SCHOOL EMERGENCY PLANNING
Nothing is more important than keeping our children safe while they learn and grow at school. In today's complicated world, school districts face unprecedented challenges in providing a safe and secure environment for students and staff. State requirements and guidelines exist to help school districts establish basic plans but combining these requirements with the day-to-day operations of a school district can be challenging. Resource Solutions Associates can help your school create a safety-conscious environment for students and staff and guide administrators in establishing a culture of safety and security. Our experienced consultants can help assess risks, evaluate response resources, develop plans and procedures to manage unpredictable incidents, implement a training and exercise program, and collaborate with community first responders to develop a comprehensive, community-wide approach to school safety.
School safety and security is much more than simply having an emergency plan. It's more than buzzers at doors and security officers in the parking lot. Comprehensive school safety and security is understanding the hazards and risks, identifying vulnerabilities and gaps, and being prepared to act promptly, decisively, and accurately when an incident occurs. School safety is physical security, hazard recognition, and procedure development combined with diligent practice and critical evaluation of exercise performance. Administrative policies and procedures must align with and support safety and security measures and training and exercises must reinforce appropriate application of safety protocols. Through expert emergency planning efforts, these elements can be combined so that schools can capture the real hazards to which they are vulnerable and prioritize where to invest time, money, and energy in improving safety and security.
School safety and security is much more than simply having an emergency plan. It's more than buzzers at doors and security officers in the parking lot. Comprehensive school safety and security is understanding the hazards and risks, identifying vulnerabilities and gaps, and being prepared to act promptly, decisively, and accurately when an incident occurs. School safety is physical security, hazard recognition, and procedure development combined with diligent practice and critical evaluation of exercise performance. Administrative policies and procedures must align with and support safety and security measures and training and exercises must reinforce appropriate application of safety protocols. Through expert emergency planning efforts, these elements can be combined so that schools can capture the real hazards to which they are vulnerable and prioritize where to invest time, money, and energy in improving safety and security.
School Emergency Plan Components
Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
A comprehensive Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) is a critical element in safety planning. Some emergencies take the form of hostile events, such as assaults, threats, domestic violence, criminal activity, and incidents involving weapons. Others are the result of natural external forces like severe weather, accidents involving hazardous materials and chemicals, or infrastructure or technology outages. The THIRA is a step-by-step process that helps school administrators identify these threats and hazards, determine the impact an incident would have on the school and community, and determine what capabilities the school needs to prepare for and respond to those hazards and threats. The THIRA is the basis for the emergency operations plan and safety procedures.
School Emergency Operations Plan
The School Emergency Operations Plan (School EOP) outlines the roles and responsibilities of administrators, staff, students, and others in the school community during an emergency, provides protocols for responding to identified threats and hazards, and discusses how the school district interacts with community first responders.
Training and Exercises
Training and exercises are a vital element of safety planning. Training provides school administrators and staff with a detailed understanding of the district's safety procedures and expectations; exercises offer the opportunity to practice carrying out the identified procedures in a safe, no-fault environment. A comprehensive training and exercise plan is the difference between safety plans collecting dust on a shelf and a culture of safety and security.
A comprehensive Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) is a critical element in safety planning. Some emergencies take the form of hostile events, such as assaults, threats, domestic violence, criminal activity, and incidents involving weapons. Others are the result of natural external forces like severe weather, accidents involving hazardous materials and chemicals, or infrastructure or technology outages. The THIRA is a step-by-step process that helps school administrators identify these threats and hazards, determine the impact an incident would have on the school and community, and determine what capabilities the school needs to prepare for and respond to those hazards and threats. The THIRA is the basis for the emergency operations plan and safety procedures.
School Emergency Operations Plan
The School Emergency Operations Plan (School EOP) outlines the roles and responsibilities of administrators, staff, students, and others in the school community during an emergency, provides protocols for responding to identified threats and hazards, and discusses how the school district interacts with community first responders.
Training and Exercises
Training and exercises are a vital element of safety planning. Training provides school administrators and staff with a detailed understanding of the district's safety procedures and expectations; exercises offer the opportunity to practice carrying out the identified procedures in a safe, no-fault environment. A comprehensive training and exercise plan is the difference between safety plans collecting dust on a shelf and a culture of safety and security.