School Emergency Planning Guide

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson
Download our mobile app to listen on the go
Get App

Questions and Answers

Within the context of emergency operations planning as defined by PPD-8, elucidate the distinction between 'Protection' and 'Mitigation', and then construct a scenario where both strategies are simultaneously implemented within a school setting.

Protection focuses on securing schools against violence and disasters, while mitigation reduces the impact of emergencies. A school installs reinforced doors (Protection) and conducts earthquake drills (Mitigation)

Critically evaluate the assertion that the Incident Command System (ICS) universally enhances the effectiveness of school emergency response, considering potential limitations related to resource availability and personnel expertise within diverse school districts.

ICS enhances effectiveness by standardizing incident management. Limitations arise in under-resourced schools lacking trained personnel, potentially hindering proper ICS implementation and efficacy.

Formulate a novel metric that integrates qualitative stakeholder feedback with quantitative vulnerability assessment data to provide a more nuanced risk prioritization framework for a school emergency operations plan.

A 'Perceived Risk Amplification Factor' (PRAF) could weight quantitative risk scores based on stakeholder perceptions gathered via surveys and interviews, providing adjusted, qualitative influenced, risk priorities.

Hypothesize a novel technique for quantifying the potential for cascading effects resulting from a specific hazard impacting a school, and detail how this quantification could inform resource allocation decisions.

<p>A 'Resilience Dependency Matrix' could map interdependencies between school functions. Quantifying cascading effects by assessing the vulnerability of critical functions affects resource allocation decisions during planning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Develop an innovative methodology for integrating the access and functional needs of the whole school community within the planning process, accounting for diverse linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds.

<p>Using 'Community Liaison Teams' composed of representatives from diverse groups to directly inform planning, complemented by universal design principles in plan development to accommodate diverse needs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of school emergency operations, analyze the potential conflicts that may arise between the ethical imperative to protect student privacy and the operational need to share information with first responders.

<p>Potential conflicts exist when sharing sensitive student data (medical, behavioral) is necessary for responders' effectiveness but violates privacy. Clear protocols and FERPA exceptions are essential.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Propose a novel approach to dynamically integrating real-time environmental sensor data (e.g., air quality, seismic activity) into a school's emergency operations plan to trigger automated responses.

<p>Develop a 'Situational Awareness Platform' integrating sensor data to trigger pre-defined protocols. For e.g., elevated CO2 levels automatically initiate ventilation and alert staff.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Critically assess the limitations of relying solely on standardized templates for school emergency operations plans, particularly concerning their adaptability to the unique socio-cultural contexts of individual school communities.

<p>Templates risk neglecting unique community needs and nuances, causing ineffective plans. Customization informed by local factors is crucial for relevant, effective emergency response.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Devise an assessment matrix that evaluates the effectiveness of school emergency drills accounting for student engagement, staff preparedness, and coordination with external agencies, and then propose methods to improve drill efficacy using the results.

<p>Assessment includes, observation checklists. The matrix output, identifies weakness like a lack of engagement, and then informs targeted actions (e.g., more training or better coordination).</p> Signup and view all the answers

Elaborate on strategies to foster resilience among students and staff in the aftermath of a school emergency, accounting for the varying levels of exposure and individual coping mechanisms.

<p>Strategies include tiered mental health support, peer support programs, trauma-informed training for staff, and flexible academic accommodations tailored to individual needs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given the complexities of familial dynamics, outline a protocol to ensure the proper reunification of K-12 students, especially in scenarios where custody arrangements are legally ambiguous and families are geographically dispersed.

<p>A 'Verified Guardian Database', cross-referenced with legal documentation and accessible remotely with multi factor authentication, paired with localized reunification sites to minimize travel.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Imagine a scenario where prolonged shelter-in-place is needed for a K-12 school due to catastrophic external factors. Deliberate comprehensive strategies to address waste management, hygiene, and psychological well-being, accounting for diverse needs.

<p>Pre-stocked sanitation kits, designated hygiene areas with limited water use, mandatory psychological de-briefings streamed into classrooms, and designated quiet zones by year level.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of limited resources, design a comprehensive communication strategy that effectively informs parents in diverse linguistic groups about potential K-12 disasters (natural, accidental or man made). The strategy should function before, during, and after disasters.

<p>Pre-event: Multilingual SMS alerts and social media channels. During: Translated automated voice calls to phones, social media. Post-event- community leaders conduct in person briefing events.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given the diverse technological readiness, what innovative communication approaches can ensure K-12 emergency information reaches non-digital native care providers, balancing speed and reliability.

<p>Leverage community bulletin boards, automated radio broadcasts, and partnerships with houses of worships, ensuring all families receive information regardless of internet access.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Critically evaluate how threat assessment team members can remain compliant with FERPA and HIPAA, especially given the need for sensitive student data, and propose a framework for consistent K-12 data.

<p>Training and policy must limit data access. Data usage should be defined based on school and district policies. Threat assessment team protocols needs to have clear guidelines around data.</p> Signup and view all the answers

For building a positive K-12 climate, discuss how administrators might resolve tensions around open communication plus cultural sensitivities while helping to de-escalate issues.

<p>Establish trust within the school, focus on inclusion, highlight role models plus cultural mentors, proactive outreach events for various cultures, and safe communication avenues for issues to be raised.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Deliberate steps to improve active shooter drills, given student anxiety around these activities. Prioritize physical safety, reduce stress, and discuss mental health, given wide age ranges.

<p>Improve safety through a 'no reveal' active shooter training session, and reduce stress via voluntary attendance, mental care services, and psychological first aiders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given limited resources, which single technological intervention do you think would do the most to improve security, communication, and coordination during a K-12 active shooter situation?

<p>A schoolwide crisis system and associated training has the highest effectiveness. For e.g., mass-SMS with geo-location, plus secure admin/police communication.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can schools use data and analytics with the support of Artificial Intelligence to anticipate and quickly head off active shooter K-12 situations, but not cross the line on civil liberty abuses during the attempt?

<p>Use anomaly detection to detect communication. Create a list of threatening words. Have a human review these situations to ensure civil rights.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Discuss how to effectively balance law enforcement's information needs around active shooter events with privacy rights, focusing on data availability, use limits and impact transparency.

<p>Create data policies with tight parameters. Collect threat indicators. Don't store data over time, plus disclose metrics to stakeholders on impact of the tools. These items can ensure balance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a K-12, school climate, versus security, what's the best way to make all students feel safe, accepted, + included, which has huge benefits around their performance and wellness.

<p>Focus should be on diversity and anti-bullying initiatives - plus support of mental health resources, and celebrate various successes plus achievements from all cultures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

As a security and safety administrator how would you use data from multiple local school incident reports and combine that with outside sources, such as city public health - creating steps to protect K-12 schools?

<p>Use this combined data to inform threat assessments, prevention plans, and resource allocation. Prioritize specific and local needs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Walk through a creative multi-channel communication process for the first 72 hours after a catastrophic earthquake to reach and reunite K -12 students, families, staff, plus care providers.

<p>Automated SMS-based check-ins, with clear next steps for care providers to send messages. Post paper maps in neighborhoods. Local radio station broadcasts to direct steps.</p> Signup and view all the answers

If there are language barriers for all involved in K-12 communications, how could administrators and safety staff do table exercises to get insight related to threats?

<p>Work through translators, use visuals with icons, get the participants to actively demonstrate, plus encourage questions to highlight difficulties. Check for mutual understanding at closing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

For K-12 continuity and planning in high-threat conditions, what would you set as acceptable times + process around accounting for all individuals, and creating a record for outside law enforcement if needed?

<p>Real-time digital tools should support roll calls. This information should be securely stored, plus ready to be shared. Designate time to confirm.</p> Signup and view all the answers

To prepare for extended K-12 lockdowns, walk through key physical plus psychological components to care for special needs students, minimizing discomfort or stress, considering their particular support requests?

<p>Create visual supports re: location. Mental health experts should be available. Staff can access particular kits to support the individual needs of students.</p> Signup and view all the answers

To ensure first responders access K-12 data, processes, plus systems after an incident, elaborate ways for on and off-site storage, and secure access for essential personnel in different emergencies?

<p>Store on- and off-site data. Give first responders access with codes on-site but also remotely. Test protocols across disaster scenarios.</p> Signup and view all the answers

For K-12 plus special needs students and their families, create effective reunification processes that are easily manageable, respectful plus highly reliable, and also flexible based on needs?

<p>Pre-arranged family location with sign-up lists plus translation. Staff act as liaisons with mental expertise. Keep process very simple yet clear.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Deliberate unique challenges around providing K-12 support if parents do not give their consent, and how schools can assist, as well as resolve the tension with what is known about student's family background?

<p>Schools act on safety priorities. If safety isn't compromised, involve external social workers. Otherwise document, inform authorities what is known plus actions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Hypothesize a structure to provide support to key K-12 leaders for school level recovery. Identify the support focus, delivery models, plus steps to maximize leader focus and what to expect from long- term well-being over 3- 5 years?

<p>Buddy system, counseling support to deal with the aftermath. The school leaders' stress needs to be carefully managed for long term effectiveness plus wellness.</p> Signup and view all the answers

If the K-12 environment saw increasing reliance upon community volunteers for security activities, deliberate ethical plus practical actions to train, manage, as well as support all people long term in the volunteer roles?

<p>Background evaluations plus stress testing. Regular process and communication. Mental support that takes into consideration what to expect from people's efforts over time.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Propose an innovative approach on how all schools should act in crisis by designing more efficient plus effective collaboration with outside teams (police, fire) around emergencies?

<p>Common operating site plus protocols for communications. Table exercise. Incident training.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Walk through innovative + comprehensive strategies to minimize risks particularly when facilities plus communication technologies go away when responding to various crises (e.g. hurricane) for K-12 students with varied abilities?

<p>Pre-stock locations across district and training on non-tech plus assistive options. Staff should also be trained on these alternative arrangements.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given what might get called "analysis paralysis", how can we quickly determine what K-12 threats to prioritize in a new region, and where to immediately take very smart, cost-effective initial actions?

<p>Top threats across prior two plus three years using city or regional data. Local police input. Prioritized steps that minimize damage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given common funding constraints, how can school districts drive maximum K-12 value and effectiveness regarding crisis planning, but also ensure the plans are constantly reviewed, plus updated with learning?

<p>Make plan testing part of key activities and teaching activities. Build this expertise plus work together to support effectiveness.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Discuss the role of AI/ML in enhancing K-12 emergency planning, focusing on predictive modelling to anticipate threats, and to optimize resource deployment. Be creative, but provide for civil-rights at every consideration.

<p>An AI to monitor real-time, plus historical information from social, web plus local, spotting threats that impact resources deployment, always respecting privacy rights through the need for human checks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe a real K-12 implementation in a complex school district, plus how to share results that influence public perceptions and improve overall safety, while preventing copy-cat events?

<p>Share top-level results through the media with safety actions, as well as support local community. Public results must not mention tactics.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effective metrics could capture real K-12 planning benefits + actions, so administrators communicate to local communities, in addition to build support for new initiatives?

<p>Surveys of safety to understand people's understanding of safety, with specific measurements on improvements to people's feelings on safety</p> Signup and view all the answers

How could state plus federal groups improve assistance to K-12, to make their plans more helpful, and increase collaboration plus reduce all admin burdens in the entire planning process?

<p>Data-Driven Plans: Centralized portal shares threat evaluations at regional + county levels to minimize school burdens plus reduce effort.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of school emergency operations plans (EOPs), delineate the roles of governmental organizations that contribute to a cohesive, coordinated response during a school emergency.

<p>Governmental organizations collaborate with schools during emergencies to provide a cohesive, coordinated response.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What pivotal role do educational institutions undertake in disaster response, diverging from the functions of traditional emergency response entities?

<p>Schools take preventative measures to reduce the impact of an incident. They also respond immediately, provide aid, give instructions, and notify response partners.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Within the framework of emergency preparedness, contrast the directives stipulated by Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 8 with conventional emergency management protocols.

<p><em>Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 8</em> informs national preparedness efforts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Within the context of a school's emergency management framework, articulate the nuanced objectives of both protection measures and mitigation strategies concerning acts of violence and hazards.

<p>Protection secures schools against acts of violence and hazards. Mitigation eliminates the loss of life and property damage and lessened impact of an event.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the development of an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), why is aligning school efforts with national, state, and local emergency planning practices paramount in enhancing overall preparedness?

<p>Aligning efforts ensures consistency, resource efficiency, and effective coordination across different levels of government and emergency response agencies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the integration of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) enhance the efficacy of school emergency response protocols?

<p>Implementing <em>NIMS</em> offers a standardized approach for efficient incident management and better collaboration with community responders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Articulate the foundational principles that should inform the construction of a comprehensive school emergency operations plan (EOP) to ensure its effectiveness and relevance.

<p>Leadership support, assessments to customize plans for building levels, consideration of threats and hazards, attending to the needs of the whole school, accounting for all settings and times, and using a collaborative process.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should the core planning team consist of, and how does their expertise inform the development, implementation, and refinement of the school EOP.

<p>The core team should comprise individuals from various school departments and community, each offering expertise.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Delineate the crucial elements embodied within an effective threat and hazard identification and risk assessment procedure pertinent to school-based emergency planning.

<p>Elements are consistent analysis and comparison of the threats and hazards a school faces. Also, the risk assessment process.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Clarify the concept of 'vulnerabilities' within the context of assessing risks and hazards in school emergency planning, and elucidate its practical applications in prioritizing safety measures.

<p>&quot;Vulnerabilities&quot; refers to the characteristics of the school that could make it more susceptible to the identified threats and hazards</p> Signup and view all the answers

In devising goals for a school EOP, how should the planning team utilize distinct goals to prepare for the period before, during, and after a potential threat or hazard?

<p>The planning team should develop at least three goals for addressing each threat or hazard.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the development of school emergency operations plans (EOPs), what cardinal components epitomize the architecture of courses of action implemented to tackle specific threats, risks, and hazards?

<p>Criteria include when each type of response will be implemented under a variety of circumstances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How should a school planning team judiciously assess the trade-offs between the financial burden and strategic advantages inherent in diverse exercise modalities (e.g., tabletop vs. full-scale) when striving to cultivate an efficacious school emergency preparedness program?

<p>Evaluate costs and benefits of each, as well as any state or local requirements.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Elaborate on the pivotal attributes and constituent elements that coalesce to define an efficacious school emergency operations plan (EOP).

<p>Adequate, feasible, acceptable, and complete.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Articulate the crucial actions to be undertaken during the 'Plan Implementation and Maintenance' phase to confirm that stakeholders possess a comprehensive grasp of the plan, their designated duties, and the mechanisms for plan improvements.

<p>Train stakeholders, hold meetings, visit evacuation sites, appropriate literature, post key information, familiarize students and staff and community partners, train staff on the skills necessary to fulfill there roles, and exercise the Plan.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinct advantages does maintaining separate functional annexes offer compared to integrating everything into a single, monolithic plan when addressing diverse hazards in the EOP?

<p>Separation lets schools determine which goals, objectives, and courses of action need completed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the design of Functional Annexes, detail the critical facets that must be accounted for to tailor emergency plans to the varied functional requirements unique to diverse populations of students and staff?

<p>The planning team needs to describe the actions schools will take to evacuate the facilities and ground.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the critical steps to ensure school staff and students can promptly and effectively seek refuge in designated 'safe rooms' or shelters amid imminent threats?

<p>What supplies will be needed to seal the room and to provide for the needs of students and staff (e.g., water). How a shelter-in-place can affect individuals with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, such as students who require the regular administration of medication, durable medical equipment, and personal assistant services. How to move students when the primary route is unusable. How to locate and move students who are not with a teacher or staff member.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a Communications & Warning Annex, how can educational entities overcome technological and linguistic barriers to bolster inclusivity and equity?

<p>How to account for technology barriers faced by students, staff, parents, and guardians. How to effectively address language access barriers faced by students, staff, parents, and guardians.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Within the confines of threat- and hazard-specific annexes, how might law enforcement harmoniously integrate fundamental facets of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) to augment campus security?

<p>Ensuring building services function properly and safely, and the exterior is properly maintained and organized with landscaping and plantings maintained and trimmed</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) relate?

<p>HIPPA generally does not apply to student health information maintained by a school. Instead, student health information would be considered education records protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a situation where reunification is not possible due to a child being missing, injured, or killed, how should schools determine the method and timing of providing this information to families?

<p>Before an emergency, the planning team must determine how, when, and by whom loved ones will be informed if their loved one is missing or has been injured or killed. Law enforcement typically takes the lead on death notifications, but all parties must understand their roles and responsibilities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In providing psychological first aid for schools (PFA-S), what constitutes trained staff membership, and what types of supports are provided for students, staff, and families?

<p>Any trained staff member can deliver aspects of PFA-S and can contribute to the school recovery functioning within the PFA framework. Similarly, trained members of community emergency response agencies and mental health professionals may provide PFA-S. Support includes the immediate, short-, and long-term counseling needs of students, staff, and families.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Discuss how the implementation and enforcement of safety measures must respect students' architectural, programmatic, and communication rights; and how this integration contributes to developing a positive school climate.

<p>Integrates the needs of the whole school community - for all students.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When determining appropriate measures to be taken in an active shooter incident, what must the school take into consideration regarding those with language barriers?

<p>Include in the courses of action how to communicate with those who have language barriers or need other accommodations, such as visual signals or alarms to advise deaf students, staff, and parents about what is occurring.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What crucial insights have emerged from retrospectives analyses of school violence incidents, emphasizing the need for targeted preventive actions?

<p>Incidents of targeted violence at school are rarely sudden, impulsive acts. Prior to most incidents, other people knew about the attacker's idea and/or the plan to attack.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Discuss how threat assessment teams (TATs) provide a framework for a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to address the threat of school shootings?

<p>A TAT is one of the most useful tools to identify, evaluate, and address troubling signs and is of a multidisciplinary school.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Distinguish between law enforcement's tactical response to an active shooter situation and preparatory measures that can mitigate potential harm.

<p>Early intervention can prevent a situation from escalating by identifying, assessing, and managing the threat.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Clarify protocols for effective communication between school staff and law enforcement officials during an active shooter event using an Emergency Operations Plan.

<p>The planning include courses of action that will describe how students and staff can most effectively respond to an active shooter.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What measures can schools and law enforcemnt take to ensure an effective response to an active shooter event that are not tactical?

<p>Early intervention can prevent a situation from escalating by identifying, assessing, and managing the threat.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Prioritize the three central courses of action individuals should contemplate amidst an active shooter event, stressing proactive measures to secure personal safety and mitigate potential harm.

<p>Run, hide, or fight.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What considerations must go into alerting law enforcement to potential safety breaches and what role will that response have in that sequence of events that lead to the mitigation and the prevention of escalation?

<p>Staff must alert responders by contacting 911 with as clear and accurate information as possible.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the midst of planning to provide for the best course of action in an emergency should first responders not be able to arrive within a certain time period, what methods of survivability and or defense must schools have in place?

<p>Take necessary action to save lives, they should know that they may be able to successfully take action to save lives. To be clear, confronting an active shooter should never be a requirement in any school employee's job description</p> Signup and view all the answers

What must first responders actions have after being alerted to an active shooter situation that are to be expected by students and administrators?

<p>To locate and stop the person(s) believed to be the shooter(s); all other actions are secondary.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Name two methods of assistance that first responders can provide following an active shooter incident involving schools.

<p>Transporting the injured. Interviewing witnesses</p> Signup and view all the answers

In order to provide some peace of mind after a disastrous event concerning violence, what must that team of first responders include?

<p>Team including local first responders and other community partners to assess and triage an active shooter situation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Prevention (in school EOPs)

Capabilities to avoid, deter, or stop imminent crime/mass casualty.

Protection

Capabilities to secure schools against violence and disasters.

Mitigation

Capabilities to lessen the impact of emergencies.

Response

Capabilities to stabilize an emergency, save lives, and transition to recovery.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Recovery

Capabilities to restore the learning environment after an emergency.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Incident Command System (ICS)

Standardized approach for incident management.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Planning must be supported

Must be supported by leadership.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Effective planning

Customize plans to the building level with assessments.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Planning considers

Takes into account a wide range of threats and hazards.

Signup and view all the flashcards

“Whole school community”

Includes children, individuals with disabilities, diverse backgrounds, etc.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Planning considers all settings

Account for incidents that may occur during and outside the school day.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Form a Collaborative Planning Team

The first step of the planning process.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Participating organizations

A common thread found in successful operations.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Designating a Threat Assesment Team

Identifies who is a school official and what a legitimate educational interest.

Signup and view all the flashcards

A capacity assessment

Knows what resources will be at their disposal.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Positive climates in schools

Students will feel connected.

Signup and view all the flashcards

School threat assessment

Communication and behaviors to determine whether a person may pose a threat.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Consider when developing annexes

The school may need to know the following.

Signup and view all the flashcards

The Basic Plan section

Addresses the overarching activities the school undertakes.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Site Assessment

Includes building schematics and photos of both the inside and the outside.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Functional Annexes section

Includes goals, objectives, and courses of action in response to a threat or hazard.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Natural access control

Guiding people with signage, well-marked entrances and exits, and landscaping.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Natural surveillance

Arranging physical features to maximize visibility.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Accounting for All Persons Annex

What to do when a student, staff member, or guest cannot be located.

Signup and view all the flashcards

FERPA

Is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Education records

Records that are directly related to a student.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Health or Safety Emergency Exception

Disclosing PII from education records without consent.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Law enforcement unit

Individual, office, department, that is officially authorized or designated.

Signup and view all the flashcards

PFA-S

To assist students, staff, and families exposed to a disaster or other emergency.

Signup and view all the flashcards

School Climate

Describe a range of campus conditions that may influence student learning and well-being.

Signup and view all the flashcards

Active shooter situation

Where an individual is actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people.

Signup and view all the flashcards

During the incident...

Run, Hide, or Fight.

Signup and view all the flashcards

School threat assessment team

Helpful tool a school can develop to identify signs of behavior

Signup and view all the flashcards

Study Notes

  • Prepared for the U.S. Department of Education by Synergy Enterprises, Inc.
  • Views expressed represent the expertise of federal agencies involved
  • It does not imply endorsement of any product or organization mentioned

Purpose of Guide

  • Assist in aligning school emergency planning efforts with national, state, and local practices
  • Recent events highlight importance in developing EOPs
  • National preparedness is informed by Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 8, signed in March 2011
  • This directive describes the country's approach to preparedness, as informed by terrorist attacks etc.

PPD-8 Mission Areas

  • Prevention: Capabilities to avoid, deter, or stop imminent crime or mass casualty incidents.
  • Protection: Securing schools against violence and natural/manmade disasters.
  • Mitigation: Reducing loss of life and property damage by lessening the impact of an event.
  • Response: Stabilizing emergencies by establishing safety, saving lives/property and transitions to recovery.
  • Recovery: Assisting affected schools to restore the learning environment.

Emergency Terminology Timeframes

  • Before, During, and After an incident timeline
  • Prevention, protection, and mitigation occur before, and have ongoing activities that occur throughout
  • Response occurs during an incident
  • Recovery can begin during and continue after an incident

Emergency operations plan execution

  • Use the concepts/principles of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
  • One component of NIMS is the Incident Command System (ICS)
  • ICS is a standardized approach for incident management
  • It is regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity

Planning Principles

  • Planning should be supported by leadership at the district and school levels
  • Assessment drives building-level planning
  • Planning addresses threats and hazards
  • Planning must take into account the access and functional needs of the whole community: children, individuals with disabilities etc.
  • Planning addresses all settings and all times
  • The process is collaborative
  • Process, plan format and content guidance should be flexible
  • Planning teams should evaluate the usefulness of premade templates

Planning Process

  • Flexible and adaptable to a school's unique situation.
  • Collaboration with district staff and community partners is critical.
  • EOP should be supported at the district level for integrated response
  • Process can develop a plan, review an existing one, or incrementally assess components

The Six Steps

  • Forming a collaborative planning team
  • Understanding the situation
  • Determining goals and objectives
  • Development of the plan via identifying courses of action
  • Preparation, review, and approval of the plan
  • Implementation and maintenance

Step 1 Details: Collaborative Planning Team

  • Involves school personnel, community partners, and representatives from diverse groups
  • Small enough for collaboration, but large enough to be representative

Collaboration goals

  • Coordination of efforts and integrate plans
  • Create "Common Framework:" team members take time to learn each other's common command structure.
  • Define and Assign Roles and Responsibilities
  • Regular schedule of meetings

Step 2 Details: Understand the Situation

  • Identify threats and hazards & assess the risks/vulnerabilities
  • Consult local, state, and federal agencies for historical data
  • Local and county agencies, community groups, utilities etc
  • Assess risks by understanding the probability and potential impact
  • Consider the time available to warn students/staff
  • Local/county EM provides risk info
  • Focus assessment on unique threats and vulnerabilities of the school and its occupants

Risk & Vulnerability

  • Refers to characteristics impacting susceptibility to threats and hazards
  • Assessments will be used to develop and update plans
  • Numerous assessments can be used including site assessments, culture assessments, threat assessments etc
  • Successful assessments involve broad participation, consider strategic factors (isolation, response times)

Types of Assessments

  • Site Assessment: Examines safety, accessibility, and emergency preparedness of buildings and grounds. It helps find facilities that are accessible to to students, staff, parents
  • Culture and Climate Assessment: Assesses connectedness to school and problem behaviors. It helps school climate.
  • School Threat Assessment: Analyzes communication and behaviors to determine potential threats, identifies potential threats appropriately,
  • Capacity Assessment: Identifies available resources and capabilities of staff. Its helps plan with assignin roles to staff

Continue Step 2

  • Consolidate assessment data into a usable format
  • Perform “risk and vulnerability assessment
  • Prioritize threats and hazards to be addressed in the plan

Risk Assessment Table should include

  • Probability, magnitude, warning time, duration and follow-on effects
  • Organize additional details, for example school climate challenges
  • Clearly present information for plan development

Prioritizing Threats and Hazards

  • Compare and prioritize risks to help decide what hazards to address.
  • Considers multiple factors, such as a mathematical approach to assign index numbers for categories.
  • Categorize threats and hazards as relatively high, medium, or low risk.

Step 3 Details: Determine Goals and Objectives

  • Decide threats and hazards to address in the EOP
  • Consider ""high"" and ""medium"" risk priorities during assessment
  • Develop goals and objectives for chosen threats and hazards

Define Goals

  • Broad statements outlining desired outcomes that personnel try to achieve
  • Identify what is complete or needed resources
  • At least three goals: before, during, and after the threat/hazard
    • Example: -Prevent fires -Protect people from injury and don't damage property -Provide necessary medical attention

Define Objectives

  • Specific, measureable actions to achieve the goals -Example: -Provide fire prevention training to users of combustibles -Store combustibles in fireproof containers
  • ""Functions"" such as evacuating, providing medical care etc can apply to multiple situations which can be stored in "Functional Annex", and more details on functions can be found in the""Plan Content"" section of this plan

Step 4 Details: Plan Development (Identifying Courses of Action)

  • Develop courses of action for objectives from Step 3, for threats, hazards and functions.
  • Action addresses the what, who, when, where, why, and how.
  • Possible courses of action can be developed with the following steps
    • Create a potential scenario of the threats
    • Predict the amount of time to respond based on certain scenario
    • Identify Decision points and walk through all the scenarios
    • Planners develop courses of action to achieve the goals and objectives

Develop Courses of Action using

  • Depict the scenario
  • Determine amount of time available
  • Identify decision points
  • Develop courses of action
  • Review all applicable laws

Plan Compliance

  • Must comply with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), ensuring accessible emergency management
  • Language access must be addressed via civil rights laws
  • Multiple courses of action often reflect different scenarios
  • Identify all resource requirements and match to available resources and identifying shortfalls, such as gaps in accessibility

Step 4 Outcome

  • After completing Step 4, the planning team will have identified goals, objectives, and courses of action for before, during, and after threats and hazards, as well as functions.
  • Goals, objectives, and courses of action for threats and hazards will go into the ""Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes""
  • Goals, objectives, and courses of action for functions will be contained in the ""Functional Annexes"" section

Step 5 Details: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval

  • A draft EOP is developed and reviewed by community partners
  • Share the plan with officials staff and stake holders

Review and Approval Considerations

  • It is effective
  • Complies with laws
  • Is easily understood,
  • Provides for all settings and times
  • Includes accessibility considerations

Formatting

  • Should make it easy for users to find what they need and be compatible with state and local plans
  • Use pictures for key actions
  • Has three major sections: Basic Plan, Functional Annexes, and Threat- and Hazard-Specific Annexes

The Basic Plan Section gives

  • Overview of school's approach
  • Includes procedures for before, during and after operations

The Functional Annexes Section

  • Gives details of objectives
  • Details courses of action of functions, like the evacuation, communications etc
  • Describes managing a function before, during, and after an emergency

The Threat-and-Hazard-Specific Annexes Section

  • Specifies goals
  • Includes objective courses of action
  • Describes the school's management of function during/after incidents

Writing Guide

  • As team member create drafts
  • They should add in tables. graphics, etc
  • Members should circulate drafts and implement comments
  • Plans are written with simple rules

Rules

  • Summarize important information with checklists and visual aids
  • Use plain language, short sentences, avoiding jargon
  • Write logical structure

Make Plans Actionable

  • Provide enough information
  • Classroom teachers know what to do
  • Users find things to do using functional and hazard-specific annexes

Plan Adequacy

  • Addresses critical courses of action
  • Can accomplish the steps
  • The assumptions are reasonable: Plan can do its function
  • Using time available

Ensure Plan Completeness

  • Incorporates action for all threats
  • Includes the whole community
  • Provides full picture of events and their direction
  • Measures success and desired end-state
  • Obeys planning guidelines

Review for Compliance

  • To local and state needs
  • The team does not provide all needed resources
  • Explain where district and school get to acquire resources

Approval and Distribution

  • Approved by leadership
  • Share plan with responsible parties and stakeholders
  • Share with outside organizations that use plan
  • Secure the plan and consider document security
  • Must comply with open records laws

Plan outcome after Step 5

  • Complete School EOP

Step 6: plan implementation and maintain

  • Train stakeholders on their roles
  • Key training components include emergency meetings, visits, documentation

Training Key Points

  • Give all those who need it plan literature
  • Display information throughout the building
  • Familiarize students/staff with community partners

Stakeholder Skills and Training

  • Give staff the skills they need
  • For certain roles like first aid or threat assessment
  • Provide those skills and training
  • Train staff to fulfill plan roles
  • Provide substitutes training

Exercise

  • Plans are exercised with stakeholders
  • The team acts effectively
  • Lesson the impact
  • Identify gaps and weaknesses
  • Include key people

Types of exercises

  • Conduct exercises
  • Each school creates exercise program as building
  • Tabletop exercises: they are small discussions that walk though a scenario with those involved
  • Drills during school: personnel and community members use actual school grounds to simulate process
  • Functional exercises are similar to multiple partner drills: Participants realistic events using ICS
  • Full-Scale: these exercises are the most time consuming test and use all available resources to implement, while testing communications etc

Plan Revision

  • After exercises it may be modified
  • Involve law enforcement
  • Stay consistent

After Action

  • A report is developed identifying shortfalls
  • Documents show what the team learned

Resources

  • Direct to online guides
  • Can improve processes
  • These are shared
  • For community and plan

Revise, Review Maintain

  • Done close for planning processes
  • Plan evolves when team learns
  • Update priorities
  • Is revisited for key activity

What Changes

  • Actual emergencies
  • All the above occurs
  • Changes are known
  • New laws are set in place

Teamwork

  • Communication
  • Community partners
  • They are updated in every action of EOP
  • Share updated documents with stakeholders

The Basic Plan has

  • Introductory Material
  • Purpose, Scope and Assumptions
  • Concept of operations
  • Organization and responsibilities
  • Information storage
  • Collections and dissemeniation
  • Trainings and exercises

Administration Logistics: Financials

  • Plan development and maintanence
  • A section of authors and references
  • Legal for emergency operations/activities

Functional Annexes

  • Focus on all main activities
  • The goals
  • The objectives
  • Course of action for completing what it means

Description of Each Annex Action Plan

Include action plans for : Evacuation, Communications and Warning , Accounting for all People and Sheltering In-Place

Evacuation Annex

  • Safe movements
  • When/Where/How on where to more

What Happens When

  • Primary is unusable, how to respond
  • Individuals who may not me with member who to handle such

Lockdown Considerations

  • How to lock the doors with different actions and building actions, and more
  • Shelter-In-Place considerations
  • Seal off a room, and to have water for events

Review other special students who may me involved with

  • Medical and Special Needs

How to Account

  • What steps to take
  • How and When students will depart
  • Communication considerations
  • Use law and other comms

Know School Health

  • Consider any health impacts
  • Plan can help the team respond

Security and Access

  • Have information in how to help
  • Have what to respond, and who
  • Can address

What is all handled?

  • A closer look at what that means

Review all threats

  • Hazard-Specific is the right
  • Create a team
  • Work the right

Information

  • Will give more on that and help more on plans and such

Legalities

  • The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) over information sharing.
  • The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) may impact information-sharing in the school setting

Privacy Facts

  • Comply with laws
  • Some may lead to school share
  • Help protect
  • Follow all the info

The Privacy Act Section Includes

  • What exactly is FERPA
  • ""Are ""Education Records""
  • Who may Protected
  • Balancing Privacy and Safet
  • Emergency to Consent Requirs
  • Law enforcements records
  • Some common Misunderstandings

FERPA and Emergency Planning

  • What information is not , and when may it share?
  • More questions and info on all of it

Balances To Have

  • The safety
  • Student Privacy concerns
  • Understand this

A Closer Look

  • Psychological First Aid for Schools (PFA-S) is for supporting students, is aimed to reduces distress, expression

School Climate

  • positive climates = violence free, positive impacts
  • multi-tiered framework would comprise = Schoolwide/interventions

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Quiz Team

Related Documents

More Like This

Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser