EMERGENCIES SAFETY AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN 

All district staff and students must be prepared to respond quickly and responsibly to emergencies, disasters, or other crisis which create distress, hardship, fear or grief. The Superintendent or designee shall develop and maintain a crisis response plan for handling all foreseeable emergencies and disasters.  This plan shall be reviewed and updated at least annually. 

A crisis response team for each school shall augment the district plan with working plans and procedures specific to each school building. The crisis response team must include the principal, one certificated and one classified member of the school staff, and one parent whose child attends the school. Additionally, the team may include a school board or advisory school board member, a school counselor, a member of local law enforcement, and a student in grade 10 or higher.

All students and employees shall receive instruction regarding these plans. Employees shall be trained in crisis response, including evacuation and lock down drills.  New employees shall complete the training within their first two years of employment. Disaster simulation exercises may be held annually at each school site and shall demonstrate how safety procedures may be applied to various types of emergencies.

The Superintendent or designee shall consult with local social services agencies and law enforcement authorities so that district and site plans may provide the best possible way of handling each situation and also provide for emergency communications systems between these officials and each district school.

Note:  The crisis response plan must include the following information. Districts should add to this list as appropriate.
 

The crisis response plan for each school must:

a.    Identify the person in charge and a designated substitute;

b.    Identify the crisis response team members and their specific job functions relating to a crisis;

c.    Include a communication plan;

d.    Include protocols for responding to immediate physical harm of students, faculty, or staff and to traumatic events, including the period after the  events have concluded;

e.    Include disaster and emergency procedures to respond to earthquakes, fire, flood, explosions, or other events or conditions in which death or serious injury is likely;

f.     Include crisis procedures for safe entrance to and exit from the school by students, parents, and employees, including an evacuation and lock down plan; and

g.    Include policies for enforcing school discipline and maintaining a safe and orderly environment during the crisis.

District and site plans shall address at least the following situations:

1.    Fire in a building.

2.    Fire from an external source, such as a forest, brush or grass.

3.    Bomb threat or actual detonation.

4.    Possession and use of firearms/other weapons.

5.    Natural disasters, i.e., floods, heavy snows, blizzards, torrential rains, earthquakes, heavy winds.

6.    Unhealthy air due to air inversion.

7.    Bears.

(cf. 3514 – Safety)
(cf. 3515 – Security)
(cf. 5142 – Student Safety)

The crisis response plans shall be reviewed annually and updated as appropriate. A copy of each school’s crisis response plan shall be retained by the district and a copy provided to each local agency that has a role in the plan. Notice of completion of the annual review and update and the location of a school’s crisis response plan shall be posted at each school in the district. Each school’s crisis response plan shall be printed and available for inspection by the public.

Note:  The following language may be revised to reflect district philosophy and needs.
 

The School Board shall grant the use of school buildings, grounds and equipment to public agencies, including the American Red Cross, for mass care and welfare shelters during disasters or other emergencies affecting public health and welfare. The School Board shall cooperate with such agencies in furnishing and maintaining whatever services it deems necessary to meet the community’s needs.

The School Board encourages all employees to become proficient in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Each principal shall ascertain that at least one staff member at each school holds a valid certificate in these areas. The Superintendent or designee shall provide for CPR inservice training to be offered to district staff annually.

Disaster simulation exercises shall be held annually at the beginning of the year at each school site and shall demonstrate how safety procedures may be applied to various types of emergencies.  The Board encourages all employees to become proficient in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.  Each principal shall ascertain that at least two staff members at each school holds a valid certificate in these areas.

Legal Reference:

ALASKA STATUTES

14.03.030  School term
14.03.140  Emergency drills
14.33.100 Required school crisis response planning
18.70.080-18.70.300 Fire protection

KETCHIKAN GATEWAY BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Revision Date: 4/23/03
Revision Date: 2/08/2017

• BP 6114