School staff is entrusted each and every day to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for all of their students. That doesn’t just mean helping them to learn, but also to keep them safe from any threats or hazards–whether they are human-caused emergencies or natural disasters. Creating proper threat response solutions is the key to achieving this goal. Some of the best solutions to consider include:
Develop an Emergency Operations Plan – Make sure you and your staff know what to do and when to do it when different emergencies occur. This includes figuring out lockdowns, evacuations, parent-student reunifications, and any emergency communications.
Develop a Crisis Communications Plan – The more people don’t know about a situation, the more they panic. Make sure you have a plan to provide honest and timely communication to your community, first responders, and staff so that everybody knows what is going on and can act according to any designated plans.
Train Your Staff – Make sure your staff knows how to handle any emergency situation that might come up. These people are your first line of defense when it comes to protecting against crime, teaching security procedures, and raising awareness to students.
Conduct a Site Assessment – By learning where your strengths and weaknesses are, you can better adjust to protecting your students, staff, and school from dangers. Have a professional examine your campus facilities and grounds to identify any security weaknesses you might have.
