School Emergency Preparedness

Each School Shall Have In Place:

1.      An in-building Emergency Response Team:

·        The team will be composed of at least the following:  Principal, Secretary, Nurse, Faculty representative, Assistant Principal, Counselor, Advisor of Student Government (secondary level) and Custodian.

·        The team is activated by Principal or designee, as needed, to respond to school emergency or crisis.

2.      A chain of command with the Principal as the lead person.

·        The Principal will be the chief spokesperson for the school and all media questions will be referred to the Principal.  This may be coordinated with the spokesperson for any other agency which may be involved in an emergency. 

·        At the secondary level, the Assistant Principal will be second in the chain.

·        A "back-up" administrator will be identified in the absences of the building administration.

·        At all schools, the Secretary will be next in line and be responsible for:

·        Implementing the in-building communication system.

·        Answering the phone and giving the agreed upon message.

·        Instructing other people who answer phones of the agreed upon message.

3.      Staff phone numbers and emergency information cards for each employee.

4.      A staff phone tree.

5.      Current rosters and photographs of each student.

6.      A method to contact parents and a procedure to allow parents to pick-up children following an emergency.  The high school should have staff in the parking lot to check student drivers and passengers.

7.      An in-building communication system including:

·        A signal for alerting staff to an emergency.

·        Guidelines for using or not using the PA system in emergency situations.

8.      A system to contact outside agencies or personnel.  Buildings are to contact in the following order:

·        Emergency Agency (depending on emergency);

·        School Nurse;

·        Support Services (if emergency involves building systems);

·        Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent (all cases;

·        Debbie Haddad – x4606 (to put message on recorder, and give correct information);

·        Parents/Legal Guardians;

·        Key Communicators.

 9.     A media area where media will be directed.  Media will not be allowed in other places on the campus.

10.    Key communicators who are influential patrons and who are expected to give the correct information to the community.

11.    A system to contact siblings.

12.    A system to provide information and support to the surviving group (students and staff) including the provision for using both large and small groups.

13.    Alternate places to house students on a temporary basis.

14.    Necessary equipment/material provided by the Building Safety Committee:

·        Shelter and portable communication system;

·        Battery powered radio

·        Two-way radio

·        Food and water for 24 hours;

·        First aid equipment;

·        Plastic garbage bags;

·        Filters and masks;

·        Flashlights;

·        Blankets;

·        Paper towels;

·        Current emergency telephone list.

 Yearly Readiness List

             Update Command Structure

             First aid training for staff

             Refill students' comfort kits

             Check all batteries and buckets

             Get classroom buddy teacher list

             Parent education meeting on disaster

             Update Health Concern List

             Fire drill – monthly by ________________________________________________________

             Earthquake drill – monthly by _________________________________________________

             Lockdown drill – monthly by __________________________________________________

             Review and update Emergency Preparedness Plan in all areas – annually by _______________________________________________________________________________________

             Check all containers – annually by_______________________________________________

             Classroom clipboards updated – annually by _____________________________________

             Phone numbers updated – annually by __________________________________________

             Training updates for staff

             Skills training for new staff

             Disaster procedure packets for substitutes

             Water exchange