Critical Incident Response Planning for Schools: Some Lessons Learned

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Critical Incident Response Planning for
SchoolsSome Lessons Learned

• Clare Dallat
• Director of Risk Management
• The Outdoor Education Group

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What is Crisis Management?

• Crisis management is a complex, highly
  interactive process which necessitates a
  considerable degree of strategic thinking on the
  part of management before the onset of crisis
  (Sipica and Smith 19924).

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Ultimate Goals of Crisis Management

• To best support students, staff and school (at a
  very difficult time)
• To keep school operating (at a very difficult
  time) and ensure it continues to do so.

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Dealing with an angry public

• Acceptable accidents
• Risk Perception - car accident vs. death on
  outdoor programs/ school excursions
• c.70 already think you are hiding something
  before you start speaking. (Susskind Field
  1996)

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Overview of OEGs Critical Incident Response Plan
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Definition of a Critical Incident

• A fatality
• Serious injury or illness with threat to life or
  limb
• Missing person / group (after 1 hour)
• Other situation, as judged by field staff.
• OEG acknowledges NOLS in the development of this
  plan.

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Incident Command System (specific to OEG)
Incident Commander (IC)
AHC
Field Operations
Communications
School / Family Relations
Documentation
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First Actions of All Hours Contact (AHC)

• (If relevant) Contact school/organisation AHC
  they activate their plan
• Key objective maximise efficiency of response

• Gather all available information identify as a
  critical incident
• Activate IC system
• Contacting key staff
• Set up base

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Possible Components of School CR Plan

• All Hours Contact
• Incident Commander
• Family Liaison
• Media / Communication (Internal/External)
• Operations
• Documentation

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Incident Commander

• To oversee incident response
• Lead sub teams
• Assign roles
• Distribute most current information
• Inform board
• Organise counselling

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All Hours Contact (AHC)

• Enact Crisis Response Plan
• Contact person to the field
• Contact school/organisation AHC (If relevant)
• Information transfer
• Initial contact with outside authorities
• Accurate documentation

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(Field) Operations

• Develop and enact field response plan
• Organise necessary resources
• Food, communications, equipment
• Liaise with outside authorities
• Brief field response teams
• Accurate documentation

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Communications

• Coordinate all aspects of media
• Regular updated information
• Media area
• Spokesperson
• Internal communications
• Ensuring accuracy professional approach
• Accurate documentation

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(School) Family Relations

• Liaising with family ( school) - Who notifies
  Next of Kin?
• Regular information updates
• Always the Number 1 need Information
• Senior staff members to site?
• Counselling
• Single point of contact

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Documentation

• Gather evaluate incoming information
• Ensure documentation is complete and legible
• Filing
• Monitor external documentation (media)

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When is Crisis Response Over?

• Initially twofold
• Immediate needs of all involved have been
  addressed
• Counselling (PTSD)
• Upcoming programs, events, business?
• Incident review has occurred (external or
  internal)
• Ongoing needs of all involved are addressed

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Testing the Plan

• How often?
• Importance of prior preparation
• Details, details, details
• Observer roles
• Bring outsiders in
• Review and share results with staff

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Some key learning's

• Importance of receptionist
• Mobile phones are a reality
• Plans and people date rapidly
• Single points of communication
• Have media statements pre outlined
• Preparing for press conference
• Mass communication
• Website updates IT support
• Phone messages recorded and updated

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Learnings continued..

• Other participants returning to school/home
• Other programs you may have out from base
• Informing next of kin - accompany police
• Staff members involved and their next of kin
• Private meeting rooms office space
• Planning for a marathon, not a sprint
• Attending to wishes of next of kin
• Staff attrition
• Ongoing relations with family
• External authorities and investigations
• Birthdays, holidays and anniversaries

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Questions?
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Thank-You!

• Email dallatc_at_oeg.vic.edu.au
• Website
• www.oeg.net.au