The School Safety Plan

There are several components to a safety plan for emergencies that occur in school. Here are the components of a typical safety plan:

• Identify the steps for building-wide lockdowns and for different times of day.

  • Consider potential physical obstacles; stairs, locked doors, non-working elevators

  • Consider potential sensory obstacles; loud alarms, strong smell of smoke, unusual crowding

  • Include contingencies. This includes busy traffic times, sensitive transition periods (i.e. after lunch, before recess, etc), and events like assemblies.

• Identify teaching strategies for what to do and how to respond to key words or signals

  • Key words; all clear, active shooter, fire, emergency services identifying themselves

  • Signals: clothing of emergency services, sight of a gun, fire alarms, tornado warnings, hand gestures by teachers signifying need for silence, movement, or safety check

  • Includes knowing how, when, and where to go

  • Might include a specified “buddy”

  • Involve local emergency personnel for practice

    • Fire

    • Police

    • EMTs

• Practice the safety plan with the learner and their peers

  • Lots of opportunities for practice across multiple settings

  • Use real-world signaling when possible (trigger the fire alarm, use smoke smell (but not actual smoke), play projection of a tornado outside, use typical sounds in emergencies)

  • Make sure all learners know their roles (to keep themselves safe first)

• Emergency bag: keep extras of needed items in an emergency bag kept in the safety area

  • Sensory items; fidgets, noise-cancelling headphones, snack items

    • The goal is to keep the learner calm and quiet for as long as possible

  • Medical supplies; first aid, masks, gloves, pull-ups, Epipens

  • Preferred noiseless toys, electronics

  • Communication systems

    • Including especially low tech options such as core boards

• Keep copies of the plan in easily reachable places and make sure all responsible parties are trained on it

  • With lesson plans, in safety areas such as panic rooms, in offices

  • Responsible parties: adults in the school setting including teachers, paras, administrative staff, tutors, security personnel

As always, get out there and do good.