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Protecting our ChildrenProtecting our Children

The Vermont Youth Officers Network

The Vermont School Crisis Planning Team

Windsor High School

March 26, 2008

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Vermont Youth Officers Network

2008

Lt. Mark Moody

Montpelier Police Department

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What is VYON?What is VYON?

An organization of Vermont Police Officers, schools, agencies and community members who work with Vermont youth.

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Mission StatementMission Statement

The mission of VYON is to support and train all officers in the State of Vermont who work with youths, communities and schools in the areas of:

– prevention

– intervention

– education

– law enforcement

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VYON’s PurposeVYON’s Purpose

• Support the Mission Statement • Provide safety training• Network with other youth agencies• Inform the public of resources• Promote care for children• Maintain healthy families

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Are Vermont Schools Prepared to Are Vermont Schools Prepared to Face a Crisis?Face a Crisis?

Vermont School Crisis Planning TeamMarch 2008

Prepared by:Leo Nadeau, Essex Chief of Police

James Massingham, Chittenden East Supt. Winton Goodrich, VSBA Stephen Earley, VSCPT

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The Vermont School Crisis The Vermont School Crisis Planning TeamPlanning Team

• VT Emergency Management• VT Dept. of Education• VT School Boards Association• VT Dept of Health• VT State Police• VT Local Law Enforcement• VT Fire Marshall• Retired School Principals - Facilitators

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VSCPT MissionVSCPT Mission

• To support school administrators and emergency service providers to create, implement and practice school emergency and crisis response plans in all Vermont schools.

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Schools and Emergency Schools and Emergency Responders Working TogetherResponders Working Together

• The Vermont School Crisis Team (VSCT) is a group of volunteers and representatives of state agencies with an interest in protecting our schools

• VSCT meets routinely to discuss emergency response

• VSCT has created a manual to assist schools in their crisis planning

VermontVermontSchoolSchoolCrisis Crisis GuideGuide20082008

Prepared by:Prepared by:Vermont School Crisis TeamVermont School Crisis Team

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Message From Margaret Spellings Message From Margaret Spellings U. S. Secretary of EducationU. S. Secretary of Education

After the White House Conference on School Violence in 2006, she wrote a letter to all school districts indicating the following:

• Unless our students feel safe, they can not learn.

• Parents, educators, community members, law enforcement officials, researchers and policy makers all share the responsibility of protecting our children by working together.

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U.S. DOE RecommendationsU.S. DOE Recommendations

Panelists and participants discussed:• Ways law enforcement, schools and responders

can partner to establish safe environments and prevent school violence.

• Emergency management planning activities that help schools prepare to respond to violent acts and other crises.

• Focus on ways to help school communities heal and recover if and when a violent incident occurs.

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U.S. DOE RecommendationsU.S. DOE Recommendations

• While schools are safe and shootings are rare, we can work to make them even safer by having a comprehensive emergency management plan that addresses a wide range of possible crises.

• Knowledge of the ICS (Incident Command System) and the four phases of emergency management are important to all schools.

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What Type of Emergencies Should Our What Type of Emergencies Should Our Schools Plan For?Schools Plan For?

Essex Town

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Could a School shooting take place in Could a School shooting take place in Vermont?Vermont?

• In the 2005-06 school year Vermont had at least five incidents that involved guns at school

• In 2006 the year began with a tragedy in Essex.

• In 2007 several potential incidents were averted by the intervention of students and School Resource Officers.

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Can it happen here?Can it happen here? Vermont DisastersVermont Disasters

• Since 1992 Vermont has declared over 14 disasters

• Eleven were due to severe storms, which included flooding and one hurricane

• Three were severe ice storms

• 2005 - Southern VT and NH experienced severe flooding and several people died

• Power outages are common throughout the state

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Disasters can have a direct impact on Disasters can have a direct impact on schoolsschools

• In October, a train derailment in Middlebury created an emergency evacuation of over 1500 elementary and high school students.

• Preplanning minimized confusion and possible injuries.

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EmergenciesEmergencies

• One word – BUSING Slippery roads, delays, frozen fuel,

accidents, mechanical failures…

• How have you planned for emergencies like these?

• Who within your school and community should work together to prepare for such emergencies?

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Workplace IncidentsWorkplace Incidents

Medical emergencies – Physical injuries to staff and students– Extensive flu or virus infections, Pandemic

Flu, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

--Seizures– HAZMAT exposure

2020

EmergenciesEmergencies

Domestic Situations– Violence– Divorce– Kidnapping

Building Emergencies– Breakdowns in Heating, Plumbing

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Fire and ResponseFire and Response

During the 2006 School Year

• 36 Fires

• 402 False alarms

• 128 EMS responses (25% reporting)

• 265 Other (36 HAZMAT)

In the last ten years, 253 fires and 3,527 false alarms.

Statistics released by the Vermont Fire Marshall’s Office

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Safe School IndicatorsSafe School Indicators

• A Safe, Orderly and Trusting school environment

• A Comprehensive school safety response plan

• Use of the Vermont School Crisis Guide procedures

• A school safety audit: The Vermont School Safety Checklist

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Why isn’t more being done?Why isn’t more being done?False security• “It Can’t Happen Here..” Administrators and staff

resist spending time on non-academic activities. Parents often resist drills for fear of scaring their children.

Expertise• School leaders have little or no training in crisis

management

Communication• In an emergency, phone lines become clogged with

calls, radio and cell phone coverage is spotty at best. Communication with First Responders is difficult or non-existent.

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Why isn’t more being done?Why isn’t more being done?Priorities• Schools deal with Urgent matters. Issues deemed

less important often don’t get much attention• Fire and rescue services are often manned by

volunteers who find it difficult to take time away from work for planning.

• State Police often provide the only coverage. It is difficult to make planning with multiple schools and volunteer First Responders a top priority.

The Sparkplug• Who will keep our efforts going? No one is in

charge.

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HOMELAND SECURITY HOMELAND SECURITY SCHOOL CRISIS PLANNING TEAM SCHOOL CRISIS PLANNING TEAM

WORKING TOGETHER WORKING TOGETHER

• Today, more than ever, our communities need to plan for a variety of emergencies

• Our public schools educate nearly 100,000 students in Vermont and need to be prepared to deal with various types of crises

• It’s critical that school representatives and emergency responders work as a team

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HS/VSCPT Working TogetherHS/VSCPT Working Together

• In 2006,VSCT was awarded a Homeland Security Grant of $75,000 to assist schools in their crisis planning. VSBA administered and coordinated the grant.

• The beginning of the infrastructure was created. Facilitators visited schools and encouraged the creation of school/public safety committees.

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Based on 334 Vermont Schools, this was the state of Based on 334 Vermont Schools, this was the state of school safety preparedness using the Vermont School school safety preparedness using the Vermont School

Crisis GuidelinesCrisis Guidelines

• 63% of all Vermont School Principals were visited.• 30% of all schools were evaluated with a “walk through”.• 60% of all schools use the VSCG ’04 model.• 56% of all schools have a school crisis team• 47% have a school safety team.• 37% have school/public safety committees• 31% Interior lock adequacy• 40% Exterior lock adequacy

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VSCT SupportVSCT Support

• Following the grant, VSCT has added five response plans to the Crisis Guide but, without funding, no additional VSCT work has continued in schools.

• Thankfully, Vermont Homeland Security and Vermont Emergency Management will provide six months of funding beginning in August 2008.

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What is needed for a state What is needed for a state commitment to school safety?commitment to school safety?

• Build on the current model to get facilitators back into the field to assist schools to prepare for all hazards.

• Build stronger connections between Homeland Security Advisory Council and the VSCT.

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What is needed for a state What is needed for a state commitment to school safety? commitment to school safety?

• Create a sustainable effort that is not dependent on volunteerism (a 2009-10 commitment to sustaining the VSCT effort is essential to secure US DOE Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools grant funding).

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VermontVermontSchoolSchoolCrisis Crisis GuideGuide20042004

Prepared by:Prepared by:Vermont School Crisis TeamVermont School Crisis Team

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What’s changed?What’s changed?VSA. 16 Sec 1481VSA. 16 Sec 1481

• The principal or person in charge of a public or independent school or educational institution, other than a university or college, shall drill the pupils so that they may be able to leave the school building or perform other procedures described in the school’s emergency preparedness plan, or both in the shortest possible time and without panic or confusion.

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School Public Safety Committee School Crisis Team

Emergency Management

Rescue Squad

Fire

Police

Principal/Superintendent

CERT/LEPC/RPC

Principal/Asst. Principal

Nurse

Guidance/SAP

Staff

SRO

Custodian

School Public Safety Committee

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Periodically Host School Public Safety Periodically Host School Public Safety Committee MeetingsCommittee Meetings

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Set Committee Goals Set Committee Goals and Objectives Objectives

Create “Incident Command” structurePrincipal “Incident Commander”

• Directs command to Fire Chief if hazmat or fire• Directs command to police if law violation

• Establish “Unified Command” system for “Mutual Aid”

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Incident Command SystemIncident Command System

• ICS is a structured procedure for responders to use during a crises. An ICS course for school administrators can be taken online.

• ICS is divided into: Planning, Operations, Logistics, Finance and Administration

• Knowing how responders operate helps school personnel in creating effective safety plans

(i.e., numbered doors, Knox box, crowd control)

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Four Phases of Emergency Four Phases of Emergency ManagementManagement

Prevention-Mitigation

Preparedness

Response

Recovery

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Prevention-MitigationPrevention-Mitigation

Prevention is the action schools and districts take to decrease the likelihood that an event will occur. Examples: Wellness activities, Bullying prevention programs.

Mitigation is the action taken to reduce the impact of an event on people and structures. Examples: Securing bookshelves, safety fencing, environmental design.

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PreparednessPreparedness

Preparing the school community for potential emergencies by working with community partners to establish policies and protocols.

Planning safety guidelines and response procedures in schools.

Developing communication plans for staff, students, families and the media.

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ResponseResponse

The phase where action is taken to assess, identify and take appropriate measures.

Use of the Classroom Crisis Commands: Clear, Secure, Evacuate, Relocate.

Activation the ICS and Mutual Aid systems.

Work with responders.

Account for Students and Staff.

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RecoveryRecovery

Returning to learning as quickly as possible

Restoring damage to physical plant as well as the community

Monitoring emotional impact and intervention

Debriefing - Lessons learned

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Team WorkTeam Work

• School Public Safety Committees can help plan for various emergencies

• Can organize drills and Table Top Exercises (TTX)

• They cannot make it work without you being part of the team!

4343

Steps you can take nowSteps you can take now

Form a School Public Safety Committee to work with your school safety teams.

– Invite Police, Fire, Rescue and Transportation to the table.

– Review your Emergency Procedures and policies

– Practice, practice, practice.– Stage simulation exercises to guide you in

establishing procedures.

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StepsSteps

• Use universal commands.

Clear the Halls, Secure the Building, Evacuate the Building, Relocate.

• Delineate specific emergency responsibilities.

Each adult should know exactly what to do in an emergency.

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““CLEAR THE HALLS”CLEAR THE HALLS”

Office Staff report immediately to the nearest secure room or area protected from direct line of sight.

Lock interior doors when possible

Stay away from doors and windows

Remain quiet

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““SECURESECURE THE BUILDING” THE BUILDING”

• Same as “Clear the Halls” but includes designated staff securing external doors and allowing only emergency responders to enter

• Caught outside? Move away from the building to safe area.

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““EVACEVACUUATE THE BUILDING”ATE THE BUILDING”

• Everyone evacuate the building and move to designated area

• Take attendance and report missing students and staff

• Maintain order and wait for direction

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““RELOCATERELOCATE””

• Have a plan in place to set up a “mobile office” and communications center for the district.

• The ICS will set up a Command Post which should have Central Office personnel present.

• Select several unrevealed sights

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StepsSteps• Be Proactive, not reactive, plan ahead

Understand the gridlock on telephones, traffic and communications.

No Phones

Parents are coming!

Source and procedure to release public Information

Do you have a (PIO) Public Information Officer?

Where is the Supt./Principal right now?

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StepsSteps

Create efficient emergency folders.(Not the school handbook)

Place the most important articles for emergencies in a folder/carry bag in your work area.

(Ask your colleague, What should go in there?)

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StepsSteps

• Use all of your resources.– Get community assistance from the Red Cross,

volunteers, parents and civic leaders.

• Buy Radios and cell phones and learn how to use them. Communications is an important key in emergency response.

• Keep the focus on Student and Staff safety.

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What is the Superintendent’s Role?What is the Superintendent’s Role?

•District Incident Commander •Determines safety priorities throughout the district• Handles ALL communications with the media and public•Trains and practices with schools and C.O. staff•Establishes the Chain of Command•Develops the district communications plan

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Central Office PlanningCentral Office Planning

• C.O. Building preparation

• Staff training– Chain of Command– Duties– School Communication– Media Releases– Community Information

5454

Emergency EquipmentEmergency Equipment

• All schools have different needs.

• What equipment is needed in your school district?

• Here are some suggestions:

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Security EquipmentSecurity Equipment

• Cameras• Knox Box• Safety Box• Door locks• Magnetic locks• Cameras• Intercoms• Lighting

5656

CommunicationsCommunications

• Cell phones• Radios• Inner-operative radios• Telephones• Dedicated telephone lines• Band Radios• Family Talk Radios• Walkie-talkies

5757

Buildings and GroundsBuildings and Grounds

• Lettering exterior doors: A B C D

• Numbering windows/rooms

• Securing all doors except the main entrance during school hours

• Check-in procedures; sign-in and nametags

• Remodeling?

• Remote locks/camera monitoring

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What are most schools doing?What are most schools doing?

• Locking all but the main door

• Requiring visitors to sign in and wear a nametag

• Determining how to keep classroom doors locked

• Investigating the cost of door locks, security cameras

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• Numbering external doors

• Numbering external windows

• Buying radios, cell phones

• Looking at construction costs for entrance doors

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What kind of Administrator?What kind of Administrator?

• Those who “make things happen”

• Those who “watch things happen”, and

• Those who wonder “what the hell happened?”

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What resources are available?What resources are available?

• Vermont School Crisis Guide http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/pgm_safeschools/pubs.html#resources

• The Vermont Emergency Management web site• Vermont School Safety Checklist (VTDOE site)

• www.wetip.com• Emergency Weather Radios • Vermont School Crisis Team and the

VSCT facilitators

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REFERENCE WEB SITESREFERENCE WEB SITES• U.S. Secret Service Web Site• http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/

(Safe School Initiatives)

• Vermont Department of Education: http://www.state.vt.us/educ/new/html/pgm_safeschools/pubs.html

(School Crisis Guide 2004)(School Safety Review Checklist)

• Vermont School Boards Association: • http://www.vtvsba.org/ (School Crisis Guide and Power Point Slides)

• Vermont Emergency Management: