EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR SCHOOLS

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EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESSFOR SCHOOLS
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STATISTICS

• Sophomore Views on ViolenceTexas A M survey of
  1,004 tenth graders
• 34 of students reported having been threatened
  with bodily harm at school or on a school bus
• 15 claimed they had something taken from them by
  force or threat of bodily harm
• 14 said they had been physically attacked

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Statistics

• Sophomore Views
• 50 of boys and 28 of girls were in at least one
  fight during the previous year
• More than 20 said that threatening to use a
  weapon would help prevent fights
• Nearly 17 thought acting tough would deter
  altercations.

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statistics

• School Violence Statistics
• 37 of students dont feel safe in school
• 20 avoid hallways
• 43 avoid restrooms
• 25 of girls 49 of boys reported being
  physically assaulted
• continued

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statistics

• School Violence Statistics
• 63 of students say they would learn more if they
  felt more safe at school
• 81 of students say they would be happier if they
  felt safe at school
• Kids skip school at least one day every month
  because they are afraid to go to class

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A passive victim can be one of the most dangerous
children you have to deal with!
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VIDEO GAMES
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Violence Breeds Violence
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Retards the Brain
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How Did We Get Here?

• In every school shooting, the shooter told
  someone what he/she intended to do
• Every school shooter advised someone else of
  their intentions
• There is no school shooter profile
• Society demands that something be done

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PLANGoals for Violence Prevention Response Plan

• Prepare school, family community members to
  identify the behavioral emotional signs of
  trouble
• Prepare all with what to do when a child is
  identified
• Determine how school community resources can be
  used to create safe responsive schools service
  systems to address troubled youth violent acts

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Early Warning Signs

• Social withdrawal
• Excessive feelings of isolation
• Excessive feelings of rejection
• Being a victim of violence
• Feeling of being picked on/persecuted
• Low school interest poor academics
• Expressions of violence in writing, etc.
• Uncontrolled anger
• Intolerance for differences and prejudice

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Early Warning Signs

• Patterns of impulsive chronic hitting,
• intimidating, bullying behaviors
• History of discipline problems
• History of violent aggressive behavior
• Drug alcohol use
• Affiliation with gangs
• Inappropriate access to possession of use of
  firearms
• Serious threats of violence

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prevention

• TRADITIONAL WARNING SIGNS
• EARLY INTERVENTION PHILOSOPHY
• TONE (CLIMATE OF SCHOOL)
• DAY-TO-DAY SECURITY
• PROACTIVE MANAGEMENT
• RISK VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT

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Imminent Warning Signs

• Progressive patterns that may include
• Serious violent fighting with peers family
• Severe destruction of property
• Severe rage for seemingly minor reasons
• Detailed threats of lethal violence
• Possession/use of firearms and other weapons
• Self-injurious behaviors or threats/attempts at
  suicide

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When a Crisis Strikes

• Assess life safety issues immediately.
• Provide immediate emergency care.
• Call 911 notify police/rescue first. Call the
  superintendent second.
• Convene the crisis team to assess the situation
  and implement the crisis response procedures.
• Evaluate available needed resources

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When a Crisis Strikes...

• Adjust the bell schedule to ensure safety during
  the crisis.
• Alert people in charge of various information
  systems to prevent confusion misinformation.
  Notify parents.
• Contact appropriate community agencies the
  school districts public information office.
• Implement post-crisis procedures

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In the Aftermath of a Crisis

• Help parents understand their childrens reaction
  to violence.
• Help staff deal with their reactions.
• Help students faculty adjust.
• Help victims family members re-enter the school
  environment.
• Help students teachers address the return of a
  previously removed student.

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CONSEQUENCES OF MAJOR EMERGENCIES

• THE INSTANT PROBLEM
• PUBLIC RELATIONS
• POLITICAL
• MORALE
• CONTINUING TENSION
• BUDGET
• LEGAL PROBLEMS

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LESSONS LEARNED

• THREE PRINCIPLES
• PREVENTION
• PREPAREDNESS
• LEADERSHIP
• IT CAN HAPPEN HERE
• ITS NOT OVER WHEN ITS OVER
• EVENT AND COVERAGE ARE INTERACTIVE
• POSTMAN DOESNT RING TWICE
• PRE-EVENT TONE MAY DETERMINE EXTENT OF THE
  VIOLENCE

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Public information

• GENERAL POLICY VS EMERGENCIES
• WHO AUTHORIZES
• TIMING
• RUMOR CONTROL
• ONE CHANNEL OUT
• TO WHOM-MEDIA, STAFF, STUDENTS, FAMILIES,
  COMMUNITIES

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Where to Begin?

• Create the Foundation
• Form the Team
• Develop the Plan

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Create the Foundation

• A Responsive School
• Ensures high academic behavioral standards
• Has a caring supportive staff that connects to
  each child
• Finds solves school problems
• Involves the family links with the whole
  community
• Shares issues among all

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Foundation for Safe, Responsive Schools

• Treat ALL students families with equal respect
• Ensure ways for students to share safety concerns
  
• Ensure safe, confidential ways for students to
  express their needs, fears, anxieties to caring
  adults
• Protect against abuse neglect
• Reduce risk behaviors w/ extended day programs
• Coordinate tailor services to prevent too
  little too late
• REGULARLY EVALUATE RESULTS

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Create the Foundation for a Safe School
Environment

• Strong leadership
• Caring faculty
• Parent community involvement
• Student participation in design
• Interventions based on careful assessment
  setting measurable goals
• Research based prevention intervention
• Access to quality team consultation

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Create the Foundation for a Safe School
Environment

• Policies that support responsible behavior
• Community-developed code of conduct
• Negative consequences only within positive
  reinforcing environment
• Zero tolerance for guns zero reject from
  educational opportunity for all

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Create the Foundation for a Safe School
Environment

• Schools physical environment is evaluated
  monitored
• Everyone is responsible
• Class size is small
• Campus is closed for lunch
• Dismissal is staggered
• Community police are welcome and services are
  coordinated
• After school programs

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Principles for UsingEarly Warning Signs

• DO NO HARM
• Understand the context
• -- developmental
• -- school, home community
• Avoid stereotypes
• Look for multiple, not singular warning signs
• AVOID MISINTERPRETATION

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procedure

• INITIAL REPORT
• NOTIFICATION
• SECURE
• TRIAGE
• IDENTIFY
• NOTIFICATION II
• COLLECT
• TRAIN

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INITIAL REPORT

• WHO REPORTED THE EMERGENCY
• WHAT IS THE EMERGENCY
• WHERE IS THE EMERGENCY
• WEAPONS (if known)
• INJURIES (if known)

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notification

• 9-1-1
• PRINCIPAL
• ALL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENT
• SCHOOL NURSE-MEDICAL
• SUPERINTENDENT

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SECURE

• SECURE OR EVACUATE
• ASSEMBLE
• ACCOUNTABILITY

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TRIAGE

• SET UP PRE-DESIGNATED TRIAGE (if applicable)
• MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
• TRANSPORT
• TRACK LOCATION OF MOVEMENT

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IDENTIFY

• EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
• (COMMAND POST)
• MEDIA STAGING AREA
• REUNIFICATION AREA

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NOTIFICATION II

• SCHOOL CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM
• CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT TEAM
• NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFICE OF SCHOOL
  SAFETY

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COLLECT

• REPORTS
• STUDENTS
• STAFF
• VOLUNTEERS
• REVIEW ALL DOCUMENTS

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TRAIN

• DETERMINE TRAINING NEEDS
• SELF AUDIT
• TRAINING SCHEDULE
• DRILLS

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RE-ENTRY

• CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
• INFORM ALL STAFF IN DETAIL
• INFORM STUDENTS FAMILIES
• HAVE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS ON SITE AND AVAILABLE

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VIDEO

• The First 20 Minutes

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Summary

• Behaviors to Look For
• angry outbursts
• excessive fighting bullying
• cruelty to animals
• fire setting
• frequent behavior problems at school
• frequent problems in the neighborhood
• lack of friends
• alcohol / drug use
• lack of academic progress

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NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

• LELA LOWRY
• SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM SPECIALIST
• 301 CENTENNIAL MALL SOUTH
• PO BOX 94987
• LINCOLN, NEBRASKA 68509-4987
• 402-471-1925
• Lela.lowry_at_nde.ne.gov
• www.nde.state.ne.us/safety