Resources

• Mitigation Prevention
• Mitigation/Preparedness for Special Needs
• Preparedness
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Incident Command System and Response Team

K-12 School Security Survey

This computerized U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) survey is intended to help K-12 school personnel evaluate their physical security current practices and identify ways to prevent and protect against active shooter threats. Each selected answer generates an option outlining a specific course of action that school personnel may wish to consider, based on their existing security practices and the resources that have available, among other factors. For more information, refer to Homeland Security K-12 (School Security) Survey.

Fire Drills

Two (2) fire exit drills shall be conducted during the first thirty (30) days of the school term and one (1) additional fire exit drill each month school is in session. During the winter months of December, January & February fire exit drills may be deferred, if there have been at least six (6) fire exit drills conducted before the drills have been deferred. Fire exit drills shall be unannounced and conducted during different hours of the day. Orderly and well executed fire exit drills are a means of saving lives in the event of a fire or other emergency.

• School Fire Exit Drill Safety Report form
• State Fire Marshall Regulations – General Guidelines for Principals

Best Practice Considerations for Schools in Active Shooter Drills

The National Association of School Psychologists and the National Association of School Resource Officers have partnered to provide this guidance on armed assailant training. Input was received from Safe and Sound Schools: A Sandy Hook Initiative and the ALiCE Training Institute. This document provides guidance on the important factors schools must take into account when considering and choosing to conduct armed assailant drills. It does not constitute an endorsement of a particular approach to training nor a specific training program. For more information, refer to this best practices document.

The primary focus of crisis response is restoring equilibrium to address immediate and short-term physical and mental health needs of students and staff, and in many cases parents of involved students.

During this phases schools must contact and utilize the school and community professionals that were identified during the planning stage to address the specific crisis. The school crisis team will engage community partners identified in the crisis plan. The mental health crisis response team will support students and staff in a calm and nurturing manner teaching appropriate evidence-based coping strategies, and problem- solving and decision-making strategies designed to restore equilibrium.

Crisis response professionals identify students and staff who need follow- up during the recovery phase and begin connecting them with initial resources to address immediate and short-term needs. In the aftermath of a crisis or disaster, mental health interventions are designed to reduce distress and foster adaptive coping for the survivors (NCTSN/NCPTSD, 2006).

Resources

• Lockdown
• Shelter in Place
• Evacuation
• Evacuation – Special Needs Planning
• Reunification
• Crisis Communications
• Crisis Communications – Special Needs
• Free Resources from the I love u guys Foundation:
  • Standard Response Protocol K12
  • Standard Reunification Method (SRM)

Disasters and other emergencies can happen at any time, and when they happen at school, everyone should be prepared to handle them safely and effectively. Administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students can work together to promote and maintain school-wide safety and minimize the effects of emergencies and other dangerous situations. These resources are provided to help schools and planning teams prepare for various disasters and other emergencies to stay safe.

Best Practices and Resources:

• Fire
• Hazardous Materials/Chemicals
• Natural Gas Leak
• Power Outage
• Explosion
• Severe Weather/Tornado
• Winter Storm
• Flooding Incident
• Earthquake
• Animal Incident

School bus drivers are entrusted with the lives and safety of students whose value cannot be measured. Administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students can work together to promote and maintain school bus safety and minimize the effects of emergencies and other dangerous situations. These resources are provided to help schools and planning teams prepare for various school transportation incidents to help students and staff stay safe.

Best Practices and Resources:

• Bus Incident/Accident
• Bus Hostage Situation
• Weapon on Bus/Active Shooter

There is nothing more important to us than the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and visitors. Administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students can work together to plan for, promote and maintain school-wide safety and minimize the effects of emergencies and other dangerous situations. These resources are provided to help schools and planning teams prepare for various incidents related to school violence to help keep our school community safe.

Resources

• Physical Assault/Fighting
• Sexual Assault
• Unarmed Intruder/Trespassing
• Unauthorized Removal/Abduction
• Hostage Situation
• Weapons-Armed Person
• Armed Attack-Active Shooter
• Bomb Threat

These resources were designed to help school administrators, teachers, and crisis team members respond to the needs of students and staff after a loss has impacted the school environment, such as after the death of a student or staff member or when deaths occur that affect many people in the community.

Resources

• Medical Emergency
• Suicide Attempt/Threat
• Death of Student/Staff Member

For information on Nuclear Crisis Planning, please refer to Nuclear – Event Aid document