system and is dedicated to its
implementation. PBiS schools are expected to:
1. Implement PBiS with fidelity 2. Appoint a leadership team and meet monthly to review 3. Engage the entire school staff in creating and implementing solutions for behavior 4. Complete all program documentation (listed in the PBiS Expectations document below) 5. Regularly attend PBiS related professional development opportunities.”
According to the Institute on Violence and Destructive Behavior, “Whole school approaches like PBiS can change the climate of a school building. When implemented with fidelity, PBiS creates an orderly, positive and well managed environment and reduces the likeliness that the problems characteristically presented by at‐risk students will escalate out of control.”
School Discipline
By way of both policy and practice, Scottsbluff Schools enforce consistent expectations of student behavior across
all levels. School staff closely adheres to a common code of behavior.
At the elementary and middle schools common PBiS expectations are in place:
Be Safe Walk. Don’t run. Use equipment appropriately; Play carefully. Listen to the bus driver.
Be Respectful Wait your turn. Take turns. Use your inside voice. Follow directions.
Be Responsible Use time wisely. Be a positive model for others. Get to where you are going. Care for school property.
Additionally, a matrix guides disciplinary procedures at the middle and high school levels.
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Bullying
The Scottsbluff School District has adopted a strong Anti‐Bullying policy that is intended to support our schools’ ability to
aggressively advocate on behalf of bullying victims and enforce appropriate disciplinary consequences. Policy 504.21a,
Anti‐Bullying Policy – Students, states, in part:
Any student who engages in bullying behavior that materially and substantially interferes with or disrupts the educational environment, the district’s day‐to‐day operations, or the education process, regardless of where the student is at the time of engaging in the bullying behavior, may be subject to discipline to the extent permitted by law. Students are prohibited from engaging in behavior including the use of physical force or verbal, nonverbal, written, and electronic communication (including but not limited to instant messaging, text messaging, emailing, and using websites) to threaten, intimidate, ridicule, humiliate, or harass any person.
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‐ 23 ‐
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Anonymous TIPS Hotline
Scottsbluff School District has implemented an Anonymous TIPS Hotline designed to allow students,
teachers, parents or anyone to anonymously report non‐emergencies that threaten or may
endanger the reporter, friends, family, or school. Reports may be made online via a link on the
District webpage or by telephone at 308‐633‐9999.
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PREPAREDNESS
Roles and responsibilities of individuals
Overview In the event of an emergency, school personnel must be aware and familiar with their emergency response roles
and responsibilities. School personnel emergency response roles are identified and described in the RESPONSE
section of this manual. In those incidences involving localized emergencies normally concerning one school, the
Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) will be activated.
Emergency Response Team The Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) is responsible for coordinating emergency response by all staff and students at the school site. The ERT organization, consistent with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is composed of the Command, Operations/Logistics, Communications, Mental Health and First Aid, Documentation, and Facility related areas. ERT functions will be activated to the extent required by the situation, and within the limits of available staff to fulfill each function. When necessary, available personnel may assume more than one role until additional personnel are able to respond. ERTs will remain in charge of the incident until relieved by emergency first responders. Non‐Assigned School Staff Staff members not assigned as ERT members will assist with emergency response duties as assigned by the School Administrator or designee (or Incident Commander when the IC system is in place). Teachers and other staff not assigned as ERT members are responsible for providing care and supervision of students; directing students in appropriate emergency procedures; sending students in need of first aid to the first aid station; calming frightened students; helping restore order; taking attendance; reporting missing students; and assisting other staff and students as needed. School Administrator The School Administrator or their designee implements the School Emergency Plan when notified of a declared emergency or when deemed necessary; establishes a Site Command; orders evacuation from building and/or site as deemed appropriate; directs ERT response to life safety threats (fires, fallen electrical lines, hazardous material spill, etc.); collects, analyzes, and reports status and damage information to authorities; and determines the need for and requests public safety assistance when necessary. During off‐hours, and upon notification of the District Administration, or the occurrence of an obvious disaster, the School Administrator or their designee reports immediately – or as soon as physically safe or other situations may warrant ‐ to the school site to conduct damage survey. District Administration and Staff During any building or districtwide emergency, the full functionality of the District Office is important. All staff should report to the District Office to support the DERT team if assembled or otherwise be prepared to support schools as needed. If any staff is at the site of a specific school that is at a local school experiencing an isolated emergency, it may be appropriate to stay at the site to assist as needed. If the BERT is activated, the designated IC
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(typically the building principal) will maintain command – the “rank” of District administration does not supersede the emergency IC structure. Maintenance Personnel and School Custodians In many cases, members of the maintenance and custodial teams become particularly essential personnel during an emergency. Knowledge of mechanical and HVAC systems, alarms and access systems, as well as familiarity with the plant layout can be critical. Additionally, having someone available to access areas, acquire needed equipment or supplies, or provide additional adult supervision is important. During any building or district emergency, both teams should make themselves available and await direction from administration or the IC as appropriate. Information‐Technology Team The IT team is often essential to effective communications and accessing records during an emergency. IT staff should remain on‐call in any emergency situation as needs dictate.
Emergency Supplies and Go‐Bags
One suggested activity for enhancing school preparedness is the creation of emergency supply bags – or, emergency “go‐bags.” “Go‐bags” are portable and should contain a stockpile of essential emergency supplies. “Go‐bags” often come in the form of backpacks or buckets that can be easily carried out of a school in case of an emergency. They are stored in a secure, readily accessible location so that they can be retrieved when an emergency requires evacuation. Administrators, teachers, and critical members of the school‐based ICS team (e.g., nurses, building engineers) may have a personalized “go‐bag” with supplies needed to carry out their assigned responsibilities. When preparing “go‐bags,” schools should consider their specific characteristics, such as, population, climate, facilities, and resources. The school’s emergency plan also should include procedures for designating which staff are responsible for replenishing the“go‐bags.” The District has provided an initial “go‐bag” to each school with standardized and specifically requested items. However, it is each school’s responsibility to keep the “go‐bag” stocked and updated with new or additional supplies as seen best. Some schools find it beneficial to have two major types of “go‐bags”: 1) for building and 2) for individual classrooms. Examples of items to be included in each type of bag follow.
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District Go‐Bags (District provided components) Updated thumb drive with IC information including parent
emergency numbers List of students with custody limitations Teacher/Employee roster include emergency contact
information Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) plans & rosters Building floor plans with rooms numbered (10 copies – to give
to agencies responding to an incident) Exterior school grounds aerial Map of local area Emergency phone numbers (police, fire, all PD centers, etc.) Bull horn(s) Portable walkie‐talkies Outside access card/Inside master key to building – 2 sets,
minimum Pens and pencils First aid supplies
Student reunification forms Index cards and notepads Flashlights and batteries Duct tape AM/FM radio (+batteries) Weather radio (+batteries) Blanket Towel Screwdriver Pliers Plastic bags
Building Go‐Bags (School provided components)
Clipboard with lists of: All classroom students Students with special needs and description of needs (i.e. medical issues, prescriptions, dietary) School emergency procedures Whistle Vest for teacher identification First‐aid kit with instructions Pens and paper Age appropriate activities or games
Medical staff (School nurses and nursing assistants)
School nurses are the link to local public health departments (Fitzpatrick, 2006) and emergency services, and it is
imperative that school nurses be familiar with this standardized common language provided through the federal
government agencies. They serve as conduits for dissemination of public health information to students and
families and liaison with emergency medical services to plan for a potential mass casualty event and provide care
for students in the event of emergency illness or injury.
Children spend a large part of their day in schools; therefore, the school district plays an important role during a
large‐scale crisis. Schools are generally considered safe havens for children, but various types of emergencies can
occur within the school walls or beyond, impacting the school and/or surrounding community. Natural disasters
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and pandemic illness, as well as physical plant or technological hazards, may cause damage in the school ranging
from loss of power to major structural damage and result in physical injuries, including loss of life.
Doyle and Loyacono (2007) state that nurses, by virtue of their professional education, are experts in the nursing
process (assess, plan, implement, and evaluate), and the steps taken during emergency situations closely parallel
the phases of emergency management (prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery). The school
nurse is in a leadership position to provide continuous integration, coordination, and training of all school and
community members as a part of the school’s emergency management plan. The role of the school nurse within
the four identified phases of emergency management planning includes the following:
Prevention/ Mitigation: School nurse assistance is appropriate in an on‐going assessment to identify
hazards from all possible sources and to reduce the potential for an emergency to occur. Examples include
establishing and conducting school safety programs, participating in school committees, implementing
vaccination programs and educating students and staff about recognizing and reporting suspicious events
(Doyle and Loyacono, 2007).
Preparedness: School nurse service on community‐wide planning groups is helpful in the facilitation of a
rapid, coordinated, effective emergency response within the framework of the Incident Command System
and the Standard Response Protocol. This includes establishing standard emergency response plans and
participating in skills, drills and exercises to evaluate the response capabilities of a school, as well as the
effectiveness of the plan (e.g., evacuation, shelter‐in‐place, lock down, intruder) from a medical
perspective. Specifically, the school nurse can be instrumental in identifying unique emergency
preparedness needs for children with individual medical needs.
Response: It is critical that the school nurse be knowledgeable about his or her role in the emergency plan.
This includes triage, coordination of the first aid response team, and direct hands‐on care to victims of the
emergency. In addition to providing mental health support to students, the school nurse is an important link to the medical/public health community and to parents (Fitzpatrick, 2006).
Recovery: After a disaster, the school nurse assists with students, parents, and school personnel, providing direct
support and being the liaison between community resources and those in need. The school nurse provides a
unique perspective when involved in the evaluation and revision of school emergency plans. Schools may be
identified as an emergency shelter resource for the community at large and/or a primary location for the
community either to gather to volunteer services or to reunite families.
School nurses are strategically placed within school environments and can identify potential emergencies and
assist in planning a comprehensive and coordinated response. As licensed health care professionals, they respond
to all serious adverse events that threaten the health, safety, or well‐being of a school population. School nurses,
as advocates for school safety, must address new challenges in emergency management and response (American
Academy of Pediatrics [AAP], 2008) and establish their vital role before, during, and after an emergency,
addressing the needs of all members of the school community, including children with special health care needs.
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Schools must address emergencies that can vary from a single student injured on a playground, possibly sustaining
a fall from a height with a suspected head or spinal cord injury, to the mass illness situations seen with the H1N1
pandemic flu. School nurses deal with weather‐related emergencies, and the nature of these emergencies often
depends on geographic location. They can range from hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis and flooding to snow and
ice storms. If students are required to be sheltered in school for long periods of time, this creates issues for
students with chronic health conditions, including diabetes, asthma, and allergies/anaphylaxis. Dramatic large
scale emergencies occur in the school as well as many well publicized violent events, such as school shootings that
create serious safety and injury issues. Schools can also be vulnerable to explosions and fires. In addition, schools
located near nuclear power plants have their own concerns about potential accidents and emergencies.
The school nurse is a vital school professional who is knowledgeable of the physical and emotional needs of the
students served by the school (Fitzpatrick, 2006). It is important for the school team to include a school nurse on
its crisis team to optimize positive outcomes in all phases of emergency management. School administrators
should ensure that the school nurse pursue professional development, as needed, to address skills related to
emergencies with an emphasis on planning, performing triage, providing emergency care and promoting a positive
recovery phase for the school and community
(National Association of School Nurses, 2011)
School, campus and neighborhood maps, floor plans, utility shutoffs, Pictometry Aerial and Ground Photos of the Campus Aerial and ground‐level photos of the campus and the surrounding area are helpful to everyone involved in a
school emergency. Satellite photos can be downloaded from the Internet. These should be supplemented by
ground‐level photos of the school site and all of its facilities.
Plans of the school campus should show:
Site access points Significant buildings and site features Fire hydrants on and near the school site Water, gas, electricity and communication lines Building entrances and exits Potential locations for an on‐campus emergency command post and staging areas Emergency campus evacuation routes and potential on‐campus evacuation sites
School Floor Plans
Reduced‐size floor plans or schematics should show or locate: Room names and numbers First aid suppliesClassroom evacuation routes Emergency generatorBuilding entries and exits Main HVAC shutoff
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Designated areas of refuge Main water shutoffRoof access points, if any Oil tanks, if anyPublic address system panel Main gas or oil shutoffIntrusion alarm panel Main power control panelFire alarm panel Fire hose boxesSprinkler shutoff controls
Pictometry and Critical 360
Beginning in late 2014 and 2015 the District will be initiating Pictometry Crirical 360 Imagery. The program
provides current and comprehensive infrastructure intelligence through outside and inside 360 degree interior
views and aerial floor plans so emergency responders can respond faster and more effectively to situations.
Grasp the situation with 360‐degree interior views
Search, query and locate resources and structural details
Overlay your floor plan on our geo‐referenced aerial imagery
Customize, update and share visual information with multiple users
Neighborhood Map First responders may need to review the traffic patterns and traffic intersections during a crisis. A neighborhood map should show:
Streets and intersections near the school Primary and secondary entries to the school site Location of major utility lines Potential locations for an off‐campus emergency command post and staging areas Emergency neighborhood evacuation routes and potential off‐campus evacuation sites
Fire Alarm and Sprinkler Shutoff Procedures One of the lessons learned from the 1999 Columbine school shootings was that someone should be able quickly to turn off the fire alarm and sprinkler systems. The loud alarm at Columbine made it difficult for responders to communicate. The fire sprinklers were also activated, covering hallways with water. It took considerable time to locate someone who knew how to shut off the alarm and sprinklers. Make sure administrative staff knows the location of the fire alarm and sprinkler controls. Clear instructions should be provided in the crisis plan as well, since it cannot be assumed that the people who know how to turn off the alarm will be available or able to do so. Consider secure controls outside the school that can shut off both the fire alarm and fire sprinklers. (National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, Prepared under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug‐Free Schools)
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Human Resource Information
Emergency Responders Ensure accessibility of the names and phone numbers of those involved in the emergency response process, such as:
Incident command system (BERT AND DERT Team) personnel District public information officer Nurse and CNA Traffic monitors Custodial staff Kitchen staff Bilingual translator (if appropriate)
Having paper copies of this information is useful so more than one person can make calls. School Staff An inventory of school staff members with special skills and training should be inventoried. Useful skills can include prior medical and triage experience, bilingual capability, grief counseling, search and rescue training, first aid/CPR certification, and volunteer firefighter or reserve police officer/deputy experience. These skills could prove helpful in a critical incident. Outside Assistance Prepare a list of outside individuals, vendors, and organizations that can assist in an emergency. Local emergency responders can make recommendations about who to add. Parents can be an excellent source of support and be trained to answer questions, help fellow parents receive information, and maintain calm. Parent volunteers should be prescreened and receive training prior to becoming a member
Communication procedures and tools
Anonymous Tip Line
An anonymous Tip Line is in place in the District that provides both telephone and email access. Reports can be
made 24‐hours per day but are not monitored overnight. Emails (and transcripted phone calls) are immediately
forwarded to administrators, counselors and selected secretarial staff throughout the District and at each school.
Awareity.com (Lincoln, NE) provides the service along with A Courteous Communications out of Orlando, Florida.
Emergency Text Messaging
The District maintains a list of parents and staff who wish to be included in emergency text messaging.
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Shout‐Point Calling
Shout Point, an interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, is in place for automated telephone
contact. The system can send an announcement to all parents who have provided updated contact numbers.
Two‐Way Radios
All school sites, as well as the district office and other support departments and personnel, are provided with two‐
way radios. The radios operate on the same band as area law enforcement and are tied into the Comm Center.
Communication extends out to Lake Minatare and can facilitate communication with Gering Public Schools.
PA Systems
All schools have building‐wide communications through the Public Address System. Additionally, outside bells can
be used to signal teachers and students who may be outside of the building during PE class, recess or other outside
activities.
Website
The District webpage can be quickly amended to add emergency notifications.
Cameras
Cameras and monitoring systems are in place, to varying degrees, at all school sites. The quality and capacity of the
system is reviewed on an ongoing basis and improvements are made as needed.
Communications Specialist
The District staffs a Communications Specialist to oversee the overall communications strategies of the District.
S/he also initiates media contact for emergency notifications of any kind.
Training
Scottsbluff Public Schools conducts ongoing training to ensure:
1. All permanent staff is “refreshed” often enough to ensure retention and up‐to‐date information 2. All new permanent staff is trained early each year
Additionally, plans are in place to provide increased understanding and awareness to temporary and substitute personnel. Training is provided annually in each of the following areas:
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1. First Aid (refresher) 2. Automated External Defibrillator (AED) 3. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) 4. Standard Response Protocol (SRP) 5. Sexual harassment
Additionally select personnel are trained in the following areas (as needed for certification or required by policy or law):
1. First Aid Certification 2. Restraint training 3. Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) – hazardous materials
Additionally, a wide array of offerings is available through ALICAP (All Lines Interlocal Cooperative Aggregate Pool)
who provides insurance coverage to most Nebraska school districts. This comprehensive series of online training is
available to all staff through Safe Schools Online and is available at http://www.alicap.org/safeschools.aspx. Any
staff member may log into this site using his or her employee number.
Drills and exercises
School Fire Drills
According to State Statute 81‐527 , “It shall be the duty of the State Fire Marshal and his or her deputies and
assistants to require teachers of public and private schools and educational institutions to conduct regular fire
drills in accordance with such rules and regulations as he or she may adopt and promulgate and to keep all doors
and exits unlocked (from the inside) during school hours.”
The State Fire Marshal has developed guidelines to follow in conducting fire exit drills. These guidelines consist of
the proper and required fire drill procedures as outlined in Nebraska statutes and regulations. All school
administrators, teachers and anyone involved in conducting fire drills at their school should study and follow these
guidelines.
A form to use to report every fire drill conducted throughout the school year has also been developed. One form per building on campus that shares a fire alarm system must be submitted. The form is due in the State Fire Marshal’s office at the end of the school year, or by July 1st, whichever comes first. The completed forms should be mailed or emailed to the State Fire Marshal District Office with jurisdiction over each school. Scottsbluff County’s Fire Marshal District Office is: District C Office Craft State Office Building, 200 South Silber Street, North Platte, NE 69101. Telephone: (308) 535‐8181 Additional Drills
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All Scottsbluff Schools are required to additionally complete one emergency response drill per quarter. These include Lockdown, Lockout, Shelter in Place and Evacuation to a Secondary Site. These must be completed in addition to the monthly Fire Drill requirement though a combined drill which includes an evacuation can count for both. One of the four quarterly drills may be a District‐Wide drill involving a simulation and the involvement of area emergency response teams including Scottsbluff Police and Fire Departments, The 911 Communications Center and other associated agencies. These exercises should include walks through school buildings to allow law enforcement to provide input on shelter sites and school procedures as well as familiarize first responders with the location.
Preparing for an Active Shooter Situation An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. In most cases, there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims. Because active shooter situations are often over within a few short minutes‐‐before law enforcement arrives on the scene‐‐individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation. The following provides information about preparing for such an incident: Components of Training Exercises (US Department of Homeland Security) The most effective way to train to respond to an active shooter situation is to conduct mock active shooter training exercises. Local law enforcement is an excellent resource in designing training exercises.
• Recognizing the sound of gunshots • Reacting quickly when gunshots are heard and/or when a shooting is witnessed:
‐ Evacuating the area ‐ Hiding out ‐ Acting against the shooter as a last resort
• Calling 911 • Reacting when law enforcement arrives • Adopting the survival mind set during times of crisis It is critical to have the following determined and familiar to all staff
A preferred method for quickly reporting an incident
An evacuation policy and procedure
Emergency escape procedures and route assignments (i.e., floor plans, safe areas, hiding places)
Contact information for, and responsibilities of, individuals to be contacted (ie. main office)
An emergency notification system to alert various parties of an emergency including: ‐ Individuals at remote locations within premises or on school grounds ‐ Individuals at remote sites (or otherwise off campus) ‐ Local law enforcement
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Site Assessment
A variety of school facility safety assessment tools exist. Among the best are those developed by the state departments of education or safety centers in Florida, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, and Virginia. The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities has combined the assessment measures from these and a wide variety of other sources into the following series of NCEF Assessment Guides for examining the safety and security of all aspects of a school facility. This guide can be accessed at: http://www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/emischool/EL361Toolkit/assets/Mitigating_Hazards.pdf. The guide includes assessment tools for each of the following areas: School Grounds and Site Access Control
Outdoor Athletic Facilities and Playgrounds
Building Access Control: Entry Doors, Windows, Walls, Roofs
Entry and Reception Areas
Corridors, Interior Doors, and Lockers
Stairs and Stairwells
Elevators
Exit ways
Classrooms
Portable Classrooms
Art, Music, and Dance Rooms
Labs, Shops, and Computer Rooms
Offices, Workrooms, and Conference Rooms
Food Service Areas and Student Commons
Restrooms
Library/Media Center
Health Services Center
Auditorium/Theater/Performing Arts Center
Indoor Athletic Facilities
Emergency Communications, Power, Fuel, and Water
Security and Surveillance Systems
Fire Alarm and Control Systems
Mechanical Systems
Custodial and Equipment Rooms
Areas of Refuge/Community Shelter
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Safe school management practices
Target Hardening Target hardening is the use of a variety of strategies intended to make it harder for a crime to be committed and reduces the gains of crime should one occur.
Target hardening increases the efforts that offenders must expend in the commission of a crime and is the most long-established and traditional approach to crime prevention. It is directed at denying or limiting access to a crime target through the use of physical barriers such as fences, gates, locks, electronic alarms and security patrols.
Excessive use of target hardening tactics, however, can create a 'fortress mentality' and imagery whereby residents withdraw behind physical barriers and the self-policing capacity of the built environment is damaged.
It is important that staff and students recognizes the primary significance of thoughtful and informed human response as the most essential component of school safety and emergency response.
Safety and Security Procedures
In an effort to further improve safety for our students and employees, all elementary school buildings and at the middle school have already been or will be equipped with a secure entry vestibule for their front entrances. Once the school day starts, the front door and all other doors will be locked, although all doors can still be used as exits. Visitors will have to be buzzed into the building after reporting to the main office. A visitor badge, which must be worn at all times while in the building, will be issued.
Single Point of Entrance Policy
An important part of keeping our schools safe is using a Single Point of Entrance for all school buildings during the regular school day. To keep the building secure, doors will remain locked during the school day and should not be propped open by faculty, staff, students or others. At the high school, all doors except for the front (west) door will be locked during the school day with buzzered student access only permitted off of the northeast parking lot.
The District Office front doors will remain unlocked during business hours and locked during a lockdown or lockout.
Visitor Sign In and Sign Out Procedures
During regular school hours, the District will continue to maintain an ID badge and sign in/sign out procedure for visitors to our schools. Upon arrival at any of our school buildings, all visitors, including parents and parent volunteers, are required to sign in and receive an ID badge. Visitors must sign out and return the ID badge upon departure. The wearing of ID badges will allow school personnel to regulate who should and should not be in the building. If a person is not an employee, and is not wearing a visitor badge, employees will request that person to follow proper procedure. Obviously exceptions may be made for special events that make this policy impractical such as sporting events, concerts etc.
‐ 37 ‐
Staff ID’s
All employees are required to wear a current school ID at all times. This includes all substitute teachers and temporary employees who must also wear an appropriate name tag.
Interior Doors, Windows and unoccupied spaces
Classroom doors may remain locked or unlocked during school hours dependent upon teacher preference. Keeping
classroom doors open minimizes the disruption during routines of the school day and allows student and staff
access to classrooms in an emergency. Locked doors provide additional comfort for some staff and due individual
circumstances and/or location within the building may be a desirable alternative. There is no collective consensus
regarding the pros and cons of this decision and, thusly, this decision is being left up to individual teachers.
Classroom doors should be locked before school, at recess, lunch and at dismissal. Unoccupied office, meeting and
storage space should be locked while not in use. All classroom windows, including hallway windows and door
windows, should remain unblocked.
Being Prepared for a Classroom Emergency 1. When appropriate, call 911 immediately. 2. In the event of an emergency, contact the office in the most expeditious means possible. 3. Establish a “buddy system” with the teacher next door or nearby to assist one another in any emergency. 4. Instruct children to seek help from the adjoining classroom teacher and/or office when necessary. 5. Maintain updated records of students and emergency contacts. 6. Maintain a functional first aid kit for basic injuries or health concerns. 7. Be familiar with individual student health plans.
Bilingual Needs Bilingual teachers/paraprofessionals shall assist with the translation of information to non‐English speakers. All written emergency materials should be developed, posted and/or distributed in both English and Spanish.
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RESPONSE
Activation of Incident Command System (ICS)
Upon the commencement of any emergency, the Incident Commander may call the BERT/DERT team to report to a pre‐determined location and assume incident management responsibilities. In order for ICS to be successful, all staff must cooperate in accepting new lines of authority beyond the customary ones. When ICS is integrated with a response plan, it can reduce confusion during an incident and provide for systematic identification of incident management objectives, responsibility for action, accountability, and communications/information.
Because a response effort must begin immediately in an emergency, people may have to perform tasks and supervise areas and staff that are not normally within their job description, but are within the scope of their expertise or responsibilities under ICS. ICS is a temporary organizational structure.
Once ICS is activated, it will require clear communication using common language. All schools should have a designated area, called the Command Center in which all decisions and communications are made and transmitted. Attended radios, phones, and computers should be available in this area. Back‐up communication systems are often made available in the event of phone line disruptions.
Staff members conducting essential tasks, such as nurses, may need to remain at their location rather than report to the Command Center.
Once ICS is activated:
• All external communication should be handled through the Command Center.
• All non‐emergency–related phone calls should end. • Only those with the proper identification should be allowed in the disaster or IC area.
Emergency Response Teams (ERT’s)
At the school or site level, the Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) includes the Principal (or designee) and
several site‐based staff as indicated in the ICS chart.
These designated staff members perform essential tasks to save life, provide for student and staff safety, secure the facility, communicate with parents, and address the emotional impact of a crisis on students and staff. Although BERT members are assigned specific roles during an emergency, it is important to establish succession to fill roles in case those primary members are absent. The Principal (or designee) will activate the BERT if their support is needed to effectively respond to an emergency.
‐ 40 ‐
BERT Incident Commander
The BERT Incident Commander is generally the Principal and is typically the first responder when an emergency
occurs at a school site. The BERT IC must initiate a quick and effective response using the principles outlined in the
Crisis Response Plan manual and act to contain the situation and provide for the safety of all students, visitors, and
staff. The BERT IC has full authority over the emergency, including decisions related to: personnel assignments,
evacuation and relocation to preserve life and property, which remains until/if DERT or emergency responders
assume authority over the incident. The BERT IC is responsible for collaborating with the Superintendent, other
administrators and other district level responders.
Responsibilities:
· Refer to the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) to determine the level of emergency response needed (Shelter‐in‐Place, Evacuation, Lockout, Lockdown)
· Activate the emergency response system by: o Calling 911 o Calling the District Office at 635‐6200
· Refer to the Safety Plan, and activate the Building Emergency Response Team. If applicable: · Make an appropriate announcement to students and staff · Collect the “GO KIT”, class rosters, and other supplies · Carry your District and School radio, check‐in on appropriate Station. · Account for all students, staff and visitors when appropriate or safe to do so · Wait for emergency responders/law enforcement at pre‐determined evacuation site according to your
safety plan · Stay at the Incident Command Post (ICP) established by First Responders/Law Enforcement
Throughout the school year, the BERT IC (or their designee) must identify and maintain a list of all individuals who
will need assistance in evacuating the building in the event of an emergency. This list must also include individuals
with temporary disabilities, such as a broken leg. Individuals on this list must have a specific, individualized
evacuation plan.
It is critical that students, staff, and visitors who need evacuation assistance are directly supervised, assisted, and
taken to an Area‐of‐Refuge inside the building. A staff member must remain with these individuals until they are
evacuated by First Responders. District procedure requires that the BERT IC (or their designee) assign a staff
member to be responsible for every individual who needs evacuation assistance. Obviously, assigning an adult
staff member to be responsible for individuals with special needs/mobility impairment throughout the school day,
where the individual may move from class to class, is quite challenging. Planning and training are essential under
these circumstances.
The following guidelines should be followed when assigning supervision for individuals needing evacuation
assistance:
· For each individual with special needs/mobility impairment, a classroom teacher or staff member who is present with the individual should assist them in getting to the nearest Area‐of‐Refuge.
‐ 41 ‐
· If a staff member (e.g., classroom teacher) with a special needs/mobility impaired individual deems it necessary to escort that individual to the Area‐of‐Refuge, they should transfer supervision of their class to a staff member in an adjacent classroom.
· Substitute teachers should be informed that they may need to assist individuals with special needs/mobility impairment to an Area‐of‐Refuge and transfer their class to another staff member, if necessary.
Operations Logistics Officer
The Operations/Logistics Officer’s role in Student Reunification is to serve as the primary alternate to the Incident Coordinator should s/he not be available. Additionally, the Operations Logistics Officer is encharged with the coordination of the reunification of students with parents or legal guardians. In an emergency, bus schedules may be disrupted or students may be evacuated to a new location. All students must be accounted for and reunited with their legal caretakers in an orderly manner. Each parent or legal guardian must sign for their child and staff must consult the student’s Emergency Contact Card for custodial information prior to the release of any student. The Operations/Logistics Officer reports directly to the IC.
Responsibilities:
· Initiate and operate Student Reunification · Call evacuation site to advise that your school is en route · Supervision of First Aid Support Personnel · Act as liaison with emergency response agencies · Assist in securing the scene of the incident and ensuring public safety · Keep unauthorized persons from entering emergency site · Attend briefings with IC · Ensure that building floor plans and site maps are available · Ensure that staff are in place to provide:
o Traffic control o Media supervision o Student/Parent supervision
· Assign only adult personnel to answer telephones · Restrict use of building telephones to authorized personnel only · Distribute supplies and equipment · Track available resources The Operations/Logistics Officer’s role in Student Reunification is to coordinate the reunification of students with parents or legal guardians. In an emergency, bus schedules may be disrupted or students may be evacuated to a new location. All students must be accounted for and reunited with their legal caretakers in an orderly manner. Each parent or legal guardian must sign for their child and staff must consult the student’s Emergency Contact Card for custodial information prior to the release of any student.
Reunification Responsibilities:
· Refer to the Safety Plan for pre‐determined evacuation location.
· Coordinate the reunification of students with parents/guardians
‐ 42 ‐
· Ensure authorized parent or legal guardian signs out each student (picture ID verification is required)
· Make sure all students are accounted for
· Maintain sign‐out sheets and other records
· Provide ongoing updates to the Operations/Logistics Officer
· Document all activities
Communications/Public Information Officer (PIO)
This individual reports directly to the IC. If the District Communications Specialist is available, he/she will serve as
the official District spokesperson first. If not, a school site person should be identified to liaison with the
designated District representative in order to accomplish the following:
Responsibilities:
· Set up an official media staging area located away from the incident, and evacuation/student reunification site.
· Act as official spokesperson for the school
· Obtain approval from the IC for all communications with the media, parents, or community
· Coordinate press releases and briefings with District staff
· Monitor news broadcasts about the emergency
· Correct misinformation immediately
· Report emergency situation updates to appropriate District administration as well as Safety, Security, and Emergency Planning personnel.
Mental Health Crisis Response
The Mental Health Responder is responsible for the emotional safety and well‐being of staff and students as well
as families and others involved in the crisis.
Responsibilities:
Reports directly to the Operations Logistics Officer upon arrival to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
Alerts the District’s Crisis Response Team Coordinates all mental health response including the District’s Employee Assistant Program, to include
counseling, safe rooms, parent/staff meetings (crisis/grief counseling) and referral services and resources Coordinates with community agencies including the Panhandle Mental Health Center Establishes mental health counselor credentialing procedures Monitors and assesses the emotional needs of the BERTD team to ensure general good health and well
being Additional responsibilities as needed
‐ 43 ‐
First Aid Support Personnel
First Aid Support Coordinator reports directly to the Operations Logistics Officer and is knowledgeable in CPR/First
Aid/AED and will assist with triage and provide supportive care to injured students and staff.
Responsibilities:
Until emergency medical services arrive, First Aid Support Personnel will:
· Provide supportive care for injured parties in an evacuation and coordinate with responding emergency services personnel for continued care of victim(s)
· Collect the Clinic “Go Bag” · Establish a First Aid staging area as directed by the IC · Provide basic life support and care for the injured to the extent of abilities · Record names of all individuals receiving health support/medical transport
Teachers, Classified staff and parent visitors with student supervisory responsibilities:
These individuals have the critically important responsibility of supervising the students in their care. Teachers
have a positive rapport with their students, and students will look to their teacher for direction in an emergency.
In an emergency it is extremely important that teachers follow the directives of the BERT IC. They must carry out
directives in a swift, organized and calm manner that conveys confidence to students.
Responsibilities:
· Direct students to Evacuate, Shelter‐in‐Place, Lockdown or Lockout, as indicated by the Standard Response Protocol (SRP)
· Supervise students during an emergency situation · Follow appropriate emergency signals and protocols · Carry out all directives from the BERT IC · Remain with students at all times · Maintain order and assist other teachers as necessary · Reassure students by occupying them with an activity, if appropriate
Responsibilities before an Emergency:
· Keep a paper copy of the class roster readily available and up‐to‐date (not on a computer) · Prepare simple, quiet activities to occupy students during an extended confinement (e.g., a lockdown of
several hours in duration) · Prepare students for emergency response by instructing students and practicing drills as directed by the
BERT IC · Become familiar with the Crisis Response Plan
Teachers and Classified staff without student supervision responsibilities:
· If safe, immediately report to the Command Post for an assignment
‐ 44 ‐
Receptionist/Office Staff School secretaries play an essential role in emergency preparedness. Depending on number of available staff and assignments, the documentation role is often assumed by one of these people (see next section). They know how to reach the Principal or Site Administrator when they are out of the building. They know how to operate critical systems in the school such as the Public Address System, school bells, and telephones. They also keep updated records of enrollment and emergency contact information for students. In the event of an emergency evacuation, it is essential that school secretaries take with them, an updated copy of students enrolled at their school, (should be included in the “Go Kit”). This information will be required when students are released to parents following an emergency. Responsibilities before an Emergency:
· Routinely update student emergency contact information
· Take the visitor sign‐in sheet in the event of an evacuation
· Keep the office copy of the Crisis Response Plan and the Emergency Management Plan Quick Reference Booklet in an obvious location for use in an emergency
Responsibilities during an Emergency:
· Assume any roles as designated by BERT assignments
· Carry out the directives of the BERT IC
· Assist in accounting for students
· Assist emergency responders with communication and administrative tasks as needed
Documentation Personnel
This individual reports directly to the IC.
Responsibilities:
· Report immediately to the Incident Command Post
· Maintain written documentation of all emergency telephone calls, procedures, events and actions
· When the emergency is over this person is responsible for sending copies of all documentation to the Superintendent and the Incident Commander
· If there is a death, coordinate with the Principal/Site Administrator to remove the student or staff members name from absentee lists, mailing lists, auto dialer, etc.
Assembly Area Coordinator
The primary role of the Assembly Area Coordinator is to account for students, faculty, staff and visitors in
designated Assembly Areas. This position may be filled by a teacher, administrator or other staff member. This
person will coordinate the accountability and supervision of all students (by teachers) in an emergency.
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‐ 45 ‐
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‐ 46 ‐
DERT Incident Commander (Superintendent or Designee) Responsibilities:
· Maintains position at Incident Command · Establishes and maintains an effective liaison with outside emergency responders (i.e. law enforcement,
fire personnel, etc.) · If the emergency situation occurs at the administration building, authorizes the alert signal (building
lockdown, building evacuation, shelter in place or all clear) to be given – this signal communicates to staff that an emergency situation is occurring and they must implement the appropriate emergency action until further notice
‐ 47 ‐
· If the emergency situation occurs at one or more school buildings, coordinates the alert signal(s) (lockdown, evacuation, shelter in place or all clear) to be given. Adjusts the plan to meet the needs of the emergency situation as it evolves.
· If emergency is at a school, oversees Building Incident Commander. · Oversees BERT and DERT operations as appropriate given circumstances. · Determines which member(s) of the DERT (District Emergency Response Team) command staff team need
to be involved based on the extent of the emergency situation · Communicates to the appropriate members of the DERT and have them report to the district level
command center · Provides assessment of the type and scope of the emergency situation – determines the threat to human
life and structures – determines emergency operation objectives · Determines available and required emergency resources · Implements the appropriate emergency plan responsibilities and/or specific hazard procedures · Develops and implements an incident action plan for emergency response with input from the DERT
members · Coordinates overall emergency activities and response · Updates district personnel (through the Communications Officer as appropriate), the status of the
situation, students, staff, facilities · Authorizes the release of information through the Communications Officer · Determines when to release staff after the crisis/emergency situation · Ensures that the emergency response is being fully documented for legal and financial purposes · Evaluates the implementation of the district emergency management plan and makes revisions if
necessary Documentation Personnel (Secretary to Board and Superintendent) Responsibilities:
· Maintains position at Incident Command
· Maintain written documentation of all emergency telephone calls, procedures, events and actions.
· Ensure emergency log is filled out as event progresses.
· When the emergency is over this person is responsible for sending copies of all documentation to the Superintendent and the Incident Commander
· If there is a death, coordinate with the Principal/Site Administrator to remove the student or staff
members name from absentee lists, mailing lists, auto dialer, etc.
Communications/ PIO (Communications Specialist)
This individual reports directly to the IC. At discretion of IC, he/she will serve as the official District spokesperson.
If the emergency involves any specific schools, a school site person should be identified to liaison with the District
representative in order to accomplish the following:
‐ 48 ‐
Responsibilities:
· Set up an official media staging area located away from the incident, and evacuation/student reunification site.
· Act as official spokesperson for the school · Obtain approval from the IC for all communications with the media, parents, or community · Coordinate press releases and briefings · Monitor news broadcasts about the emergency · Correct misinformation immediately · Report emergency situation updates to appropriate District administration as well as Safety, Security, and
Emergency personnel.
Planning Officer (Director of Curriculum and Instruction) Responsibilities:
· Reports directly to the District Incident Commander · Maintains position at Incident Command, Evacuation and/or Re‐Unification sites as needed · Gatekeeper. Establishes communication responsibilities and routes for incoming inquiries, telephone calls
and others with “a need or desire to know.” Ensures that visitors and callers are directed to the appropriate individuals, departments and/or schools
· Develops a timeline of events and manages the event activity, tracking personnel and their time of involvement
· Manages the documentation of decisions and command authority · Manages Instructional needs and functions as necessary during and following a crisis · Notifies necessary support staff regarding their assignments · Coordinates, supervises and monitors student/parent reunification · Additional responsibilities as needed
Logistics Officer (Director of Finance) Responsibilities:
· Reports directly to the District Incident Commander · Maintains position at Incident Command · Collaborates with the District Incident Commander on emergency response and logistical decisions and
implementation activities · Coordinates, supervises and evaluates all emergency activities in the following areas:
o Transportation o Facilities Management o Construction Management/Planning and Design o Environmental Services
‐ 49 ‐
o Informs the District Incident Commander of situation and resource status within areas of responsibility
· Manages logistical needs of staff as event progresses · Provides additional staffing to impacted schools as required (i.e. classified, licensed, administrative and or
substitutes · Identifies and determines payroll needs and processes as demands dictate during the crisis · Assists employees in accessing leave and benefit information · Assists with re‐assignment of employees as needed · Provides additional personnel support to school sites as needed · Additional responsibilities as needed
Student Services/Operations Officer (Director of Student Services) Responsibilities: The Student Services and Operations Officer is responsible for the following:
· Reports directly to the District Incident Commander · Maintains position at Incident Command · Collaborates with the District Incident Commander on emergency response decisions and implementation
activities · Identifies personnel needs for rapid response at the crisis/emergency site · Incident management of the following departments:
o Safety and Security o Student Services o Health Services o Food and Nutrition Services
· Manages access and necessary formulation of Student Data · Informs the District Incident Commander of on the ground situations, concerns and issues as the need
arises · Additional responsibilities as needed
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‐ 50 ‐
‐ 51 ‐
Standard Response Protocol (SRP)
SRP incorporates four responses to any hazard or emergency (See SRP Manual):
Evacuation: Each school should have a map of the surrounding area indicating a safe zone for evacuation. Plans for evacuation in inclement weather should be included. Evacuation during adverse weather conditions can be extremely difficult for a number of reasons: (1) a rapid school evacuation does not permit students to obtain their coats (in upper grades, these coats may be in their homeroom or locker); (2) during periods of active weather (e.g., snow, hail, or rain), students may become endangered by outdoor conditions; (3) snow removal efforts may produce barriers to rapid evacuation. The identification and practice of primary and secondary evacuation sites is essential and factor in varying conditions and circumstances. Relocation plans must be created in order to house students after events in which the school cannot be immediately reoccupied. Relocation sites can include neighboring churches, theaters, or auditoriums. Announced: EVACUATE! DIRECTIONS TO FOLLOW. EVACUATE! DIRECTIONS TO FOLLOW
Sheltering‐in‐place ‐ When threats to school children occur outdoors, complete evacuation may not be safe, for example, after the sudden release of a chlorine gas cloud. In such cases, there must be well‐established plans for sheltering‐in‐place. The sheltering‐in‐place site should have the following features: (1) it is ideally located as far into the center of the school as possible, away from windows; (2) where possible, it should be a large, single room (this facilitates communication and serves to “nest” students); (3) the sheltering‐in‐place site should ideally have HVAC units that can be turned off and/or vents that can be closed. Announced: SHELTER! DIRECTIONS TO FOLLOW. SHELTER! DIRECTIONS TO FOLLOW
Lockdown ‐ Another form of school disaster can take the form of an angry parent, a terrorist, or a sniper. In such cases, students are best protected by a school lockdown, in which locks and barricades are used. Rooms with doors that can be locked form the best lockdown site. If students are in a classroom that can’t be locked when a lockdown situation occurs, they should either be moved to an area which can be locked, or barricades should be placed at the classroom door. Announced: LOCKDOWN! LOCKS, LIGHTS, OUT OF SIGHT! LOCKDOWN! LOCKS, LIGHTS, OUT OF SIGHT!
Lockout ‐ A lockout is a procedure which prevents unauthorized persons from entering the school and is commonly used when the threat is general or the incident is occurring in the immediate area of the school. This procedure allows school activities to continue as normal during the outside disruption. All exterior doors are locked from the outside and access is not granted to visitors. Situational awareness becomes paramount in these situations with all staff particularly sensitive to anything out of the ordinary. There should be no outside activities such as recess or PE and, depending on circumstances, no avoidable travel between the school building and outside modular classrooms or remote sites should occur. Announced: LOCKOUT! SECURE THE PERIMETER. LOCKOUT! SECURE THE PERIMETER.
Red Care/Green Card/Medical Card System
When the building must be evacuated, teachers should take attendance and verify that all students are accounted for. School administration or designated staff member will check with all supervising teachers in the evacuation area and rely upon red cards and green cards to communicate as follows:
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‐ 52 ‐
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‐ 53 ‐
The process relies upon the use of perforated cards. These cards are completed by parents or guardians at the reunification site. The cards are separated at the perforation and a runner retrieves the child. All schools have been provided adequate numbers of cards in their Go‐Bags and should be replenished as needed. The following procedures must be planned and rehearsed at all school sites: 1. Designate a location for reunification of students with authorized adults e.g., parents, legal guardians or other authorized person listed on student’s emergency care information form. If using another SBPS facility for reuniting students with parent, adopt the host facility’s parent reunion plan for parent parking, parent staging, student assembly area, and location of counseling and medical/first aid services. If in a non‐school facility, attempt to replicate a similar system. 2. Deliver the students to the student staging area(s) beyond the field of vision of parents/guardians. “Greeters” direct parents/guardians to the parent check‐In location, and help them understand the process. As the reunification time progresses, students may be moved from classrooms throughout the building to a central area such as designated classrooms, the gymnasium or the auditorium. 3. Parents/guardians complete Reunification Cards (provided in “Go‐Bags”). If the adult making the request for the release of a student is not authorized to do so, the student shall not be released. Documented phone calls from authorized parents or guardians to release their child with another parent may be considered only with specific documented approval from the IC or designee. 4. Procedure allows parents/guardians to self‐sort (by grade, alphabet, teacher depending upon location) during check in in order to streamline the process. 5. Runner (student or adult) recovers student from the student staging area. 6. Controlled lines of sight (preventing parents from seeing student staging area) allow for communication and other issues to be handled with diminished drama or anxiety. 7. Medical or investigative contingencies are anticipated and parents informed as they arrive. 8. Provide the availability for a private area or areas as well as appropriately trained and prepared staff to meet with parents should there be urgent or upsetting news.
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‐ 54 ‐
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‐ 55 ‐
RECOVERY Crisis recovery is a central component of a comprehensive school safety program. The primary objectives of crisis recovery are to promote the health, safety and welfare of students, staff and visitors, protect school property, and regulate the operation of schools following an emergency. The key to successful crisis recovery is preparation. Crisis Teams A District Crisis Recovery Team is critical to the successful management of school emergencies. Depending upon circumstances at each affected site, the school principal may choose to organize a Building Crisis Recovery Team. The purpose of each of these teams is to oversee a comprehensive recovery process: There are four components of recovery: · Physical/structural · Business Continuity · Restoration of academic learning · Psychological/emotional NOTE: The Crisis Response Team (as currently operationalized) is trained to focus upon the mental health needs of students and staff following a death. Its role is an important part of the total scope of Crisis Recovery, but has a distinct responsibility. When an emergency has the potential to overwhelm a school’s ability to deal with the incident, or there is more than one incident occurring, or an area wide incident that affects multiple sites, a District Crisis Recovery Team may be activated. The District Crisis Recovery Team will assume responsibility for resource management of SBPS assets, coordination with the leadership of emergency service and law enforcement agencies, the release of information to the School Board, and other local officials and the public, allowing school‐based staff (and the Crisis Response Team, if applicable) to deal with immediate needs of students, staff, and parents. The District Crisis Response Team may include the following members and others depending on specific circumstances: · The Superintendent · Chief Financial Officer · Executive Directors (Curriculum and Instruction, Student Services) · Directors (Technology, Facilities and Maintenance) · Communications Specialist · Members of the District Crisis Response Team · Principal(s) · Counselor(s) · Area Emergency Responders · Area Mental Health Providers · Board of Education representative(s) · Business Team member(s) Proper preparation and effective response to incidents can minimize the time required for recovery. The recovery phase is designed to assist students, staff, and their families in the healing process and to restore educational operations in schools. Recovery is an ongoing process that includes not only the mental, emotional and physical healing process of students, faculty and staff, but a school’s physical (buildings and grounds), fiscal (daily business
‐ 56 ‐
operations) and academic (a return to classroom learning). Strong partnerships with public safety and mental health communities are essential for effective recovery efforts. The type and extent of activities will vary in relation to the size and scope of the crisis. Much of this section is based upon materials developed by the US Department of Education Office of Safe and Healthy Students, Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS). Physical/structural recovery
Key school physical/structural Recovery considerations include: · Assessing and repairing structural and physical damage · Assessing and addressing environmental hazards · Cleaning the facility and removal of all health and safety hazards · Recovery of equipment and restoration of processes, i.e., software systems, etc. · Determination of availability of equipment and supplies · Debrief and incorporation of lessons learned around physical assets and vulnerabilities into emergency
management planning Physical/structural recovery begins with the assessment and evaluation of physical and structural damage to buildings and infrastructure, availability of transportation, food services, and assessing the functionality of educational capabilities and office equipment e.g., computers, lab equipment. Damage assessment teams from the Department of Facilities and Maintenance, First Student Transportation Services and the Department of Information Technology would be responsible for these assessments. Data from the assessment will facilitate decision‐making about repairs and timelines to resume normal activities. Post‐emergency, it is important to document damaged areas with videotape or photographs. Damaged equipment should not be discarded until it has been documented fully on film. Staff and volunteer time and labor involved in the cleanup should be tracked because this time can be factored into any potential insurance claims or disaster relief grants. The Director of Facilities and Maintenance and the Director of Technology will coordinate significant portions of these efforts. Business Continuity Key School Business Recovery considerations include: · Restore district administrative functions · Ensure staff are supported · Set‐up automatic payment system · Institute a system to register out of district students, and to register students in new schools. Business recovery is the restoration of administrative and business functionality and services by activating the Continuity of Operations Plan (See COOP Plan later in this document). The Chief Financial Officer is responsible for major administrative functions related to the management associated with the necessary closure of schools and the assignment of staff to alternative locations.
‐ 57 ‐
Academic Recovery Youth exposed to violence and traumas have been shown to subsequently struggle with significant issues in academic performance at school. Restoring, or maintaining, a routine is helpful for students throughout the Recovery process. It is important that we facilitate students’ return to learning and restore structure and routine as quickly as possible. Key Steps to ensuring academic Recovery include: · Instituting temporary adjustments to academic routines, as necessary · Communicating to administrators, staff, parents, guardians and students on events and next steps
· Returning to normal academic routine as soon as possible. Alongside affected building principals, the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction and the Executive Director of Student Services will assume primary leadership roles in this work. Planning in advance of an event is essential. · Outline service delivery systems · Develop template letters for emergencies · Pre‐determine strategies for accepting contributions/donations following a death/incident · Outline strategies for dealing with "empty chairs" · Determine a policy for memorials (be consistent across events) · Ensure a process is in place for parental consent · Compile resource kits Restoring the academic learning environment may involve conducting classes in offsite locations and implementing online learning or other continuity of learning activities. SBPS and the Board of Education will confer with the Nebraska Department of Education about changes to class schedules, academic calendars and graduation requirements, if needed. The Superintendent, along with the Communications Specialist, will ensure that the media, faculty, staff, students, and families have accurate and timely information concerning the progress of the restoration and recovery phase. Psychological/emotional recovery Psychological/emotional recovery involves the assessment of the emotional needs of all students, faculty, staff, and their families, and identifies those who need intervention by a school counselor, social worker, school psychologist, SBPS Crisis Response Team), or other mental health professionals. Through this community collaboration, students, faculty, and staff will have the opportunity to receive short and long‐term mental health services, or obtain referrals for such. In addition to providing mental health services for students, it is important to offer such services to workers who were involved in the recovery efforts or who experienced adverse effects from the incident.
‐ 58 ‐
Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)
The U.S. Department of Education views a COOP plan as a program that ensures continued performance of essential functions across a full range of potential emergencies, be they natural or man‐made when a significant interruption of educational services occurs following a severe disaster or tragedy. A COOP plan provides guidance and establishes responsibilities and procedures to ensure that essential functions are maintained. COOP is not the same as an Emergency Operations Plan or a Recovery Plan, but rather supplements it, in the event normal facility or human resources are not available. A COOP provides a continuity infrastructure that through careful planning ensures: · Emergency delegation of authority and an orderly line of succession, as necessary · Safekeeping of essential personnel, resources, facilities, and vital records · Emergency acquisition of resources necessary for business resumption · The capability to perform critical functions remotely until resumption of normal operations. A school district’s COOP plan should allow for its implementation anytime, with or without warning, during duty and non‐duty hours; provide full operational capability for essential functions no later than 12 hours after activation; and sustain essential functions for up to 30 days. The purpose of these Continuity of Operations (COOP) procedures is to ensure that there are procedures in place to maintain or rapidly resume essential operations within the school after an incident that results in disruption of normal activities or services to the school. Failure to maintain these critical services would significantly affect the education and/or service mission of the school in an adverse way. A Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) has been specifically developed by the Chief Financial Officer in collaboration with the Director of Technology to address the protection essential records and associated technology. Vital records are electronically archived on backup data systems stored virtually and/or at alternative sites. Scope: It is the responsibility of Scottsbluff School officials to protect students and staff from incidents and restore critical operations as soon as it is safe to do so. This responsibility involves identifying and mitigating hazards, preparing for and responding to incidents, and managing the recovery. The COOP procedures outline actions needed to maintain and/or rapidly resume essential academic, business, and physical services when interrupted for an extended period of time following an incident. Responsibilities: The delegation of authority and management responsibilities in event of an incident follows the hierarchy outlined in the SBPS Organizational Chart. Designated District staff/faculty, in conjunction with the affected principal(s) and staff, will perform the essential functions as follows: Superintendent/Principal · Determine when to close schools, and/or send students/staff to alternate locations · Disseminate information internally to students and staff · Communicate with parents, media, and the larger school community · Identify a line of succession, including who is responsible for restoring which business functions for
schools/districts
‐ 59 ‐
Executive Directors of Curriculum and Instruction and Student Services/CFO· Ensure systems are in place for rapid contract execution after an incident · Identify relocation areas for classrooms and administrative operations · Create a system for registering students (out of district or into alternative schools) · Brief and train staff regarding their additional responsibilities · Secure and provide needed personnel, equipment and supplies, facilities, resources, and services required · for continued operations identify strategies to continue teaching (e.g., using the Internet, providing tutors · for homebound students, rearranging tests) · Reevaluate the curriculum and materials and instructional delivery methods as needed
Director of Facilities and Maintenance · Work with local government officials to determine when it is safe for students and staff to return to
the school buildings and grounds · Manage the restoration of school buildings and grounds (e.g. debris removal, repairing, repainting,
and/or landscaping) · Collaborate with private and public sector service providers and contractors
Business Team/School Secretary/Office Staff· Maintain inventory · Maintain essential records (and copies of records) including school’s insurance policy · Ensure redundancy of records is kept at a different physical location · Secure classroom equipment, books, and materials in advance · Restore administrative and recordkeeping functions such as payroll, accounting, and personnel
records · Retrieve, collect, and maintain personnel data · Provide accounts payable and cash management services · Consult DRP
Counselors, Social Workers, and School Nurses/Health Assistants · Establish necessary support services for students and staff/faculty
· Implement additional response and recovery activities according to established protocols · Collaborate with public and private providers
Food Service/Cafeteria Worker Determine how food services will resume · Support staff and volunteers as possible Transportation (contracted through First Student) · Provide emergency transportation services as needed · Assess and implement alternative transportation services that may be necessitated To implement the COOP procedures: All core COOP procedures personnel as well as senior staff will undergo annual training on executing the COOP procedures. Training will be designed to inform each participant of his/her responsibilities. Identified COOP procedures personnel will participate in exercises to test academic, physical, and business systems. Training will include testing the information technology (IT) systems and backup data including testing of any offsite backup system.
‐ 60 ‐
Activation and Relocation: The superintendent and affected principal(s) will determine when to activate and implement the COOP procedures and make the decision to relocate to the alternate site. Authority for activation may be delegated. The activation may occur with or without warning. In conjunction with the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), the principal or designee (with delegated authority) will activate evacuation procedures whenever it is determined the school is not suitable for safe occupancy or functional operation. Alert, Notification, and Implementation Process Each Building and District Emergency Response Team (BERT and DERT) member will be provide situational information, as available. Parents/guardians will be alerted and notified using the automated notification systems (phone, text and email) as important information becomes available. The CODE RED and 911 systems will be notifie Relocation Sites: Short‐term relocation sites have been identified as per SRP to establish management and to implement essential functions if warranted by an incident. Each school site will have more at least one potential relocation site. One site can be accessed by walking and another site by transportation services. Alternate Facilities will be identified depending upon individual circumstances. Manual Review This manual will undergo an annual review and a revision whenever: · It fails during an emergency. · Exercises, drills, or real‐world implementation of this plan reveal deficiencies or “shortfalls” provided via
individual after‐action debriefs. · Regulatory or “best practices” change · Potential “events” need to be addressed · Any other circumstances change that affect protocols or conditions
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‐ 61 ‐
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‐ 62 ‐
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‐ 63 ‐
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‐ 64 ‐
Stay alert for any of the warning signs of an approaching tornado i.e., loud roaring noise similar to a speeding train
Give command to assume a protective posture at the appropriate time
Ensure that everyone stays in a protective posture
Remain in shelter area until further advised
In the event of building damage, evacuate students to safer areas of the building or evacuate the building completely
If evacuation does occur, do not re‐enter the building unless advised
Use caution regarding broken glass, down utility wires, smell of natural gas, damaged trees, etc.
Upon evacuation from the building: o Check for injuries o Account for all students o Immediately report any missing, extra or injured students to the Student o Continue to maintain control of students o Wait for additional instructions
Thunder/Hail storms and Lightning If SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH/WARNING has been issued for the area encompassing the school:
Evacuate students and staff from any temporary structures such as trailers, modular buildings or any other non‐masonry structure into the main building if sustained wind speeds of the thunderstorm are forecast to exceed 75 mph
Continue to monitor the National Weather Service (NWS) weather radio, and/or television stations that broadcast local weather conditions
Monitor the situation and provide updates and additional instructions as needed
Listen for Tornado Sirens and Emergency Notifications If a High Wind WATCH/WARNING has been issued for the area encompassing your school:
Monitor National Weather Service (NWS) weather radio and/or television stations that broadcast Emergency Alert System messaging.
Notify building custodian and maintenance of potential utility failure
Advise staff to anchor outdoor equipment that could become flying projectiles in high winds
Consider closing windows
Listen for Tornado Sirens and Emergency Notifications Lightning Immediately bring all students, visitors and staff inside. If this occurs at an event such as a football game or track meet, the closest school(s) and available structures should be opened up for safe occupancy.
If a person is struck by lightning, check to see if the person is breathing. If not, begin mouth‐to‐mouth resuscitation. If no pulse is present, begin CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Lightning often has a paralyzing effect that is temporary. Even though a person appears dead, they may be resuscitated. Victims may experience temporary paralysis of legs, be stunned and disoriented, or have burns on their body. Give first aid for shock and stay with the victim until help arrives.
Winter Sto
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te or be releaseplicable, absenelated staff tute teachers o
chers should encident cause an
d ensure that na. Additionallyrtable levels.
esponsible for , the n discretionaryolice or fire
eated as genuiking process byring include:
t of a caller wh
‐ 65 ‐
ed nces
or
nsure n
y, the
y
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‐ 66 ‐
Any missing chemicals?
Did the caller have knowledge of the design of the school?
Any recent break‐ins? (Look for evidence of illegal entry.)
Did the caller give repeated warnings? This seriously escalates the degree of danger.
Check your surveillance tapes.
Large‐scale bomb incidents, such as Oklahoma and the embassy building in New York received no warnings. Once you have gathered the information, subjective judgment must be made regarding the degree of credibility or dependence that can be placed upon it. Trust your intuitions and experience. School administrators are faced with at least five possible alternatives: 1. Conduct a low profile search of the exterior grounds and public areas of the building. 2. Conduct a comprehensive search having all staff search their work area, in addition to the grounds and public areas so the entire building is covered. 3. Search with partial evacuation. 4. Evacuate after searching or 5. Evacuate immediately. Evacuating immediately is an alternative that on face value appears to be the preferred approach, however, under certain circumstances evacuating personnel may increase rather than decrease the risk of injury. A bomber wishing to cause personal injuries could place a bomb in the shrubbery near an exit or a shooter may be hidden awaiting the anticipated evacuation.
If decision is made to EVACUATE do so with as little disturbance as possible to the surroundings and without
touching lockers or light switches avoiding use of cell phones.
Staff will give classroom quick visual check to determine if any unusual objects are present.
Lock all outside entry doors to reduce the possibility of entry into the building.
The evacuation, whenever possible, should not be announced as a bomb threat but should proceed as a fire
drill.
• Minimum of 1,000 feet. • Do not evacuate to the school parking lot as Upon receiving a TELEPHONED BOMB THREAT: The person receiving the call shall:
Direct someone else to also listen to the call, if possible.
Take notes for police investigation. Record the caller’s exact words.
Attempt to determine the caller’s gender, age, accent or other distinguishing speech characteristics, and demeanor.
Listen for background noises that may help in identifying the location of the caller.
Ask the caller the following questions: o When is the bomb going to explode? o Where is the bomb now? o What does the bomb look like? o What kind of bomb is it? o What will cause the bomb to explode? o Did you place the bomb?
o Wo Wo W
Upon receThe person· Save t· Print c
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‐ 67 ‐
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‐ 68 ‐
Be prepared to seek protection in a nearby room if the intruder/suspicious person approaches the school or grounds.
Monitor the location of the intruder/suspicious person using any available surveillance cameras and monitors and radios.
Allow no one to leave the classrooms.
Encourage students to remain calm and quiet.
Remain in lockdown mode until an recognized or identifiable school official or emergency responder enters the classroom with a key
Text itinerant (traveling) staff via text not to return to school.
Student Runaway/Abduction or Missing Student Ensure that student accountability procedures are in place and strictly followed at all times: Required attendance procedures must be followed and parents notified of absences. Accurate and up‐to‐date student files should include: emergency medical information, emergency contact numbers, and contact information for parents, guardians and emergency contacts.
Upon suspicion or notification of a missing student or allegations of an abduction, call 911 immediately and contact parents. Inform the District Office. Have a description and/or picture of the student ready to give to law enforcement and circulate among staff. Infinite Campus can be of significant support.
Notify transportation. Conduct a room‐by‐room search of the school as well as school grounds and other potential hiding areas. Interview the student’s friends and classmates for clues.
If appropriate, secure the perimeter of the building and curtail outside activities until the situation has stabilized.
Death of a Staff Member or Student (or otherwise grave circumstances or injuries) Administrative staff should contact the following immediately upon learning of the death of a staff member or student:
During School Hours
District Office/Superintendent
Crisis Response Team
Administrative and counseling staffs
Before or After School Hours
Superintendent or designee
Crisis Response Team
Crisis Response Team will be convened as appropriate and develop support plan.
‐ 69 ‐
Report of a Weapon/Firearm on Campus Immediately inform the School Resource Officer and/or call 911. They are trained and armed. Any decision to evacuate, call for a lockdown or intervene prior to the arrival of police is highly situational.
The following advice is from National Association of Secondary School Principals
If you learn that a student has a gun on campus, the ultimate goal is to disarm him without incident.
Gather information. Get all the information within minutes. Check for any threat assessment information. If you were not the initial contact, talk directly to the source. How does the tipster know about the gun? Listen carefully, and verify what you heard. Try to determine the exact location of the weapon. Does the student have the gun on him? And if so, where is it—his backpack, pants pocket, socks, or coat? Could it be in his gym locker or hall locker? Where is the armed student? How long will he be there? These small details will help you determine how to respond.
Evaluate your resources and liabilities. Is the school resource officer on campus? If not, how long will it take for him or her to get there? Is there a metal detector on hand? Are there people trained in handling intensive crisis situations? Is the student in a controlled setting? Is he at lunch or a passing period? Is there easy access/egress to where the student is? What type of classroom is he in? Are there nearby hallways? Be prepared to provide this information when you call for help.
Call for help. First, call your school resource officer. If he’s not available, call your local law enforcement agency. They are trained and equipped to handle gun threats. They have protective vests, tools that can stop an armed student, and they understand the principles of defensive tactics.
Act. Every second counts. Bring together the appropriate school administrators or staff. Brief them on the situation and delegate tasks. Assign someone to watch the armed student, and someone to contact family members to see if he had access to a gun. Determine who has the best rapport with him. Who is best able to use reasonable physical force, if needed? Who will check his locker? Who should remain with the student who made the original report? Who can list the names of the armed student’s closest friends?
Continue to watch the student closely until help arrives. Monitor his classroom door to ensure he stays inside, discretely follow him down the hall, or stay nearby if he is in a common area. Never break your surveillance.
Once law enforcement officers arrive, the situation becomes theirs to control, and this can be difficult for school officials to accept. Law enforcement tactics during weapons situations may be perceived as too disruptive and dramatic. This does not preclude a collaborative plan of action, especially if the school is properly prepared.
Be prepared to recap the information you have received, provide a photo or description of the armed student, describe the area where he is currently located, and identify nearby areas that would provide a secure location for an immediate search.
If the student is in a classroom and officers choose to meet him there. Hallways must be kept empty at this time. Depending on your notification procedures, you might call for a school lockdown, but that decision must be made carefully. If this procedure would alert the student, it might actually be counterproductive. If the armed student is in a common area surrounded by other students, officers may decide to approach him or delay their actions until he is in a more controlled situation.
Each crisis situation a principal faces is different and should be responded to accordingly, but each plan should include some basic similarities. Form an emergency response team, and assign each person a task. Then run practice drills so each person knows what they need to do, and how quickly they can do it. Have floor plans of the school readily accessible with exits clearly marked. Contact local law enforcement officials and get their input on potential scenarios and how the team can best handle them.
‐ 70 ‐
When Shots are Fired Near the School
Immediately lockdown the school.
Contact staff outdoors with students to take refuge
Call 911.
View surveillance monitor to determine location and nature of the incident.
Contact District Office
Active Shooter Situations The following is excerpted directly from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Healthy Students, Guide for Developing High‐Quality School Emergency Operations Plans, Washington, DC, 2013. Planning “Active shooter situations” are defined as those where an individual is “actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area.” Police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services technicians (first responders) who come to a school because of a 911 call involving gunfire face a daunting task. Though the objective remains the same – protect students and staff – the threat of an “active shooter” incident is different than responding to a natural disaster or many other emergencies. The better first responders and school personnel are able to discern these threats and react swiftly, the more lives can be saved. This is particularly true in an active shooter situation at a school where law enforcement responds to a 911 call of shots fired. Many young and innocent lives are at risk in such a concentrated space. This is why it is critical that schools work with first responders, emergency management staff, and all community partners to identify, prepare, prevent, and effectively respond to an active shooter situation in a coordinated fashion. Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Because of this, individuals must be prepared to
deal with an active shooter situation before law enforcement officers arrive on the scene.
The planning process must include preparing and making available to first responders an up‐to‐date and well‐
documented site assessment as well as any other information that would assist them. These materials should
include building schematics and photos of both the inside and the outside, and include information about door and
window locations, and locks and access controls. Scottsbluff Public Schools is developing such materials in
collaboration with County officials to incorporate Pictometry’s Critical 360 schematics of all school buildings.
Emergency responders should also have advance information on where students, staff, and others with disabilities
as well as those with access and functional needs are likely to be sheltering or escaping, generally in physically
accessible locations, along accessible routes, or in specific classrooms. Building strong partnerships with law
enforcement officers, fire officials, and EMS technician includes ensuring they also know the location of available
public address systems, two‐way communications systems, security cameras, and alarm controls. Equally
important is information on access to utility controls, medical supplies, and fire extinguishers.
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‐ 71 ‐
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‐ 72 ‐
In Scottsbluff we utilize one of the most useful tools a school can develop to identify, evaluate, and address these troubling signs: a multidisciplinary school threat assessment team (TAT). A TAT with diverse representation often will operate more efficiently and effectively. TAT members should include school principals, counselors, employees, medical and mental health professionals, law enforcement personnel and school resource officers, where applicable.
Second: Learn the best steps for survival when faced with an active shooter situation. No single response fits all active shooter situations; however, making sure each individual knows his or her options for response and can react decisively will save valuable time. Depicting scenarios and considering response options in advance will assist individuals and groups in quickly selecting their best course of action. Understandably, this is a sensitive topic. There is no single answer for what to do, but a survival mindset can increase the odds of surviving. As appropriate for your school community, it may be valuable to schedule a time for an open conversation regarding this topic. Though some parents or personnel may find the conversation uncomfortable, they may also find it reassuring to know that, as a whole, their school is thinking about how best to deal with this situation. During an active shooter situation, the natural human reaction, even if you are highly trained, is to be startled, feel fear and anxiety, and even experience initial disbelief and denial. You can expect to hear noise from alarms, gunfire and explosions, and people shouting and screaming. Training provides the means to regain your composure, recall at least some of what you have learned, and commit to action. There are three basic options: run, hide, or fight. You can run away from the shooter, seek a secure place where you can hide and/or deny the shooter access, or incapacitate the shooter to survive and protect others from harm. As the situation develops, it is possible that students and staff will need to use more than one option. During an active shooter situation, staff will rarely have all of the information they need to make a fully informed decision about which option is best. While they should follow the plan and any instructions given during an incident, often they will have to rely on their own judgment to decide which option will best protect lives.
Respond Immediately It is not uncommon for people confronted with a threat to first deny the possible danger rather than respond. An investigation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (2005) into the collapse of the World Trade Center towers on 9/11 found that people close to the floors impacted waited longer to start evacuating than those on unaffected floors.28 Similarly, during the Virginia Tech shooting, individuals on campus responded to the shooting with varying degrees of urgency.29These studies highlight this delayed response or denial. For example, some people report hearing firecrackers when in fact they heard gunfire. Train staff to overcome denial and to respond immediately, including fulfilling their responsibilities for individuals in their charge. For example, train staff to recognize the sounds of danger, act, and forcefully communicate the danger and necessary action (e.g., “Gun! Get out!”) to those in their charge. In addition, those closest to the public address or other communications system, or otherwise able to alert others, should communicate the danger and necessary action. Repetition in training and preparedness shortens the time it takes to orient, observe, and act.
‐ 73 ‐
Upon recognizing the danger, as soon as it is safe to do so, staff or others must alert responders by contacting 911 with as clear and accurate information as possible. Run If it is safe to do so for yourself and those in your care, the first course of action that should be taken is to run out of the building and far away until you are in a safe location. Students and staff should be trained to
Leave personal belongings behind;
Visualize possible escape routes, including physically accessible routes for students and staff with disabilities as well as persons with access and functional needs;
Avoid elevators;
Take others with them, but not to stay behind because others will not go;
Call 911 when safe to do so; and
Let a responsible adult know where they are Hide If running is not a safe option, hide in as safe a place as possible. Students and staff should be trained to hide in a location where the walls might be thicker and have fewer windows. In addition:
Lock the doors;
Barricade the doors with heavy furniture;
Close and lock windows and close blinds or cover windows;
Turn off lights;
Silence all electronic devices;
Remain silent;
Hide along the wall closest to the exit but out of the view from the hallway (allowing for an ambush of the shooter and for possible escape if the shooter enters the room);
Use strategies to silently communicate with first responders if possible, for example, in rooms with exterior windows make signs to silently signal law enforcement officers and emergency responders to indicate the status of the room's occupants; and
Remain in place until given an all clear by identifiable law enforcement officers. Fight If neither running nor hiding is a safe option, as a last resort when confronted by the shooter, adults in immediate danger should consider trying to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter by using aggressive force and items in their environment, such as fire extinguishers, and chairs. In a study of 41 active shooter events that ended before law enforcement officers arrived, the potential victims stopped the attacker themselves in 16 instances. In 13 of those cases they physically subdued the attacker. While talking to staff about confronting a shooter may be daunting and upsetting for some, they should know that they may be able to successfully take action to save lives. To be clear, confronting an active shooter should never be a requirement in any school employee’s job description; how each staff member chooses to respond if directly confronted by an active shooter is up to him or her. Further, the possibility of an active shooter situation is not justification for the presence of firearms on campus in the hands of any personnel other than law enforcement officers. Third: Be prepared to work with law enforcement during the response. Staff should be trained to understand and expect that a law enforcement officer’s first priority must be to locate and stop the person(s) believed to be the shooter(s); all other actions are secondary. One comprehensive study
‐ 74 ‐
determined that more than half of mass‐shooting incidents—57 percent—still were under way when the first officer arrived; in 75 percent of those instances that solo officer had to confront the perpetrator to end the threat. In those cases, the officer was shot one‐third of the time. Students and staff should be trained to cooperate and not to interfere with first responders. When law enforcement officer(s) arrives, students and staff must display empty hands with open palms. Law enforcement
may instruct everyone to place their hands on their heads, or they may search individuals. Once the scene is secured, first responders will work with school officials and victims on a variety of matters. This will include transporting the injured, interviewing witnesses, and initiating the investigation.