Charlotte-Mecklenburg SchoolsCrisis Management Plan for School FiresRevised Nov 30 2011Copies 1 of 15

Table of Contents

Introduction letterhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip3

Acknowledgement Formhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip4

Rehearsal Dateshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip5

School-Based Crisis Response Teamhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip6

School Crisis Kitshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip9

District Crisis Response Teamhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip10

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Managementhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip13

First Actionhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip14

Fire Procedureshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip15

Medical Protocolshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip16

Communication During a Crisishelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip18

Communicating with Stakeholdershelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip19

Communication Toolshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip20

Key Messageshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip21

The Communications Department rolehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip22

Communications Department Membersrsquo Roles During Crisishelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip23

Post-Crisis Evaluationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip24

Appendix Ahelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip26

Appendix Bhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip27

Appendix Chelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip28

Appendix Dhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip29

Appendix Ehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip30

Appendix Fhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip31

Appendix Ghelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip32

Appendix Hhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip33

Appendix Ihelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip34

Appendix Jhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip35

Appendix Khelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip37

Appendix Lhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip38

Appendix Mhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip40

Appendix Nhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip41

Appendix Ohelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip43

2

Introduction

We always hope and pray for the best and safest of environments for our students and employees but the reality is things happen We must be prepared to deal effectively with crises when they arise so that the business of educating children is as minimally impacted as possible Events such as the type addressed in this document are not typical but they can occur When they do we must make every effort to effectively communicate with all of our stakeholders to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff

I know that in the busy day-to-day business of education that includes its own small crises we can sometimes forget that larger more serious events can occur that we must effectively handle This crisis communications plan presents such an event I hope you will take this document and study it In the event of a crisis we all must understanding our individual roles and expectations We must be able to operate rapidly but thoughtfully as the situation unfolds

Thank you for your time and attention and for agreeing to ensure that we as a school district will make every attempt to handle a major event quickly and effectively but using this document

Sincerely

Hugh Hattabaugh

Superintendent

3

Acknowledgement Form

I ________________________________________________ do hereby

acknowledge that I have received this document as part of my membership

to the crisis management team for

___________________________________________

I acknowledge that I have read the document and understand what may be

expected of me in the event of a crisis situation

________________________________________

(Please return a copy of this form to human resources and a copy to your department

manager)

4

Rehearsal Dates

(See Appendix A for Rehearsal Protocol)

Rehearsal 1January 23 2012

Location Myers Park High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

Rehearsal 2June 13 2012

Location Ardrey Kell High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

5

School-Based Crisis Response Team

The School-Based Crisis Response Team under leadership of the principal is responsible for the following

Establishing a protocol for dealing with crises and critical incidents Orienting staff to procedures and training to fulfill designated roles including

conducting drills Providing information to students staff parents and community on crisis

management referral procedures Providing assistance during a crisis in accordance with designated roles

providing follow-up activities Conducting debriefing at the conclusion of each crisis episode to critique the

effectiveness of the buildingrsquos Crisis Management Plan Conducting periodic reviews and up-dating of the Crisis Management Plan

conducting related updated staff training

The School-Based Crisis Response Team includes but is not limited to the following members

Principal Assistant Principal Administrative Assistant Personnel Head Custodian School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Teachers

SCRT duties and responsibilities are as followsPrincipal

Establish maintain and lead the SCRT Assign SCRT duties and responsibilities Designate SCRT alternates Ensure that all SCRT members understand their duties and responsibilities Provide training guidance oversight and support to the SCRTs Direct emergency operations until emergency-first responders arrive on scene

Serve as their liaison after their arrival Implement evacuation procedures and measures to control access to affected

areas as necessary Coordinate with the central office for emergency services operational

administrative and logistics support as required Coordinate disaster assistance and recovery Provide damage assessment information to the area superintendent Ensure crisis training and exercises are conducted Ensure that the police and fire departments remain integral parts of the SCRT

planning training and exercises

Assistant Principal(s)

6

Assume the leadership role for SCRT in the absence of the principal or when directed to do so by the principal

Direct and supervise school evacuations and lockdowns Meet and direct emergency-first responders in times of crisis Recommend ways to procure resources needed to train exercise and support

crisis situations

Administrative Assistant Personnel Provide operational administrative and communications support to the SCRT Act as recorder of meeting minutes and keeper of the communications actions and

events log during crises for future reference and audit purposes Ensure that a primary and back-up means of technology within the central office

exist at all times between (1) the central office (2) the police department (3) the fire department (4) emergency-first responders

Carry out duties as prescribed by the principal

Head Custodian Make available to the SCRT his or her exceptional knowledge of the buildings

grounds and facilities

School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) Provide advice and expertise as required Provide professional services to staff students and parents when required

School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Provide advice expertise and recommendations as required Perform law enforcement duties in support of school crisis management as

required

Teachers Possess a sound working knowledge of the School Crisis Management Plan

especially procedures with respect to handling critical incidents lockdowns evacuations and critical incident communication codes

Protect the students at all times and to the best of their abilities given the nature of the crisis situation

Develop crisis plans for special-needs and non-English speaking students Evacuate students to ldquosafe areasrdquo or from the building when directed to do so in a

safe and orderly manner Account for the students in their charge at all times and carry an updated student

roster for each class Maintain order during student assemblies Render assistance to other teachers under duress during crisis situations

7

Remain with assigned students throughout the duration of the emergency until every student has been officially released This includes carrying your student roster with you if the school has been evacuated

Look for warning signs that a serious incident is likely or predicted to occur Such incidents include arson school shootings vandalism suicides and assault

Offer suggestions and constructive criticism to the SCRT as necessary

All Other School-Based Staff Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report a threat to the principal andor law enforcement officer Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Student Responsibilities Each student shares a responsibility for school safety The principal staff and

faculty cannot ensure school safety without the cooperation and vigilant participation of the students

Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of violence assume that the threat is serious

Immediately report the threat to a parent guardian school staff administrator or law enforcement officer as appropriate

Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Parent Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report the threat to school staff or law enforcement officer as

appropriate Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

8

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Table of Contents

Introduction letterhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip3

Acknowledgement Formhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip4

Rehearsal Dateshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip5

School-Based Crisis Response Teamhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip6

School Crisis Kitshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip9

District Crisis Response Teamhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip10

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Managementhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip13

First Actionhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip14

Fire Procedureshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip15

Medical Protocolshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip16

Communication During a Crisishelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip18

Communicating with Stakeholdershelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip19

Communication Toolshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip20

Key Messageshelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip21

The Communications Department rolehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip22

Communications Department Membersrsquo Roles During Crisishelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip23

Post-Crisis Evaluationhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip24

Appendix Ahelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip26

Appendix Bhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip27

Appendix Chelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip28

Appendix Dhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip29

Appendix Ehelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip30

Appendix Fhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip31

Appendix Ghelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip32

Appendix Hhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip33

Appendix Ihelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip34

Appendix Jhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip35

Appendix Khelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip37

Appendix Lhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip38

Appendix Mhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip40

Appendix Nhelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip41

Appendix Ohelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphelliphellip43

2

Introduction

We always hope and pray for the best and safest of environments for our students and employees but the reality is things happen We must be prepared to deal effectively with crises when they arise so that the business of educating children is as minimally impacted as possible Events such as the type addressed in this document are not typical but they can occur When they do we must make every effort to effectively communicate with all of our stakeholders to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff

I know that in the busy day-to-day business of education that includes its own small crises we can sometimes forget that larger more serious events can occur that we must effectively handle This crisis communications plan presents such an event I hope you will take this document and study it In the event of a crisis we all must understanding our individual roles and expectations We must be able to operate rapidly but thoughtfully as the situation unfolds

Thank you for your time and attention and for agreeing to ensure that we as a school district will make every attempt to handle a major event quickly and effectively but using this document

Sincerely

Hugh Hattabaugh

Superintendent

3

Acknowledgement Form

I ________________________________________________ do hereby

acknowledge that I have received this document as part of my membership

to the crisis management team for

___________________________________________

I acknowledge that I have read the document and understand what may be

expected of me in the event of a crisis situation

________________________________________

(Please return a copy of this form to human resources and a copy to your department

manager)

4

Rehearsal Dates

(See Appendix A for Rehearsal Protocol)

Rehearsal 1January 23 2012

Location Myers Park High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

Rehearsal 2June 13 2012

Location Ardrey Kell High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

5

School-Based Crisis Response Team

The School-Based Crisis Response Team under leadership of the principal is responsible for the following

Establishing a protocol for dealing with crises and critical incidents Orienting staff to procedures and training to fulfill designated roles including

conducting drills Providing information to students staff parents and community on crisis

management referral procedures Providing assistance during a crisis in accordance with designated roles

providing follow-up activities Conducting debriefing at the conclusion of each crisis episode to critique the

effectiveness of the buildingrsquos Crisis Management Plan Conducting periodic reviews and up-dating of the Crisis Management Plan

conducting related updated staff training

The School-Based Crisis Response Team includes but is not limited to the following members

Principal Assistant Principal Administrative Assistant Personnel Head Custodian School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Teachers

SCRT duties and responsibilities are as followsPrincipal

Establish maintain and lead the SCRT Assign SCRT duties and responsibilities Designate SCRT alternates Ensure that all SCRT members understand their duties and responsibilities Provide training guidance oversight and support to the SCRTs Direct emergency operations until emergency-first responders arrive on scene

Serve as their liaison after their arrival Implement evacuation procedures and measures to control access to affected

areas as necessary Coordinate with the central office for emergency services operational

administrative and logistics support as required Coordinate disaster assistance and recovery Provide damage assessment information to the area superintendent Ensure crisis training and exercises are conducted Ensure that the police and fire departments remain integral parts of the SCRT

planning training and exercises

Assistant Principal(s)

6

Assume the leadership role for SCRT in the absence of the principal or when directed to do so by the principal

Direct and supervise school evacuations and lockdowns Meet and direct emergency-first responders in times of crisis Recommend ways to procure resources needed to train exercise and support

crisis situations

Administrative Assistant Personnel Provide operational administrative and communications support to the SCRT Act as recorder of meeting minutes and keeper of the communications actions and

events log during crises for future reference and audit purposes Ensure that a primary and back-up means of technology within the central office

exist at all times between (1) the central office (2) the police department (3) the fire department (4) emergency-first responders

Carry out duties as prescribed by the principal

Head Custodian Make available to the SCRT his or her exceptional knowledge of the buildings

grounds and facilities

School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) Provide advice and expertise as required Provide professional services to staff students and parents when required

School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Provide advice expertise and recommendations as required Perform law enforcement duties in support of school crisis management as

required

Teachers Possess a sound working knowledge of the School Crisis Management Plan

especially procedures with respect to handling critical incidents lockdowns evacuations and critical incident communication codes

Protect the students at all times and to the best of their abilities given the nature of the crisis situation

Develop crisis plans for special-needs and non-English speaking students Evacuate students to ldquosafe areasrdquo or from the building when directed to do so in a

safe and orderly manner Account for the students in their charge at all times and carry an updated student

roster for each class Maintain order during student assemblies Render assistance to other teachers under duress during crisis situations

7

Remain with assigned students throughout the duration of the emergency until every student has been officially released This includes carrying your student roster with you if the school has been evacuated

Look for warning signs that a serious incident is likely or predicted to occur Such incidents include arson school shootings vandalism suicides and assault

Offer suggestions and constructive criticism to the SCRT as necessary

All Other School-Based Staff Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report a threat to the principal andor law enforcement officer Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Student Responsibilities Each student shares a responsibility for school safety The principal staff and

faculty cannot ensure school safety without the cooperation and vigilant participation of the students

Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of violence assume that the threat is serious

Immediately report the threat to a parent guardian school staff administrator or law enforcement officer as appropriate

Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Parent Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report the threat to school staff or law enforcement officer as

appropriate Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

8

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Introduction

We always hope and pray for the best and safest of environments for our students and employees but the reality is things happen We must be prepared to deal effectively with crises when they arise so that the business of educating children is as minimally impacted as possible Events such as the type addressed in this document are not typical but they can occur When they do we must make every effort to effectively communicate with all of our stakeholders to ensure the safety and security of our students and staff

I know that in the busy day-to-day business of education that includes its own small crises we can sometimes forget that larger more serious events can occur that we must effectively handle This crisis communications plan presents such an event I hope you will take this document and study it In the event of a crisis we all must understanding our individual roles and expectations We must be able to operate rapidly but thoughtfully as the situation unfolds

Thank you for your time and attention and for agreeing to ensure that we as a school district will make every attempt to handle a major event quickly and effectively but using this document

Sincerely

Hugh Hattabaugh

Superintendent

3

Acknowledgement Form

I ________________________________________________ do hereby

acknowledge that I have received this document as part of my membership

to the crisis management team for

___________________________________________

I acknowledge that I have read the document and understand what may be

expected of me in the event of a crisis situation

________________________________________

(Please return a copy of this form to human resources and a copy to your department

manager)

4

Rehearsal Dates

(See Appendix A for Rehearsal Protocol)

Rehearsal 1January 23 2012

Location Myers Park High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

Rehearsal 2June 13 2012

Location Ardrey Kell High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

5

School-Based Crisis Response Team

The School-Based Crisis Response Team under leadership of the principal is responsible for the following

Establishing a protocol for dealing with crises and critical incidents Orienting staff to procedures and training to fulfill designated roles including

conducting drills Providing information to students staff parents and community on crisis

management referral procedures Providing assistance during a crisis in accordance with designated roles

providing follow-up activities Conducting debriefing at the conclusion of each crisis episode to critique the

effectiveness of the buildingrsquos Crisis Management Plan Conducting periodic reviews and up-dating of the Crisis Management Plan

conducting related updated staff training

The School-Based Crisis Response Team includes but is not limited to the following members

Principal Assistant Principal Administrative Assistant Personnel Head Custodian School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Teachers

SCRT duties and responsibilities are as followsPrincipal

Establish maintain and lead the SCRT Assign SCRT duties and responsibilities Designate SCRT alternates Ensure that all SCRT members understand their duties and responsibilities Provide training guidance oversight and support to the SCRTs Direct emergency operations until emergency-first responders arrive on scene

Serve as their liaison after their arrival Implement evacuation procedures and measures to control access to affected

areas as necessary Coordinate with the central office for emergency services operational

administrative and logistics support as required Coordinate disaster assistance and recovery Provide damage assessment information to the area superintendent Ensure crisis training and exercises are conducted Ensure that the police and fire departments remain integral parts of the SCRT

planning training and exercises

Assistant Principal(s)

6

Assume the leadership role for SCRT in the absence of the principal or when directed to do so by the principal

Direct and supervise school evacuations and lockdowns Meet and direct emergency-first responders in times of crisis Recommend ways to procure resources needed to train exercise and support

crisis situations

Administrative Assistant Personnel Provide operational administrative and communications support to the SCRT Act as recorder of meeting minutes and keeper of the communications actions and

events log during crises for future reference and audit purposes Ensure that a primary and back-up means of technology within the central office

exist at all times between (1) the central office (2) the police department (3) the fire department (4) emergency-first responders

Carry out duties as prescribed by the principal

Head Custodian Make available to the SCRT his or her exceptional knowledge of the buildings

grounds and facilities

School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) Provide advice and expertise as required Provide professional services to staff students and parents when required

School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Provide advice expertise and recommendations as required Perform law enforcement duties in support of school crisis management as

required

Teachers Possess a sound working knowledge of the School Crisis Management Plan

especially procedures with respect to handling critical incidents lockdowns evacuations and critical incident communication codes

Protect the students at all times and to the best of their abilities given the nature of the crisis situation

Develop crisis plans for special-needs and non-English speaking students Evacuate students to ldquosafe areasrdquo or from the building when directed to do so in a

safe and orderly manner Account for the students in their charge at all times and carry an updated student

roster for each class Maintain order during student assemblies Render assistance to other teachers under duress during crisis situations

7

Remain with assigned students throughout the duration of the emergency until every student has been officially released This includes carrying your student roster with you if the school has been evacuated

Look for warning signs that a serious incident is likely or predicted to occur Such incidents include arson school shootings vandalism suicides and assault

Offer suggestions and constructive criticism to the SCRT as necessary

All Other School-Based Staff Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report a threat to the principal andor law enforcement officer Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Student Responsibilities Each student shares a responsibility for school safety The principal staff and

faculty cannot ensure school safety without the cooperation and vigilant participation of the students

Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of violence assume that the threat is serious

Immediately report the threat to a parent guardian school staff administrator or law enforcement officer as appropriate

Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Parent Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report the threat to school staff or law enforcement officer as

appropriate Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

8

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Acknowledgement Form

I ________________________________________________ do hereby

acknowledge that I have received this document as part of my membership

to the crisis management team for

___________________________________________

I acknowledge that I have read the document and understand what may be

expected of me in the event of a crisis situation

________________________________________

(Please return a copy of this form to human resources and a copy to your department

manager)

4

Rehearsal Dates

(See Appendix A for Rehearsal Protocol)

Rehearsal 1January 23 2012

Location Myers Park High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

Rehearsal 2June 13 2012

Location Ardrey Kell High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

5

School-Based Crisis Response Team

The School-Based Crisis Response Team under leadership of the principal is responsible for the following

Establishing a protocol for dealing with crises and critical incidents Orienting staff to procedures and training to fulfill designated roles including

conducting drills Providing information to students staff parents and community on crisis

management referral procedures Providing assistance during a crisis in accordance with designated roles

providing follow-up activities Conducting debriefing at the conclusion of each crisis episode to critique the

effectiveness of the buildingrsquos Crisis Management Plan Conducting periodic reviews and up-dating of the Crisis Management Plan

conducting related updated staff training

The School-Based Crisis Response Team includes but is not limited to the following members

Principal Assistant Principal Administrative Assistant Personnel Head Custodian School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Teachers

SCRT duties and responsibilities are as followsPrincipal

Establish maintain and lead the SCRT Assign SCRT duties and responsibilities Designate SCRT alternates Ensure that all SCRT members understand their duties and responsibilities Provide training guidance oversight and support to the SCRTs Direct emergency operations until emergency-first responders arrive on scene

Serve as their liaison after their arrival Implement evacuation procedures and measures to control access to affected

areas as necessary Coordinate with the central office for emergency services operational

administrative and logistics support as required Coordinate disaster assistance and recovery Provide damage assessment information to the area superintendent Ensure crisis training and exercises are conducted Ensure that the police and fire departments remain integral parts of the SCRT

planning training and exercises

Assistant Principal(s)

6

Assume the leadership role for SCRT in the absence of the principal or when directed to do so by the principal

Direct and supervise school evacuations and lockdowns Meet and direct emergency-first responders in times of crisis Recommend ways to procure resources needed to train exercise and support

crisis situations

Administrative Assistant Personnel Provide operational administrative and communications support to the SCRT Act as recorder of meeting minutes and keeper of the communications actions and

events log during crises for future reference and audit purposes Ensure that a primary and back-up means of technology within the central office

exist at all times between (1) the central office (2) the police department (3) the fire department (4) emergency-first responders

Carry out duties as prescribed by the principal

Head Custodian Make available to the SCRT his or her exceptional knowledge of the buildings

grounds and facilities

School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) Provide advice and expertise as required Provide professional services to staff students and parents when required

School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Provide advice expertise and recommendations as required Perform law enforcement duties in support of school crisis management as

required

Teachers Possess a sound working knowledge of the School Crisis Management Plan

especially procedures with respect to handling critical incidents lockdowns evacuations and critical incident communication codes

Protect the students at all times and to the best of their abilities given the nature of the crisis situation

Develop crisis plans for special-needs and non-English speaking students Evacuate students to ldquosafe areasrdquo or from the building when directed to do so in a

safe and orderly manner Account for the students in their charge at all times and carry an updated student

roster for each class Maintain order during student assemblies Render assistance to other teachers under duress during crisis situations

7

Remain with assigned students throughout the duration of the emergency until every student has been officially released This includes carrying your student roster with you if the school has been evacuated

Look for warning signs that a serious incident is likely or predicted to occur Such incidents include arson school shootings vandalism suicides and assault

Offer suggestions and constructive criticism to the SCRT as necessary

All Other School-Based Staff Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report a threat to the principal andor law enforcement officer Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Student Responsibilities Each student shares a responsibility for school safety The principal staff and

faculty cannot ensure school safety without the cooperation and vigilant participation of the students

Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of violence assume that the threat is serious

Immediately report the threat to a parent guardian school staff administrator or law enforcement officer as appropriate

Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Parent Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report the threat to school staff or law enforcement officer as

appropriate Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

8

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Rehearsal Dates

(See Appendix A for Rehearsal Protocol)

Rehearsal 1January 23 2012

Location Myers Park High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

Rehearsal 2June 13 2012

Location Ardrey Kell High SchoolTime 8 am to 3 pm

5

School-Based Crisis Response Team

The School-Based Crisis Response Team under leadership of the principal is responsible for the following

Establishing a protocol for dealing with crises and critical incidents Orienting staff to procedures and training to fulfill designated roles including

conducting drills Providing information to students staff parents and community on crisis

management referral procedures Providing assistance during a crisis in accordance with designated roles

providing follow-up activities Conducting debriefing at the conclusion of each crisis episode to critique the

effectiveness of the buildingrsquos Crisis Management Plan Conducting periodic reviews and up-dating of the Crisis Management Plan

conducting related updated staff training

The School-Based Crisis Response Team includes but is not limited to the following members

Principal Assistant Principal Administrative Assistant Personnel Head Custodian School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Teachers

SCRT duties and responsibilities are as followsPrincipal

Establish maintain and lead the SCRT Assign SCRT duties and responsibilities Designate SCRT alternates Ensure that all SCRT members understand their duties and responsibilities Provide training guidance oversight and support to the SCRTs Direct emergency operations until emergency-first responders arrive on scene

Serve as their liaison after their arrival Implement evacuation procedures and measures to control access to affected

areas as necessary Coordinate with the central office for emergency services operational

administrative and logistics support as required Coordinate disaster assistance and recovery Provide damage assessment information to the area superintendent Ensure crisis training and exercises are conducted Ensure that the police and fire departments remain integral parts of the SCRT

planning training and exercises

Assistant Principal(s)

6

Assume the leadership role for SCRT in the absence of the principal or when directed to do so by the principal

Direct and supervise school evacuations and lockdowns Meet and direct emergency-first responders in times of crisis Recommend ways to procure resources needed to train exercise and support

crisis situations

Administrative Assistant Personnel Provide operational administrative and communications support to the SCRT Act as recorder of meeting minutes and keeper of the communications actions and

events log during crises for future reference and audit purposes Ensure that a primary and back-up means of technology within the central office

exist at all times between (1) the central office (2) the police department (3) the fire department (4) emergency-first responders

Carry out duties as prescribed by the principal

Head Custodian Make available to the SCRT his or her exceptional knowledge of the buildings

grounds and facilities

School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) Provide advice and expertise as required Provide professional services to staff students and parents when required

School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Provide advice expertise and recommendations as required Perform law enforcement duties in support of school crisis management as

required

Teachers Possess a sound working knowledge of the School Crisis Management Plan

especially procedures with respect to handling critical incidents lockdowns evacuations and critical incident communication codes

Protect the students at all times and to the best of their abilities given the nature of the crisis situation

Develop crisis plans for special-needs and non-English speaking students Evacuate students to ldquosafe areasrdquo or from the building when directed to do so in a

safe and orderly manner Account for the students in their charge at all times and carry an updated student

roster for each class Maintain order during student assemblies Render assistance to other teachers under duress during crisis situations

7

Remain with assigned students throughout the duration of the emergency until every student has been officially released This includes carrying your student roster with you if the school has been evacuated

Look for warning signs that a serious incident is likely or predicted to occur Such incidents include arson school shootings vandalism suicides and assault

Offer suggestions and constructive criticism to the SCRT as necessary

All Other School-Based Staff Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report a threat to the principal andor law enforcement officer Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Student Responsibilities Each student shares a responsibility for school safety The principal staff and

faculty cannot ensure school safety without the cooperation and vigilant participation of the students

Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of violence assume that the threat is serious

Immediately report the threat to a parent guardian school staff administrator or law enforcement officer as appropriate

Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Parent Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report the threat to school staff or law enforcement officer as

appropriate Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

8

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

School-Based Crisis Response Team

The School-Based Crisis Response Team under leadership of the principal is responsible for the following

Establishing a protocol for dealing with crises and critical incidents Orienting staff to procedures and training to fulfill designated roles including

conducting drills Providing information to students staff parents and community on crisis

management referral procedures Providing assistance during a crisis in accordance with designated roles

providing follow-up activities Conducting debriefing at the conclusion of each crisis episode to critique the

effectiveness of the buildingrsquos Crisis Management Plan Conducting periodic reviews and up-dating of the Crisis Management Plan

conducting related updated staff training

The School-Based Crisis Response Team includes but is not limited to the following members

Principal Assistant Principal Administrative Assistant Personnel Head Custodian School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Teachers

SCRT duties and responsibilities are as followsPrincipal

Establish maintain and lead the SCRT Assign SCRT duties and responsibilities Designate SCRT alternates Ensure that all SCRT members understand their duties and responsibilities Provide training guidance oversight and support to the SCRTs Direct emergency operations until emergency-first responders arrive on scene

Serve as their liaison after their arrival Implement evacuation procedures and measures to control access to affected

areas as necessary Coordinate with the central office for emergency services operational

administrative and logistics support as required Coordinate disaster assistance and recovery Provide damage assessment information to the area superintendent Ensure crisis training and exercises are conducted Ensure that the police and fire departments remain integral parts of the SCRT

planning training and exercises

Assistant Principal(s)

6

Assume the leadership role for SCRT in the absence of the principal or when directed to do so by the principal

Direct and supervise school evacuations and lockdowns Meet and direct emergency-first responders in times of crisis Recommend ways to procure resources needed to train exercise and support

crisis situations

Administrative Assistant Personnel Provide operational administrative and communications support to the SCRT Act as recorder of meeting minutes and keeper of the communications actions and

events log during crises for future reference and audit purposes Ensure that a primary and back-up means of technology within the central office

exist at all times between (1) the central office (2) the police department (3) the fire department (4) emergency-first responders

Carry out duties as prescribed by the principal

Head Custodian Make available to the SCRT his or her exceptional knowledge of the buildings

grounds and facilities

School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) Provide advice and expertise as required Provide professional services to staff students and parents when required

School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Provide advice expertise and recommendations as required Perform law enforcement duties in support of school crisis management as

required

Teachers Possess a sound working knowledge of the School Crisis Management Plan

especially procedures with respect to handling critical incidents lockdowns evacuations and critical incident communication codes

Protect the students at all times and to the best of their abilities given the nature of the crisis situation

Develop crisis plans for special-needs and non-English speaking students Evacuate students to ldquosafe areasrdquo or from the building when directed to do so in a

safe and orderly manner Account for the students in their charge at all times and carry an updated student

roster for each class Maintain order during student assemblies Render assistance to other teachers under duress during crisis situations

7

Remain with assigned students throughout the duration of the emergency until every student has been officially released This includes carrying your student roster with you if the school has been evacuated

Look for warning signs that a serious incident is likely or predicted to occur Such incidents include arson school shootings vandalism suicides and assault

Offer suggestions and constructive criticism to the SCRT as necessary

All Other School-Based Staff Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report a threat to the principal andor law enforcement officer Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Student Responsibilities Each student shares a responsibility for school safety The principal staff and

faculty cannot ensure school safety without the cooperation and vigilant participation of the students

Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of violence assume that the threat is serious

Immediately report the threat to a parent guardian school staff administrator or law enforcement officer as appropriate

Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Parent Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report the threat to school staff or law enforcement officer as

appropriate Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

8

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Assume the leadership role for SCRT in the absence of the principal or when directed to do so by the principal

Direct and supervise school evacuations and lockdowns Meet and direct emergency-first responders in times of crisis Recommend ways to procure resources needed to train exercise and support

crisis situations

Administrative Assistant Personnel Provide operational administrative and communications support to the SCRT Act as recorder of meeting minutes and keeper of the communications actions and

events log during crises for future reference and audit purposes Ensure that a primary and back-up means of technology within the central office

exist at all times between (1) the central office (2) the police department (3) the fire department (4) emergency-first responders

Carry out duties as prescribed by the principal

Head Custodian Make available to the SCRT his or her exceptional knowledge of the buildings

grounds and facilities

School Medical Personnel (nurse social worker psychologist etc) Provide advice and expertise as required Provide professional services to staff students and parents when required

School Resource OfficerSecurity Associate Provide advice expertise and recommendations as required Perform law enforcement duties in support of school crisis management as

required

Teachers Possess a sound working knowledge of the School Crisis Management Plan

especially procedures with respect to handling critical incidents lockdowns evacuations and critical incident communication codes

Protect the students at all times and to the best of their abilities given the nature of the crisis situation

Develop crisis plans for special-needs and non-English speaking students Evacuate students to ldquosafe areasrdquo or from the building when directed to do so in a

safe and orderly manner Account for the students in their charge at all times and carry an updated student

roster for each class Maintain order during student assemblies Render assistance to other teachers under duress during crisis situations

7

Remain with assigned students throughout the duration of the emergency until every student has been officially released This includes carrying your student roster with you if the school has been evacuated

Look for warning signs that a serious incident is likely or predicted to occur Such incidents include arson school shootings vandalism suicides and assault

Offer suggestions and constructive criticism to the SCRT as necessary

All Other School-Based Staff Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report a threat to the principal andor law enforcement officer Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Student Responsibilities Each student shares a responsibility for school safety The principal staff and

faculty cannot ensure school safety without the cooperation and vigilant participation of the students

Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of violence assume that the threat is serious

Immediately report the threat to a parent guardian school staff administrator or law enforcement officer as appropriate

Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Parent Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report the threat to school staff or law enforcement officer as

appropriate Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

8

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Remain with assigned students throughout the duration of the emergency until every student has been officially released This includes carrying your student roster with you if the school has been evacuated

Look for warning signs that a serious incident is likely or predicted to occur Such incidents include arson school shootings vandalism suicides and assault

Offer suggestions and constructive criticism to the SCRT as necessary

All Other School-Based Staff Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report a threat to the principal andor law enforcement officer Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Student Responsibilities Each student shares a responsibility for school safety The principal staff and

faculty cannot ensure school safety without the cooperation and vigilant participation of the students

Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of violence assume that the threat is serious

Immediately report the threat to a parent guardian school staff administrator or law enforcement officer as appropriate

Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

Parent Responsibilities Upon receiving information that a person is threatening to commit an act of

violence assume that the threat is serious Immediately report the threat to school staff or law enforcement officer as

appropriate Be available and cooperative in providing a statement of information with the

understanding that the information source will remain anonymous to the greatest extent possible

8

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

School Crisis Kits

Schools may also want to place kits around the school in such places as the gym auditorium main office cafeteria outside rest rooms and in designated classrooms The bag should be hung from a conspicuous location and marked ldquoFOR EMERGENCY USE ONLYrdquo

At a minimum the bag should contain

A flashlight Spare batteries Emergency evacuation plans Sterile non- latex gloves First aid supplies (bandages gauze etc) A quart of bottled water Several face masks Pen and paper

9

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

District Crisis Response TeamThe District Crisis Response Team includes

Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services (Incident Commander) Chief Information Officer (Technology) Executive Director for Communications (Public Information) Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director (Operations) School Law Enforcement Director (Security) Safety Director (Planning) Regional Property Director (Logistics) Chief Finance Officer (Finance)

CRT Duties and ResponsibilitiesIncident Commander (Associate Superintendent for Auxiliary Services)

Establishes and commands the ICC Direct the crisis managementcrisis response actions and reactions Supervise the activities of all ICC members

Maintain communications with the school in crisis Maintain continuous communications with police fire fighters medical personnel

and public officials Assist the school in crisis with required operational administrative logistics and

communications support

Technology (Chief Information Officer) Ensures that appropriate communication devices are on site and accessible to

staff Coordinates all in-house communications

Communications (Executive Director for Communications) Serve as the primary ICC communicator to Board members CMS employees

parents community and the media Assign staff to activate parent hotline Assist the schools with their crisis communications to employees students

parents and the community as required Prepare and distribute media releases as required Field inquiries from the press and hold media briefings as necessary

Operations (Alternative Education and Safe Schools Director) Coordinates priorities related directly to the health safety and well being of

students and staff Supervise supporting roles of the CRT ie security parent center student

instruction student escort student receiving student center and student checkout Facilitate pre- and post-crisis meetings to debrief and assess the evacuation

process

Security (CMS Law Enforcement) Serve as the liaison between the ICC and emergency-first responders Ensure that emergency-first responders are notified of and respond to the crisis

10

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Respond to the emergency services needs of the school under crisis including working with transportation staff to formulate bus routes

Coordinate vehicular and crowd management during the crisis including cordoning off areas to preserve physical evidence

Planning (Safety Director) Collect and analyze incident intelligence and information to develop chronology of

incidents Help identify bus routes to reroute students home Develop and maintain incident documentation (number of students involved and

who responded to the crisis)

Logistics (Director of Property Management)Help establish communications for Incident Commander

Set up and maintain ICC Install outside parking lot and directional signage at ICC Install inside station and directional signage at ICC Supervise all staff support support operations and food distribution at the ICC

Finance (Chief Financial Officer) Oversee contract negotiating for materials needed pre- and post-crisis Track all costs associated with the evacuation Work with operations to ensure resources are procured

Supporting roles at the ICC includeParent Center (Parent University staff) Provide initial information and directions to parents as they arrive ensures staff follows protocol in releasing students to parentsguardians and assist parents with identifying and locating their children

Student Escort (Exec Dir of Pre-K-12 Support Services) Escort students from containment to restrooms and other stations

Student Receiving (Legal Dept staff) Check students in as they arrive take down studentsrsquo names identification number and neighborhood for group busing purposes

Student Instruction (Curriculum and Instruction staff) Provide support to teachers in keeping students engaged

Special population (Exceptional Children and ESL staff) Develops and implements a plan for addressing special needs population identifies and secures special equipment (wheelchair ramp) and other resources (interpreter) for students

Student Center (Coordinated School Health and Pre-K-12 Support Services staff) Assist in meeting the needs of students during the evacuation Monitor and provide assistance to all student-focused stations including support trauma and prevention and intervention These stations will provide first aid emotional and psychological support for students and staff

11

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Staff Check In Checks in staff members as they arrive at the evacuation site and provide vests and other information such as maps of the evacuation site

Staff Support (Volunteers and Partnership Department staff) Provides employee support by addressing fears offering comfort and short relief periods from supervision

Support Operations (Maintenance staff) Monitors all stations and assists staff working the stations

Food Services Distribution (Child Nutrition Services Department staff)o Assess situation related to food service distribute watersnacks for students

with emergencies only and arrange for returning any leftover supplies to Child Nutrition stock During a Level III Evacuation no foodbeverage will be provided for less than two hours small quantities of packaged snack and bottled water will be provided for emergency use only (insulin reaction dehydration etc) during a two-to-four hour evacuation

Student checkout (Student Placement staff) Oversees the process for releasing students including developing strict guidelines for releasing them to their parents or guardians The parent or guardian must identify the student by name and home address before they can be released

The departments listed above are responsible for developing procedures and providing needed supplies to establish a station during a major evacuation of a school When an evacuation is declared the Incident Commander will notify the division heads of the evacuation site and activate the plan

The division heads will notify each station leader who will then notify their staff gather materials and proceed to the evacuation site Upon arriving the leader and staff will set up their station and prepare for the arrival of students Once students arrive staff members will assist students parents and school staff in maintaining a safe comfortable evacuation site

Each station should maintain a log of activities and people seen during the evacuation A debriefing will be scheduled for station leaders the following business day

CityCounty emergency contacts CMPD CMSPD Fire EMT DSS

12

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Priorities for School Safety and Crisis Management

First the immediate health safety and welfare of employees students parents and visitors in our care

Second the rapid involvement and reaction of emergency first responders in support of the school experiencing the emergency

Third effective and timely communications between the school and central office Fourth effective and timely communications between the school and

parentsfamily members Fifth effective and timely communications among the school central office

community and media Sixth post-crisis return to normalcy Seventh after-action reviews that capture valuable lessons learned and

subsequent modification of crisis management plans as required

13

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

First Action

Crisis Management Start-up Procedures1 Confirm the membership of the School Crisis Response Team2 Review and re-affirm the roles and responsibilities of each SCRT team member 3 Update SCRT rosters by name duty position address home phone cell phone

and email address (Appendix B)4 Provide rosters to all SCRT members and other parties as deemed appropriate by

the principal 5 Forward a copy of the updated rosters to your zone6 Convene a meeting of the SCRT and supporting roles before the school year

commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan with emphasis on the critical-incident response checklists

7 Convene a staff and faculty meeting before the school year commences to review the School Crisis Management Plan distribute SCRT rosters and stress the importance of crisis prevention preemption and response Also review with those gathered several possible crisis scenarios and how those scenarios would be handled

8 Review critical incident communication codes with faculty and staff9 Update faculty phone tree10Consider a ldquoback to schoolrdquo meeting with parents in the evening to explain the

schools crisis management plan and answer questions

14

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Fire Procedures Sound alarm and evacuate the building Call 911 Determine if there are any serious injuries If serious injuries evacuate the victims and render first aid Notify school law enforcement area superintendent and CMS Communications of

10485771048577The fire10485771048577The time the 911 call was placed10485771048577The school evacuation10485771048577Any known injuries and extent of injuries

Notify parentsguardiansspousesnext of kin of those who sustained injuries Provide assistance and comfort to family members arriving on the scene Await the arrival of first responders follow their instructions When all clear is sounded by first responders

o Determine if classes will be resumedo Determine if early dismissal must be called and transportation arrangements

madeo Inform the central office of decisionso Call an emergency staff meeting to discuss the event and lessons learnedo Advise staff of follow-up procedures

Arson cases and fires School administrators have only administrative investigative responsibility All fires

will be investigated by fire investigators andor police In support of the investigative efforts by outside agencies develop a list of events

that have recently occurred in the school disgruntled studentsemployees prior fires rivalry among students or between schools or gang activity

False fire alarms All false alarms should be reported to the alarm monitoring facility which will notify

the fire department Using a floor plan of the school locate each fire alarm station on this plan Each

time an alarm is sounded record the exact location date and time of alarm The purpose is to develop a pattern to the alarms By establishing a time pattern one can assign staff to provide greater adult presence in halls and stairwells

If false fire alarms are a persistent problem consider initiating a sign-insign-out log in each classroom Have each teacher record the name time and destination of each student leaving the classroom and the time each student returns These lists will be a valuable asset in attempting to develop a list of suspects

Consideration should be given to installing special covers over the pull stations that will sound a local alarm prior to sending a general alarm Schools using this type of device have found a marked decline in alarms Before any such device is installed check with the fire department to get their approval

Another consideration A very effective tool in reducing false fire alarms is to involve the student body in a program which gives them some responsibilities for

15

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

ldquoguardingrdquo fire pull stations Generally this requires little time and causes very little disruption to the school program Stationing students at key locations three to five minutes before and after classes change often eliminates false fire alarms

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

16

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Medical protocolsMedical protocols are developed by the Department of Health Services for all students whose medical conditions require or may require assistance of school personnel Classroom teachers and other staff who work directly with these students are provided information about the condition and a protocol to follow Conditions which are almost always present in the student population and may require assistance include asthma allergies diabetes and epilepsy

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

17

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Communication During a Crisis

Communication is a critical part of crisis management Employees and students must be told what is happening and what to do Parents of students and families of staff members must be informed about the situation including the status of their child or family member and where they can reunite with them Timely contact with law enforcement and other emergency services is necessary for effective response School Board members must be kept informed and current information must be transmitted to central office and to other affected schools

Communication procedures for schools The principal or designee should immediately notify the Communications

Department Make sure they have the ldquoAuthorization to Release Students in the Event of an

Emergency Formsrdquo (Appendix C) The Communications Department will work with the principal or designee on

drafting communications to their staff students and parents about the crisis and keep them updated (Appendix D)

The staff member who answers the telephone at the school must know what information can be shared and what must remain confidential They must be kept informed of inaccurate information which is circulating so they can help correct misinformation Designating a few persons to answer calls helps control the spread of misinformation (Appendix E and F)

Identify parents who are willing to volunteer in case of an emergency include them in preparation efforts and include them in training (Appendix G)

18

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Tips for communicating with stakeholders

What to expect from parents during a fire In the event of an emergency parents have very specific information needs First

parents want to know that their child is safe Parents will ask for the details of the emergency situation They will want to know how it was handled and need to be assured that their children will be safe in the future

Their first reactions are likely to involve fear Upon learning of an incident at the school parents are likely to descend upon the school in search of their child or to telephone seeking information

Establishing a system for responding quickly to parent needs for information is an important part of pre-planning

Anger is another common reaction of parents particularly in the case of senseless acts of violence In the event of a crisis or disaster

o Tell parents only what is known to have happened o Implement the plan to manage phone calls and parents arriving at schoolo Schedule an open question-and-answer meeting for parents as soon after

the incident as possible The meeting is an opportunity for school officials to listen and respond to parent concerns (which are helpful in combating rumors and other misinformation) and to work on restoring parental trust in the school In the event of an incident which involved damage or destruction an open house for parents and other members of the community to see the school restored to its normal state helps everyone get beyond the crisis

Tips for working with the mediaDonrsquot

Donrsquot try to keep the media out of a story Donrsquot say ldquono commentrdquo Donrsquot adlib Donrsquot speak ldquooff the recordrdquo Donrsquot speculate Donrsquot try to cover-up or blame anyone for anything Donrsquot repeat negativemisleading words Donrsquot play favorites among media

Do Emphasize your good record Be accurate and cooperate as best you can Be prepared for and prepare in advance a response to questions which might

violate confidentiality or hinder the police investigation Insist that reporters respect the privacy rights of your students and staff Speak to reporters in plain English When asked a question and you donrsquot know the answer say so then offer to find

out and call the reporter back(Source Virginia Department of Education)

19

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Communications toolsThe Communications Department will immediately establish communication lines to everyone involved This includes families the public non-speaking English community emergency responders media and community leadersCommunication lines include

Email lists Connect-ED Parent hotline (980-343-6192) CMS Internet and Intranet Social Media CMS TV-3 Media

Email lists Parents CMS Alumni volunteers elected officials business and faith leaders can subscribe to CMS Email alerts The CMS Communications Department is responsible for emailing emergency information and breaking news to subscribersConnect-ED Connect-ED enables district and school administrators to alert parents and employees during emergency situations and to send information regarding student absences open houses field trips and other school news Emergency alerts will be sent to up to six different contact numbers including land line phones cell phones and emailParent hotline (980-343-6192)

CMS can set up and operate a hotline for public queries either during regular business hours or 247 if the situation warrants Staff and volunteers are trained to handle calls and make referrals

CMS maintains an external and internal Web site to inform employees and the community of new information

Social Media Facebook Twitter Podcasts YouTube Google+ LinkedIn

Web sites wwwcmsk12ncus (homepage) httpmycmsk12ncus ( intranet)

Other communications tools DirectLine (CMS employee newsletter) District Review

Helpful links on the website for background information CMS School Report cards Fact Sheets Building Data (What year each school and facility was built)

20

Key Messages

Student and employee safety is our main priority

Schools make every effort to keep students safe at all times especially during a crisis

Information will be provided as soon as it is confirmed

First-responder agencies will handle investigative updates

The Communications Department will provide school updates as they become available

The Communications Department will also provide background information on the affected building(s)

21

The Communications Department role

The primary goal is to keeping the public informed about the crisis while trying to maintain the privacy of students and employees and ensure as little interruption of the educational process as possible The Communications Department duties begin once they are contacted by the principal or designee and include

Attempt to define the type and extent of the crisis as soon as possible

Immediately start coordinating information gathering and dissemination

Draft communications for stakeholders informing them of what happened

o Students (if needed)o Parentso Employeeso Board of Educationo Mediao Community members

Assign sufficient staff to handle phones

Keep a log of all incoming and outgoing calls and personal contacts

Relieve key people from their normal duties so they may focus on the crisis

Identify a potential ldquonews centerrdquo site away from emergency operations where

media representatives can receive briefings

In cooperation with local public safety officials considers establishing a Joint

Information Center to ensure coordination of information being distributed

Establish regular time schedule for news briefings and periodic updates

When communicating remember to maintain a unified position and uniform

message keep messages concise clear and consistent keep spokesperson and

alternates briefed Each person must fill out stakeholder communication

forms to documented what was communicated and when (Appendix H)

After the crisis has passed assist with Continuity of Service Plan (Appendix I)

Coordinate a community meeting for people to ask questions and to receive

accurate information This will help restore the communityrsquos confidence in the

districtrsquos ability to manage crises and to provide a safe environment

Express appreciation to all who helped handle the crisis (Appendix J)

22

Communications Department Membersrsquo Roles Media (media relations)Contact is generally channeled through the CMS media relations specialists who man the Media Line (980-343-6243) If the media arrive on campus after report of a fire school staff will ask them to park their news truck off campus so they will not disrupt the process The media is not allowed on campus during a crisis or evacuationThe Communications Department will be available to provide communications expertise and work with the media

The Communications Department will coordinate with the principal or designee to get information that is shared with the media This will ensure that school officials are able to concentrate on their stakeholders without distraction

It is important for principals to advise school staff of media procedures Instruct all employees to refer all media information and questions to the

Communications Department Remind employees that only a designated spokesperson from the

Communications Department is authorized to talk with news media about a crisis until it is resolved

Monitoring organization on the Internet (multimedia)The Internet provides countless opportunities for people to share their views with the rest of the world and the fact that they can do so anonymously presents a unique set of problems if what they post online is derogatory

Communicating with Board members and administration (executive director)

Dealing with staff and students (multimedia) Assist school with communications as needed

Communicating with parents and the community (multimedia)

(Modified from Chesterfield County Public Schools Chesterfield VA)

23

Post-Crisis Evaluation

After the immediate crisis is over the SCRT must

Submit a Crisis Response Report to Zone offices (Appendix K)

Have stakeholders complete Crisis Evaluation forms (Appendix L)

Work with Communications Department to plan meetings for parents community

Disseminate information to parents

Post-crisis tips for parent (Appendix M)

How parents can help make schools safe (Appendix N)

Online resources on fire safety (Appendix O)

24

Appendix A Rehearsal Protocol

I Introductory background on development of School Crisis Management PlanII School Crisis Management Plan

a Purpose of Planb Overview of Planc General review of roles and responsibilities

III Typical impacts of crisesa Shock stages of griefb Restoring equilibrium

i Importance of the first 48 hoursIV Critical incident management

a What are ldquocritical incidentsrdquob Coordination with emergency services

V Communicationsa Confidentialityb Rumor-control within the schoolc Communication outside school

i With parents and community groupsii With media

VI Review of general procedures in the case of firea Practice scenario

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

25

Appendix B School-Based Crisis Response Team Roster

NAME TITLE SKILLS RESPONSIBILITIES CONTACT INFORMATION

26

Appendix C Authorization to Release Children in an Emergency

Our school has developed an emergency business plan in case of any disaster which might occur The emergency plan is devoted to the welfare and safety of your child during school hours The plan is available for inspection in the school office

We are requesting your assistance at this time

Should there be an emergency such as a major fire tornado explosion etc your child may be required to remain in the care of the school until it is deemed safe by an Emergency Services authority that the child can be released At that point children may be released only to properly authorized parents andor designees Therefore please list as many names (with local telephone numbers and addresses) as possible of those persons to whom you would allow your childrsquos release in the event of an emergency Be sure to notify those persons listed that you have authorized their supervision in case of emergency In the event that you should be unable to come to school it is essential that others be designated to care for your child No child will be released to the care of unauthorized persons We appreciate your cooperation in this important matter

Child _________________ Teacher __________________School Year ____

Please release my child to any of the persons listed below

Name Phone Address Relationship

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

ParentGuardian_________________________________ Date ___________

Signature

ParentGuardian _________________________________

Printed Name

Home Phone__________ Work Phone____________ Mobile Phone __________

(Source Colonial Heights Public Schools Colonial Heights VA)

27

Appendix D

Small fireevacuation immediate response (social media)

A fire was reported at XX time by XX School Officials with the XX Fire Department are investigating More information will be shared as soon as it is available

Please refer to CMS_Schools on Twitter or FacebookcomCharlotteMecklenburgSchools for updates

Small fireevacuation Connect-ED message after event

Good ___________ (morning afternoon etc) XXXXX families This is XX principal of XX I want to make you aware of a situation that happened at our school just a short time ago

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly

Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX school If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

28

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

The Communications Department role

The primary goal is to keeping the public informed about the crisis while trying to maintain the privacy of students and employees and ensure as little interruption of the educational process as possible The Communications Department duties begin once they are contacted by the principal or designee and include

Attempt to define the type and extent of the crisis as soon as possible

Immediately start coordinating information gathering and dissemination

Draft communications for stakeholders informing them of what happened

o Students (if needed)o Parentso Employeeso Board of Educationo Mediao Community members

Assign sufficient staff to handle phones

Keep a log of all incoming and outgoing calls and personal contacts

Relieve key people from their normal duties so they may focus on the crisis

Identify a potential ldquonews centerrdquo site away from emergency operations where

media representatives can receive briefings

In cooperation with local public safety officials considers establishing a Joint

Information Center to ensure coordination of information being distributed

Establish regular time schedule for news briefings and periodic updates

When communicating remember to maintain a unified position and uniform

message keep messages concise clear and consistent keep spokesperson and

alternates briefed Each person must fill out stakeholder communication

forms to documented what was communicated and when (Appendix H)

After the crisis has passed assist with Continuity of Service Plan (Appendix I)

Coordinate a community meeting for people to ask questions and to receive

accurate information This will help restore the communityrsquos confidence in the

districtrsquos ability to manage crises and to provide a safe environment

Express appreciation to all who helped handle the crisis (Appendix J)

22

Communications Department Membersrsquo Roles Media (media relations)Contact is generally channeled through the CMS media relations specialists who man the Media Line (980-343-6243) If the media arrive on campus after report of a fire school staff will ask them to park their news truck off campus so they will not disrupt the process The media is not allowed on campus during a crisis or evacuationThe Communications Department will be available to provide communications expertise and work with the media

The Communications Department will coordinate with the principal or designee to get information that is shared with the media This will ensure that school officials are able to concentrate on their stakeholders without distraction

It is important for principals to advise school staff of media procedures Instruct all employees to refer all media information and questions to the

Communications Department Remind employees that only a designated spokesperson from the

Communications Department is authorized to talk with news media about a crisis until it is resolved

Monitoring organization on the Internet (multimedia)The Internet provides countless opportunities for people to share their views with the rest of the world and the fact that they can do so anonymously presents a unique set of problems if what they post online is derogatory

Communicating with Board members and administration (executive director)

Dealing with staff and students (multimedia) Assist school with communications as needed

Communicating with parents and the community (multimedia)

(Modified from Chesterfield County Public Schools Chesterfield VA)

23

Post-Crisis Evaluation

After the immediate crisis is over the SCRT must

Submit a Crisis Response Report to Zone offices (Appendix K)

Have stakeholders complete Crisis Evaluation forms (Appendix L)

Work with Communications Department to plan meetings for parents community

Disseminate information to parents

Post-crisis tips for parent (Appendix M)

How parents can help make schools safe (Appendix N)

Online resources on fire safety (Appendix O)

24

Appendix A Rehearsal Protocol

I Introductory background on development of School Crisis Management PlanII School Crisis Management Plan

a Purpose of Planb Overview of Planc General review of roles and responsibilities

III Typical impacts of crisesa Shock stages of griefb Restoring equilibrium

i Importance of the first 48 hoursIV Critical incident management

a What are ldquocritical incidentsrdquob Coordination with emergency services

V Communicationsa Confidentialityb Rumor-control within the schoolc Communication outside school

i With parents and community groupsii With media

VI Review of general procedures in the case of firea Practice scenario

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

25

Appendix B School-Based Crisis Response Team Roster

NAME TITLE SKILLS RESPONSIBILITIES CONTACT INFORMATION

26

Appendix C Authorization to Release Children in an Emergency

Our school has developed an emergency business plan in case of any disaster which might occur The emergency plan is devoted to the welfare and safety of your child during school hours The plan is available for inspection in the school office

We are requesting your assistance at this time

Should there be an emergency such as a major fire tornado explosion etc your child may be required to remain in the care of the school until it is deemed safe by an Emergency Services authority that the child can be released At that point children may be released only to properly authorized parents andor designees Therefore please list as many names (with local telephone numbers and addresses) as possible of those persons to whom you would allow your childrsquos release in the event of an emergency Be sure to notify those persons listed that you have authorized their supervision in case of emergency In the event that you should be unable to come to school it is essential that others be designated to care for your child No child will be released to the care of unauthorized persons We appreciate your cooperation in this important matter

Child _________________ Teacher __________________School Year ____

Please release my child to any of the persons listed below

Name Phone Address Relationship

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

ParentGuardian_________________________________ Date ___________

Signature

ParentGuardian _________________________________

Printed Name

Home Phone__________ Work Phone____________ Mobile Phone __________

(Source Colonial Heights Public Schools Colonial Heights VA)

27

Appendix D

Small fireevacuation immediate response (social media)

A fire was reported at XX time by XX School Officials with the XX Fire Department are investigating More information will be shared as soon as it is available

Please refer to CMS_Schools on Twitter or FacebookcomCharlotteMecklenburgSchools for updates

Small fireevacuation Connect-ED message after event

Good ___________ (morning afternoon etc) XXXXX families This is XX principal of XX I want to make you aware of a situation that happened at our school just a short time ago

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly

Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX school If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

28

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Communications Department Membersrsquo Roles Media (media relations)Contact is generally channeled through the CMS media relations specialists who man the Media Line (980-343-6243) If the media arrive on campus after report of a fire school staff will ask them to park their news truck off campus so they will not disrupt the process The media is not allowed on campus during a crisis or evacuationThe Communications Department will be available to provide communications expertise and work with the media

The Communications Department will coordinate with the principal or designee to get information that is shared with the media This will ensure that school officials are able to concentrate on their stakeholders without distraction

It is important for principals to advise school staff of media procedures Instruct all employees to refer all media information and questions to the

Communications Department Remind employees that only a designated spokesperson from the

Communications Department is authorized to talk with news media about a crisis until it is resolved

Monitoring organization on the Internet (multimedia)The Internet provides countless opportunities for people to share their views with the rest of the world and the fact that they can do so anonymously presents a unique set of problems if what they post online is derogatory

Communicating with Board members and administration (executive director)

Dealing with staff and students (multimedia) Assist school with communications as needed

Communicating with parents and the community (multimedia)

(Modified from Chesterfield County Public Schools Chesterfield VA)

23

Post-Crisis Evaluation

After the immediate crisis is over the SCRT must

Submit a Crisis Response Report to Zone offices (Appendix K)

Have stakeholders complete Crisis Evaluation forms (Appendix L)

Work with Communications Department to plan meetings for parents community

Disseminate information to parents

Post-crisis tips for parent (Appendix M)

How parents can help make schools safe (Appendix N)

Online resources on fire safety (Appendix O)

24

Appendix A Rehearsal Protocol

I Introductory background on development of School Crisis Management PlanII School Crisis Management Plan

a Purpose of Planb Overview of Planc General review of roles and responsibilities

III Typical impacts of crisesa Shock stages of griefb Restoring equilibrium

i Importance of the first 48 hoursIV Critical incident management

a What are ldquocritical incidentsrdquob Coordination with emergency services

V Communicationsa Confidentialityb Rumor-control within the schoolc Communication outside school

i With parents and community groupsii With media

VI Review of general procedures in the case of firea Practice scenario

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

25

Appendix B School-Based Crisis Response Team Roster

NAME TITLE SKILLS RESPONSIBILITIES CONTACT INFORMATION

26

Appendix C Authorization to Release Children in an Emergency

Our school has developed an emergency business plan in case of any disaster which might occur The emergency plan is devoted to the welfare and safety of your child during school hours The plan is available for inspection in the school office

We are requesting your assistance at this time

Should there be an emergency such as a major fire tornado explosion etc your child may be required to remain in the care of the school until it is deemed safe by an Emergency Services authority that the child can be released At that point children may be released only to properly authorized parents andor designees Therefore please list as many names (with local telephone numbers and addresses) as possible of those persons to whom you would allow your childrsquos release in the event of an emergency Be sure to notify those persons listed that you have authorized their supervision in case of emergency In the event that you should be unable to come to school it is essential that others be designated to care for your child No child will be released to the care of unauthorized persons We appreciate your cooperation in this important matter

Child _________________ Teacher __________________School Year ____

Please release my child to any of the persons listed below

Name Phone Address Relationship

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

ParentGuardian_________________________________ Date ___________

Signature

ParentGuardian _________________________________

Printed Name

Home Phone__________ Work Phone____________ Mobile Phone __________

(Source Colonial Heights Public Schools Colonial Heights VA)

27

Appendix D

Small fireevacuation immediate response (social media)

A fire was reported at XX time by XX School Officials with the XX Fire Department are investigating More information will be shared as soon as it is available

Please refer to CMS_Schools on Twitter or FacebookcomCharlotteMecklenburgSchools for updates

Small fireevacuation Connect-ED message after event

Good ___________ (morning afternoon etc) XXXXX families This is XX principal of XX I want to make you aware of a situation that happened at our school just a short time ago

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly

Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX school If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

28

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Post-Crisis Evaluation

After the immediate crisis is over the SCRT must

Submit a Crisis Response Report to Zone offices (Appendix K)

Have stakeholders complete Crisis Evaluation forms (Appendix L)

Work with Communications Department to plan meetings for parents community

Disseminate information to parents

Post-crisis tips for parent (Appendix M)

How parents can help make schools safe (Appendix N)

Online resources on fire safety (Appendix O)

24

Appendix A Rehearsal Protocol

I Introductory background on development of School Crisis Management PlanII School Crisis Management Plan

a Purpose of Planb Overview of Planc General review of roles and responsibilities

III Typical impacts of crisesa Shock stages of griefb Restoring equilibrium

i Importance of the first 48 hoursIV Critical incident management

a What are ldquocritical incidentsrdquob Coordination with emergency services

V Communicationsa Confidentialityb Rumor-control within the schoolc Communication outside school

i With parents and community groupsii With media

VI Review of general procedures in the case of firea Practice scenario

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

25

Appendix B School-Based Crisis Response Team Roster

NAME TITLE SKILLS RESPONSIBILITIES CONTACT INFORMATION

26

Appendix C Authorization to Release Children in an Emergency

Our school has developed an emergency business plan in case of any disaster which might occur The emergency plan is devoted to the welfare and safety of your child during school hours The plan is available for inspection in the school office

We are requesting your assistance at this time

Should there be an emergency such as a major fire tornado explosion etc your child may be required to remain in the care of the school until it is deemed safe by an Emergency Services authority that the child can be released At that point children may be released only to properly authorized parents andor designees Therefore please list as many names (with local telephone numbers and addresses) as possible of those persons to whom you would allow your childrsquos release in the event of an emergency Be sure to notify those persons listed that you have authorized their supervision in case of emergency In the event that you should be unable to come to school it is essential that others be designated to care for your child No child will be released to the care of unauthorized persons We appreciate your cooperation in this important matter

Child _________________ Teacher __________________School Year ____

Please release my child to any of the persons listed below

Name Phone Address Relationship

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

ParentGuardian_________________________________ Date ___________

Signature

ParentGuardian _________________________________

Printed Name

Home Phone__________ Work Phone____________ Mobile Phone __________

(Source Colonial Heights Public Schools Colonial Heights VA)

27

Appendix D

Small fireevacuation immediate response (social media)

A fire was reported at XX time by XX School Officials with the XX Fire Department are investigating More information will be shared as soon as it is available

Please refer to CMS_Schools on Twitter or FacebookcomCharlotteMecklenburgSchools for updates

Small fireevacuation Connect-ED message after event

Good ___________ (morning afternoon etc) XXXXX families This is XX principal of XX I want to make you aware of a situation that happened at our school just a short time ago

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly

Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX school If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

28

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix A Rehearsal Protocol

I Introductory background on development of School Crisis Management PlanII School Crisis Management Plan

a Purpose of Planb Overview of Planc General review of roles and responsibilities

III Typical impacts of crisesa Shock stages of griefb Restoring equilibrium

i Importance of the first 48 hoursIV Critical incident management

a What are ldquocritical incidentsrdquob Coordination with emergency services

V Communicationsa Confidentialityb Rumor-control within the schoolc Communication outside school

i With parents and community groupsii With media

VI Review of general procedures in the case of firea Practice scenario

(Source Virginia Department of Education)

25

Appendix B School-Based Crisis Response Team Roster

NAME TITLE SKILLS RESPONSIBILITIES CONTACT INFORMATION

26

Appendix C Authorization to Release Children in an Emergency

Our school has developed an emergency business plan in case of any disaster which might occur The emergency plan is devoted to the welfare and safety of your child during school hours The plan is available for inspection in the school office

We are requesting your assistance at this time

Should there be an emergency such as a major fire tornado explosion etc your child may be required to remain in the care of the school until it is deemed safe by an Emergency Services authority that the child can be released At that point children may be released only to properly authorized parents andor designees Therefore please list as many names (with local telephone numbers and addresses) as possible of those persons to whom you would allow your childrsquos release in the event of an emergency Be sure to notify those persons listed that you have authorized their supervision in case of emergency In the event that you should be unable to come to school it is essential that others be designated to care for your child No child will be released to the care of unauthorized persons We appreciate your cooperation in this important matter

Child _________________ Teacher __________________School Year ____

Please release my child to any of the persons listed below

Name Phone Address Relationship

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

ParentGuardian_________________________________ Date ___________

Signature

ParentGuardian _________________________________

Printed Name

Home Phone__________ Work Phone____________ Mobile Phone __________

(Source Colonial Heights Public Schools Colonial Heights VA)

27

Appendix D

Small fireevacuation immediate response (social media)

A fire was reported at XX time by XX School Officials with the XX Fire Department are investigating More information will be shared as soon as it is available

Please refer to CMS_Schools on Twitter or FacebookcomCharlotteMecklenburgSchools for updates

Small fireevacuation Connect-ED message after event

Good ___________ (morning afternoon etc) XXXXX families This is XX principal of XX I want to make you aware of a situation that happened at our school just a short time ago

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly

Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX school If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

28

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix B School-Based Crisis Response Team Roster

NAME TITLE SKILLS RESPONSIBILITIES CONTACT INFORMATION

26

Appendix C Authorization to Release Children in an Emergency

Our school has developed an emergency business plan in case of any disaster which might occur The emergency plan is devoted to the welfare and safety of your child during school hours The plan is available for inspection in the school office

We are requesting your assistance at this time

Should there be an emergency such as a major fire tornado explosion etc your child may be required to remain in the care of the school until it is deemed safe by an Emergency Services authority that the child can be released At that point children may be released only to properly authorized parents andor designees Therefore please list as many names (with local telephone numbers and addresses) as possible of those persons to whom you would allow your childrsquos release in the event of an emergency Be sure to notify those persons listed that you have authorized their supervision in case of emergency In the event that you should be unable to come to school it is essential that others be designated to care for your child No child will be released to the care of unauthorized persons We appreciate your cooperation in this important matter

Child _________________ Teacher __________________School Year ____

Please release my child to any of the persons listed below

Name Phone Address Relationship

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

ParentGuardian_________________________________ Date ___________

Signature

ParentGuardian _________________________________

Printed Name

Home Phone__________ Work Phone____________ Mobile Phone __________

(Source Colonial Heights Public Schools Colonial Heights VA)

27

Appendix D

Small fireevacuation immediate response (social media)

A fire was reported at XX time by XX School Officials with the XX Fire Department are investigating More information will be shared as soon as it is available

Please refer to CMS_Schools on Twitter or FacebookcomCharlotteMecklenburgSchools for updates

Small fireevacuation Connect-ED message after event

Good ___________ (morning afternoon etc) XXXXX families This is XX principal of XX I want to make you aware of a situation that happened at our school just a short time ago

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly

Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX school If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

28

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix C Authorization to Release Children in an Emergency

Our school has developed an emergency business plan in case of any disaster which might occur The emergency plan is devoted to the welfare and safety of your child during school hours The plan is available for inspection in the school office

We are requesting your assistance at this time

Should there be an emergency such as a major fire tornado explosion etc your child may be required to remain in the care of the school until it is deemed safe by an Emergency Services authority that the child can be released At that point children may be released only to properly authorized parents andor designees Therefore please list as many names (with local telephone numbers and addresses) as possible of those persons to whom you would allow your childrsquos release in the event of an emergency Be sure to notify those persons listed that you have authorized their supervision in case of emergency In the event that you should be unable to come to school it is essential that others be designated to care for your child No child will be released to the care of unauthorized persons We appreciate your cooperation in this important matter

Child _________________ Teacher __________________School Year ____

Please release my child to any of the persons listed below

Name Phone Address Relationship

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

______________ __________ _____________________ ________________

ParentGuardian_________________________________ Date ___________

Signature

ParentGuardian _________________________________

Printed Name

Home Phone__________ Work Phone____________ Mobile Phone __________

(Source Colonial Heights Public Schools Colonial Heights VA)

27

Appendix D

Small fireevacuation immediate response (social media)

A fire was reported at XX time by XX School Officials with the XX Fire Department are investigating More information will be shared as soon as it is available

Please refer to CMS_Schools on Twitter or FacebookcomCharlotteMecklenburgSchools for updates

Small fireevacuation Connect-ED message after event

Good ___________ (morning afternoon etc) XXXXX families This is XX principal of XX I want to make you aware of a situation that happened at our school just a short time ago

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly

Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX school If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

28

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix D

Small fireevacuation immediate response (social media)

A fire was reported at XX time by XX School Officials with the XX Fire Department are investigating More information will be shared as soon as it is available

Please refer to CMS_Schools on Twitter or FacebookcomCharlotteMecklenburgSchools for updates

Small fireevacuation Connect-ED message after event

Good ___________ (morning afternoon etc) XXXXX families This is XX principal of XX I want to make you aware of a situation that happened at our school just a short time ago

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly

Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX school If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

28

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

(SCHOOL LETTERHEAD)

Parent Letter

XXX 201X

Dear XX parents

At XX our focus is to provide your child with a quality education in a safe and orderly environment I believe that it is important for me to keep the lines of communication open with parents and to make you aware when a situation arises at our school Today an incident occurred that I want to share with you

At approximately xxxx a small fire began (in the bathroom in the XX hall in one of our mobile units etc) School officials immediately called the fire department and evacuated the buildings The fire was put out quickly Students were outside for just a short time before the fire department gave us the ldquoall-clearrdquo to go back inside The evacuation plan worked exactly as it is supposed to and all students are safe We are continuing with normal instruction today and the damage is being repaired

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will inform you when that cause is determined Please know we make every effort to keep our schools safe for staff and students

I would also ask that you take this time to discuss fire safety tips with your child at home including fire prevention and evacuation planning Irsquove included tips you can use on the second page of this letter More information on fire safety can also be found through links on our school website

Thank you for your involvement in your childrsquos education and your partnership with XX If you have questions please feel free to contact me at 980-343-XXXX

Sincerely

Principal

29

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix E Telephone Directory

30

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix F Zone list

31

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix G Staff and Volunteer Skills Checklist (For School Crisis Response Team)

Staff Skills Inventory (To be conducted annually)

Name _____________________________________ Room _______________

Please check any of the following in which you have expertise or training

Emergency response

First aid _______ Search and Rescue______ Emergency Management_______

CPR _______ Law Enforcement ______ Critical Incident Handling _______

EMT _______ CBHAM Radio ______ Firefighting _______

Counseling _______ Other (specify ) _______________________________

_____________ Mobile or Cellular Phone which could be used in an emergency

Phone number ___________________________________________________

Bimultilingual Language(s) _________________________________________

32

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix H

STAKEHOLDER CONTACT COMMUNICATION SHEET (one per team member)Stakeholder _______________________Responsible party___________________

Time Media Message Feedback (if applicable)

33

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix I Continuity of Service

34

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix JSCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear faculty and staff members

We would like to thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your professionalism and dedication were evident as we all worked to quiet and soothe scared students and allay their fears while still tending to instructional responsibilities

We know that this has been an extremely difficult time for you as well as the students Without your courage and concern our school could not possibly have come through this crisis as well as we did

Thank you once again Your expertise and commitment have enabled all of us towork together as a team and overcome this tragic situation

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

35

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

SCHOOL LETTERHEAD

Thank You Letter

Dear volunteers

I want to personally thank you for your support during the recent crisis at our school Your assistance helped school staff with continuity and enhanced our ability to effectively manage the situation

While I certainly do not hope to have another crisis at our school I am encouraged to know that we have people like you available to lend a hand in both good and difficult times

Sincerely

Principal

(Source Norfolk City Public Schools Norfolk VA)

36

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix KCrisis Response Report for Zones

School Crisis Response Team Report(Due within 3 days of incident)

Date

Description of incident (include date time place)

Immediate actions by School Crisis Response Team

Describe assistance provided by Emergency Services

Describe assistance provided by other community agenciesorganizations

Follow-up which has occurredis occurringWith studentsWith facultystaffWith parent(s)guardian(s) of student(s) involvedWith community

Recommendations to improve responses to such crises in the future_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Principal Signature

Date

Attach a list of students parents and community members directly involved in the fire including their names addresses and phone numbers

37

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix LCrisis Evaluation Form

Evaluation of Crisis Response Team Intervention

The School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) seeks your input to help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention during the recent crisis at our school We appreciate you completing this form as soon as possible and return it to the school officeI Please indicate with an ldquoXrdquo the response which most closely reflects your evaluation of the following

1 Speed of SCRTrsquos response to the crisis____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

2 Comprehensiveness of SCRTrsquos response____________ ____________ ____________ very delayed adequate very timely

3 Effectiveness of SCRTs responses in meeting studentsrsquo needs____________ ____________ ____________ not helpful adequate very helpful

4 Assistance to teachers in the classroom____________ ____________ ____________ not supportive adequate very supportive

5 Quality of communication with the school faculty and staff____________ ____________ ____________not informative adequate very explanatory

6 Support and guidance to individual teachers and staff____________ ____________ ____________ ineffective adequate very empathic

7 Assistance to the administrative staff____________ ____________ ____________ limited adequate comprehensive

8 Amount of time allocated for intervention____________ ____________ ____________ insufficient adequate very sufficient

9 Support to families in need____________ ____________ ____________ lacking adequate outstanding

10 Communication of information to parents____________ ____________ ____________ minimal adequate thorough

38

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

II Please circle the adjectives which best describe the studentsrsquo reactions to theSCRTrsquos intervention

Satisfied ___________ Positive ___________

Angry _____________ Negative __________

Ambivalent _________ Receptive __________

Grateful ____________ Hostile ____________

Relieved ___________ Apathetic __________

III Please describe any significant reactions the students had to the SCRT intervention which should be considered in future interventions_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

IV Please comment on any aspects of the intervention you found particularly helpful or areas which you think should be modified

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

School _________________________________

Signature (optional) ___________________________

Return to School Office(Source Fairfax County Public Schools Fairfax VA)

39

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix MParental Tips for dealing with a crisis

Children may be especially upset and express feelings about the disaster These reactions are normal and usually will not last long Listed below are some problems you may see in your child

10485771048577Excessive fear of darkness separation or being alone10485771048577Clinging to parents fear of strangers10485771048577Worry10485771048577Increase in immature behaviors10485771048577Not wanting to go to school10485771048577Changes in eatingsleeping behaviors10485771048577Increase in either aggressive behavior or shyness10485771048577Bed wetting or thumb sucking10485771048577Persistent nightmares andor10485771048577Headaches or other physical complaints

The following will help your child10485771048577Talk with your child about hisher feelings about the disaster10485771048577Share your feelings too10485771048577Talk about what happened Give your child information heshe can understand10485771048577Reassure your child that you are safe and together You may need to repeat this reassurance often10485771048577Hold and touch your child often10485771048577Spend extra time with your child at bedtime10485771048577Allow your child to mourn or grieve over a lost toy a lost blanket a lost home10485771048577If you feel your child is having problems at school talk to hisher teacher so you can work together to help your child

Please reread this sheet from time to time in the coming months Usually a childrsquos emotional response to a disaster will not last long but some problems may be present or recur for many months afterward

Your community mental health center is staffed by professionals skilled in talking with people experiencing disaster-related problems

(Source Association of California School Administrators)

40

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix NHow Parents Can Help Maintain Safe Schools

Parents can contribute significantly to establishing and maintaining safe schools Here are some ideas that parents in other communities have tried

o Discuss the schools discipline policy with your child Show your support for the rules and help your child understand why

o Involve your child in setting rules for appropriate behavior at homeo Talk with your child about the violence he or she sees on television in video

games and possibly in the neighborhood Help your child understand the consequences of violence

o Teach your child how to solve problems Praise your child when he or she follows through

o Help your child find ways to show anger that do not involve verbally or physically hurting others

o When you get angry use it as an opportunity to model these appropriate responses for your child and talk about it

o Help your child understand the value of accepting individual differenceso Note any disturbing behaviors in your child For example frequent angry outbursts

excessive fighting and bullying of other children cruelty to animals fire setting frequent behavior problems at school and in the neighborhood lack of friends and alcohol or drug use can be signs of serious problems Get help for your child Talk with a trusted professional

o Get to know your childs friendso Listen to your child if he or she shares concerns about friends who may be

exhibiting troubling behaviors Share this information with a trusted professional such as the school psychologist principal or teacher

o Be involved in your childs school life by supporting and reviewing homework talking with his or her teacher(s) and attending school functions such as parent conferences class programs open houses and PTA meetings

o Work with your childs school to make it more responsive to all students and to all families

o Share your ideas about how the school can encourage family involvement welcome all families and include them in meaningful ways in their childrens education

o Volunteer to work with school-based and community groups concerned with violence prevention

o Talk with the parents of your childs friends Discuss how you can form a team to ensure your childs safety

o Find out if your employer offers provisions for parents to participate in school activities

(Source Early Warning Timely Response A Guide for Safe Schools)

41

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Teaching Children Fire Safety

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire Each year more than 3500 Americans die in fires and approximately 18300 are injured One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is playing with a heat source which includes lighters and matches Children under age 10 account for 93 percent of deaths and 38 percent of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to playing with a heat source

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future Below are some facts about children and fire safety

Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy

Children age 14 and under make up 10-15 of all fire deaths Fifty-two percent of all child fire deaths occur to those under age 5 These children are

usually unable to escape from a fire independently At home children usually play with fire in bedrooms in closets and under beds These are

secret places where there are many things that easily catch fire Too often child fire setters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and

teachers Consequently they repeat their fire-setting behavior

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

Supervise young children closely Donrsquot leave them alone even for short periods Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet Have your children tell you when they find matches and lighters Check under beds and in closets for burned matches evidence your child may be playing

with fire Develop a home fire escape plan practice it with your children and designate a meeting

place outside Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is not a toy Teach children the nature of fire It is FAST HOT DARK and DEADLY Teach children not to hide from firefighters but to get out quickly and call for help from

another location Show children how to crawl low on the floor below the smoke to get out of the house and

stay out in the case of fire Demonstrate how to stop drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire Install smoke alarms on every level in your home Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year Replace the smoke alarm every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer Finally having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a

fire Also remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family(Source Federal Emergency Management Agency)

42

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43

Appendix O

Online Resources on Fire Safety

National Resources

US Fire Administration for Kids httpwwwusfafemagovkids

PBS Kids Fire Safety Tips httppbskidsorgarthurfiresafetyindexhtml

Fire Safety for Parents httpwwwfiresafetyforkidsorgparentshtml

Livestrongcom Fire Safety Tips for Parents wwwlivestrongcomarticle212940-fire - safety - tips-for-parents

Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) httpwwwsamhsagovcmhshtm

National Law-Related Education Resource Center wwwabanetorgpublicednlr

National Safe Schools Resource Center wwwnwrelorgsafeindexhtml

National Safety Council httpwwwnscorg

National School Safety Center wwwnssc1org

Local resources

Charlotte Fire Department httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFirePagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department Station Locations httpcharmeckorgcitycharlotteFireFireStationsPagesdefaultaspx

Charlotte Fire Department YouTube Channel httpwwwyoutubecomprofileuser=CharlotteFireDeptpu

Charlotte Fire Department Blog httpwwwmybloglogcombuzzmembersCharlotteFireDeptnewwithme

Charlotte Fire Department Public Information httpgroupsyahoocomgroupCharlotte_FD

43