Fayetteville-Manlius Schools > About Us > Required Notifications > School District Safety Plan > Administrative Procedures > Protective Action Options: 155.17 (c)(1)(ii&xiv)

Protective Action Options: 155.17 (c)(1)(ii&xiv)

A. GENERAL EVACUATION

Evacuations may be necessary in the event of fire, weather, other emergency, or violent incident. Upon notification of the need to evacuate, teachers should instruct students to remain calm and quiet, and depart the building in an orderly fashion according to previously established evacuation routes, or alternate routes as instructed.

  1. Building occupants will be notified to evacuate the building by one of the following means depending upon the nature of the emergency:
    (a) Fire Alarm
    (b) Intercom System
    (c) Verbal or Written Notification                                                                                                    (d) Electronic Notification
  2. Upon receiving an evacuation notice, faculty and staff shall survey their areas and evacuation routes for hazards and/or suspicious hazards in order to ensure a safe and expeditious evacuation.
  3. The normal evacuation route(s) for students, faculty and staff for each school
    shall be specified in the Building Emergency Response Plan and included in the Emergency Response Bag “Gotta Go Bag”. Normal evacuation routes will also be posted in each room.
  4. Teachers are to bring their Daily Attendance Records with them. Attendance shall be taken upon evacuating and again if relocated to an alternate site. Teachers may be asked to turn in their Attendance Roster to the Building Administrator for use at the emergency command post.
  5. Normal evacuation routes will be used unless the emergency prevents use of exits and/or corridors. Alternate routes may be announced using the school’s intercom system. The intercom system shall not be used in situations that may endanger students/staff (e.g., barricaded gunman). In the event of power failure, the Building Administrator can direct ancillary staff to communicate alternate evacuation routes.
  6. Suspicious items found must be left alone and immediately reported to the Building Administrator and/or emergency service personnel.
  7. Persons evacuating should remain calm and orderly in order to prevent panic and confusion.
  8. Elevators may not be used for evacuation purposes unless approved by the Building Administrator or emergency personnel.
  9. All persons shall proceed to the designated assembly areas (see building level plan(s), section 9) and remain there until further notice.
  10. Teachers must take attendance once in the designated Safety Zone, and are to notify the Building Administrator if a student is not present.
  11. Any time teachers have to relocate their class; attendance should be taken before departure and upon arrival. If students are to be evacuated off-campus, teachers are to take attendance before students begin loading on the buses and once the buses are loaded, to assure that all students are accounted for.
  12. Occasionally, there may be a need to relocate students from the designated assembly areas (see building level plan(s), section 9) to a predetermined Relocation Center. If evacuation is ordered beyond the Safety Zone, students will be evacuated by bus either to their homes or a safe location. The decision to evacuate the designated assembly areas (see building level plan(s), section 9) will be made by the Incident Commander upon consultation with the Superintendent. Students will not be allowed to go home on their own (i.e., walking or in personal vehicles). A parent or a pre-arranged surrogate may sign a Student Release Form and pick up their child at the designated reunification site.
  13. The School Nurse should have a medical alert list and supplies readily available at all times. For supplies not on hand the School Nurse will be prepared to make arrangements to provide medical assistance at the relocation site or along the evacuation route as necessary in coordination with the Building Administrator and the Incident Commander.
  14. Building Administrators will follow directions received from the Superintendent and/or the Incident Commander. Principals will determine when staff may be permitted to leave after their students have been safely released and they are no longer needed for emergency duties.

B. EVACUATION OF DISABLED STUDENTS, STAFF AND FACULTY

In the event of an evacuation, special care must be taken to ensure that disabled persons are safely transported out of the building. Each Building Safety Plan shall have a list of special needs students and the persons who have been designated to assist them.

  1. An Assisted Evacuation Plan is in the Building Level Emergency Response Plan. This plan should include every child or staff member who has limited mobility and will be reviewed as necessary (i.e.) when students and personnel change.
  2. In case of an Emergency where evacuation or a long-term stay on-site is required, the Assistant Superintendent for Special Services and designated staff will respond to the Relocation Center or to the designated assembly areas (see building level plan(s), section 9) to assist with special education students and staff who serve them.
  3. If coordinated services are required from outside agencies that specialize in dealing with students with disabilities, the Assistant Superintendent for Special Services and or designated staff will act to facilitate the use of such groups.

C. SHELTERING

There are times when it is necessary to move the school population to a single or multiple location(s) within a school building. This is called a “Shelter in Place”. In most cases, a shelter in place is done with there is a threat of or actual weather related incident or a bomb threat.

Shelter in Place Objectives:

  • To minimize injury or death.
  • To locate and contain any device or weather damage.
  • To facilitate emergency responses.
  • To establish safe routes and designated areas.

General procedures are as follows:

  1. Upon receiving instruction from local, county or state governmental emergency response agencies the Superintendent shall notify the Building Administrator(s) of the need to initiate the Sheltering Plan.
  2. If an incident occurs near school and the Building Administrator is the first to be informed, he or she shall make a decision, based upon the nature of the emergency or upon the direction of local emergency commanders, whether to
    shelter all students and staff inside the school building. The Building Administrator shall inform the Superintendent and the 911 Control Center of the determination.
  3. Upon notification of an Emergency or the exercise of a drill, the Building Administrator shall instruct students and staff to report to the designated ‘inside’ Safety Zone. Faculty will bring their class roster with them and maintain charge of their class in the designated assembly areas (see building level plan(s), section 9) unless otherwise directed.
  4. During sheltering for certain types of air pollution problems, chemical spills or radiological emergencies, windows should be closed and ventilation systems and outside air intakes should be shut down.
  5. The Building Administrator will assign appropriate duties to selected staff members and custodian, to include securing the building
  6. Students/staff will remain inside the building until the Building Administrator is advised by the Incident Commander or emergency management authorities to take further action.
  7. If such procedure necessitates remaining in school after hours, the Superintendent, or designee, will issue a public notice to this effect through the local news media. Parents will be advised as to appropriate responses, including, where to sign-out their child (if appropriate). As necessary, the Superintendent will coordinate the use of district resources in cooperation with the Incident Commander and request assistance from County Emergency Management Office, the American Red Cross and other agencies as appropriate
  8. The Building Administrator will keep the teaching staff, the school nurse, the custodial staff, and the cafeteria staff informed.

D. LOCKDOWN

There may be times when it is necessary to “Lockdown” a building. A Building Administrator, faculty, or staff member may initiate a lockdown based upon an actual or imminent threat (not including bomb threats) or violent event. A lockdown is the response to the worst-case scenario, and must be executed with appropriate urgency and seriousness.

RUN-HIDE-FIGHT protocol to be used.
Run if you are able, and it is safe to do so, Hide if unable or unsafe to run, Fight for your lives if needed to eliminate risk of harm from suspect.

Lockdown Objectives:

  • To minimize injury and death
  • To facilitate effective response
  • To move as many people as possible to a safe place
  • To neutralize a threat

Lockdown procedure is appropriate for situations, which mandate that students remain in one location until authorized to move. Protocols for a Lockdown response for each school building are in the Building Emergency Response Plans. General procedures are as follows:

  1. A lockdown procedure is called when leaving or walking through the building would endanger the health and safety of student or staff, i.e. dangerous intruder.
  2. The Building Administrator will apprise all building occupants of a lock-down order using the predetermined Emergency signal. Students and staff shall remain in their classrooms or work-area until the Building Administrator or law enforcement officials open the door.
  3. The Building Administrator will contact local 9-1-1 emergency responders and notify the Superintendent.
  4. Building staff shall lock their doors and secure students out of the line of sight.
  5. Building staff will not respond to Fire Alarms during a lockdown unless signs of Smoke or Fire are observed.
  6. Parents will be advised as to preferred responses, and are NOT to report to the school to sign out their child. The Superintendent, or designee, will provide information and updates to parents and the media at the media reception area at a predetermined location.

E. LOCK-OUT

A Lock-out procedure is most commonly used when the incident is occurring outside the school building, on or off school property, which allows the school to continue within the normal school day, but curtails outside activity, and allows no unauthorized personnel into the building.

  1. The Building Administrator, or person in charge, will apprise all building
    occupants that lock-out procedures are being implemented.
  2. The Building Administrator will contact 9-1-1 emergency responders (if not first appraised by law enforcement) and notify the Superintendent.
  3. If emergency dictates, building staff should close and lock windows.
  4. Students/staff who are on the school grounds will be immediately summoned to return to the school building.
  5. The Building Administrator will assign selected staff members and/or custodian(s) to secure the building.
  6. The main entrance will be monitored. Only AUTHORIZED personnel will be allowed in the building.
  7. Modify normal dismissal procedures as appropriate.

F. EARLY DISMISSAL

An early dismissal is appropriate in the event of a system failure, such as heating, plumbing or electrical failure, that renders the building unsuitable for instructional purposes. Early dismissal may also be a viable option for other emergency situations as decided by the Superintendent. Each Building Emergency Response Plan shall contain provisions on the development of a telephone tree for communications with parents or guardians regarding the early dismissal. That information is detailed in the Buildinglevel Emergency Response plans.

  1. Early dismissal is available as a building evacuation option for Emergency situations as decided by the Superintendent or designee.
  2. Similar to evacuation, early dismissal (or “go home”) is merely a procedure for getting students out of the building and united with their families or with responsible individuals who have been designated by the parents to care for the child in their absence.
  3. Emergency contact information will be utilized to facilitate uniting students with their families or with responsible individuals who have been designated by the parents to care for the child.
  4. Early dismissal will follow normal dismissal procedures unless the situation warrants otherwise. The Building Administrator or designee, as the Emergency dictates will select alternate dismissal procedures and/or loading areas.