Shelter-in Place
A shelter-in place is used when there is not enough time to evacuate or when it would be harmful to leave the building, such as during hazardous material spills. Students and staff stay in the building, and windows and doors are sealed. There can be limited movement throughout the building.
Accountability and Student Release Procedures
When there is a crisis, make sure to account for all students, staff, and visitors. Emergency responders treat a situation very differently if someone is missing. For example, when a bomb threat occurs, the stakes are a lot higher if firefighters do not know whether there are students in the school while they are trying to locate or disarm a bomb.
Be sure to communicate with family members about release procedures before a crisis occurs. Many times, families flock to the school and want to collect their children immediately. A method should be in place for tracking student release.
Practice
Preparedness includes emergency drills and crisis exercises for both students and staff members. Many times, training and practice identify issues that need to be addressed before a crisis occurs. Teachers also need to be trained on how to deal and manage students during a crisis, especially those experiencing panic reactions.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-7. A _____ is used when there is not enough time to evacuate.
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