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Preparing for a crisis
No one can predict when a crisis might
occur, but school districts can take steps to prepare for a
variety of situations, from blizzards to bomb threats. Recent
shootings in schools across the United States have brought
attention to one particular type of crisis situation: school
violence. While South Dakota has not been directly impacted by
this type of crisis, we are not immune.
By making crisis preparations today, school
districts can improve the safety of their students for tomorrow.
One valuable resource is the U.S. Department of Education’s
“Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools
and Communities.” This publication identifies four phases of
crisis management. Highlights of each phase are described below.
Click here for the full guide.
Mitigation and Prevention
Take steps to prevent crises or lessen
their impact. These steps might include:
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Connect with your community’s emergency
responders
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Establish building access control
procedures
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Provide IDs for students and staff
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Take steps to improve school climate
Preparedness
Identify practical things you can do to
prepare for crisis situations. These might include:
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Identify potential crises – fire, bomb
threat, hostage situations
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Define roles and responsibilities (Who
is responsible for caring for children? Who is responsible
for notifying parents? Who is responsible for talking to the
media?)
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Create maps of school property for
emergency responders
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Conduct drills (eg. fire, tornado,
lock-down) for students and staff
Response
Become familiar with appropriate responses
such as:
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Assessing the situation and responding
quickly
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Notifying emergency responders
immediately
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Determining whether to evacuate or lock
down the school
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Triaging injuries
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Communicating accurate and appropriate
information
Recovery
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Identify ways to return to learning and
restore normalcy.
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Assemble the Crisis Intervention Team
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Return to learning as quickly as
possible
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Assess the emotional needs of staff,
students, families and responders
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Provide stress management during class
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Conduct daily debriefings for staff and
responders
When it comes to school shootings, a number
of situations have been a result of someone claiming to be
bullied or picked on. This winter, the Department of Education
will host training sessions related to bullying, school climate
and sexual harassment. The sessions are slated for Dec. 18-19 in
Rapid City; Jan. 23-24, 2007, in Watertown; and Feb. 13-14,
2007, in Sioux Falls. For more information about these sessions,
contact the department’s Office of Career and Technical
Education at (605) 773-3423.
Finally, there is no replacement for alert
staff. Speaking with staff members about the possibility of
school violence, or any crisis, and practicing your response on
a regular basis will be your best prevention strategy.
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