8420 - EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AT SCHOOLS </B></FONT><FONT FACE="arial, helvetica, verdana,Times New Roman">(Evacuation, Fire, Tornado, Lockdown, Unusual)

Cedar Springs Public School District

Administrative Guidelines

8420 - EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AT SCHOOLS (Evacuation, Fire, Tornado, Lockdown, Unusual)

The primary consideration in any emergency situation must be the safety of the students and staff. At certain times, therefore, it may be necessary to ask the staff to perform "beyond the call of duty" in order to provide for the welfare of our students. In the event of an actual emergency situation, all school personnel, instructional and noninstructional, will be required to remain in the building until they are dismissed by the principal.

Each school will conduct at least one (1) of the drills required under this procedure (fire, tornado and/or lock-down) during lunch and or non-instructional time, or at other times when a significant number of the students are gathered but not in a classroom.

EVACUATION

A.	When an emergency occurs, the principal shall when feasible, consult with the Superintendent whether or not to evacuate the school. An announcement will then be made to inform staff and students of the emergency procedures that will be followed.

B.	If a decision is made to send students home or to a preselected site, attempts will be made to notify parents by telephone and/or by radio or TV email and website and the public address system will be used to inform all teachers and students.

	The professional and support staff members will supervise the orderly evacuation of the building.

	1.	If time permits, all students will go to their lockers, unlock them, take a coat if applicable, and return to class leaving lockers open.

	2.	Administrators and guidance counselors will report to the office for assignment.

	3.	Teachers should take class rolls, including, addresses and telephone numbers of students as well as emergency information.

	4.	Teachers will remain (or return) to their regular classrooms and remain with their students.

	5.	Clerical personnel will remain at their regular stations except in cases of reassignment by their immediate supervisor.

	6.	Cafeteria personnel will remain in their areas until notified to the contrary by the main office.

C.	In case of bomb threat, the sheriff's department and the principal will search the building.

	Above all, it is imperative that all personnel remain calm and in control throughout the emergency.

FIRE DRILLS

In accordance with State law, fire drills are to be conducted periodically. A minimum of five (5) fire drills is required for each school year for District buildings that contain grades kindergarten to 12. Three (3) of the fire drills shall be held before December 1st and two (2) shall be held during the remaining part of the school year, reasonably spaced.

Each principal shall prepare and distribute fire drill procedures whereby:

	A.	all personnel leave the building during a drill;

	B.	the plan of evacuation provides at least one (1) alternative route in case exits or stairways are blocked;


	C.	teachers, when the fire alarm sounds, caution students to walk silently and briskly from the building to a specified location, close all windows and doors of room and turn out lights, if possible, before leaving, check to make sure any disabled students requiring assistance are being assisted properly, and conduct roll call as soon as students are at the designated location to make sure that each student is accounted for;

	D.	a list is compiled of all disabled students in the building who will require assistance in exiting the building together with the assignment of a staff member or nonstudent volunteer in the student's classroom who will be responsible for providing necessary assistance in an appropriate manner. A person should also be designated to assist a disabled student when the evacuation signal is given and s/he is in another area of the building such as the gym, all-purpose room, or lunchroom.

The principal shall document that each fire drill was conducted in a proper manner and submit such documentation to the Superintendent at the end of each school year.

TORNADOES AND SEVERE WEATHER DRILLS

Every spring the District faces the possibility of severe weather and tornadoes. A minimum of two (2) tornado safety drills is required for each school year at the schools in the District. At least one (1) drill shall be conducted during March. These drills shall be conducted for the purpose of preventing fires and related hazards and injuries caused by severe weather.

Each school is to monitor a weather-alert radio for severe weather conditions and each principal or supervisor is responsible for setting up procedures for notifying their staff and students about severe conditions and maintaining proper safety.

Tornado Watch

A tornado watch is a forecast of the possibility of one (1) or more tornadoes in a large area. When a tornado watch is in effect, the District will continue normal activities but move recess and physical education activities indoors. Each building and department shall designate someone to be responsible for continuously monitoring the watch while students are in the building or on the premises. School will not be dismissed early and dismissal time will be at the regular time even if the watch is still in effect.

Tornado Warning

A tornado warning signals that a tornado has been sighted and may be approaching. Staff shall open all classroom windows and doors and proceed with all students to the predesignated tornado shelter areas and remain there with the students until further notice. Disabled students who need assistance are to be assisted by the person designated to assist them for building evacuations. No student shall be allowed out of his/her designated area unless his/her parent comes to the school and requests that the student be released. A student is to be released only to his/her parents.

Procedures:

A.	A tornado warning signal is an alarm and/or an announcement on the public address system.

B.	All groups outside the building are to return to the school and go to their designated shelter area.

C.	Proceed to predetermined shelter areas.

	1.	Students shall line the interior hallways as quickly and safely as possible away from glass and sit with their backs to the interior wall, knees drawn tightly to their chests, face positioned between their knees, and their hands over their necks. Students in wheel chairs are to remain in their chairs with the back of the chair against the interior wall.

	2.	Students shall remain quiet to wait for instructions.

	3.	Staff members shall remain alert for students who evidence signs of stress or panic, and when necessary, move such students to an area where they will not influence other students and remain with them until the all-clear signal is given.

	4.	The principal shall give the all-clear signal and provide further directions.

D.	Areas to be avoided.

	1.	Spaces that are opposite doorways or openings into rooms that have windows in the exterior walls, and areas with large roof spaces.

	2.	Interior locations that contain glass, such as doors, windows, display cases and the like.

	3.	Areas where doors swing. When the storm hits, the doors are likely to swing violently.

	4.	Corridor intersections (stay at least ten (10) feet away).

	5.	Any corridor which has potential to become a wind tunnel.

	6.	Any wall which is nonload-bearing.

SCHOOL-WIDE LOCK DOWN PROCEDURES

A minimum of three (3) drills in which the occupants are restricted to the interior of the building and the building secured is required for each school year at a school that operates any of grades kindergarten to 12.

A drill shall include security measures that are appropriate to an emergency such as the release of a hazardous material or the presence of an armed individual on or near the premises. The drill shall be conducted in coordination with the local emergency management coordinator, the county sheriff for the county or the chief of police or fire chief for the municipality where the school is located, or the designee of the sheriff, chief or police, or fire chief and consistently with applicable Federal, State, and local emergency operations plans.

The Board shall seek input from the administration of the school on the nature of the drills to be conducted under this subsection.

Procedures:

	A.	When the designated all-call occurs, staff is to stop all class activities and immediately shut and lock the classroom door and close the blinds. Do not open the door for anyone until directed by law enforcement officers or the principal. Do not open door to those who do not give pre-arranged "password".

	B.	If details are not immediately announced, turn off the lights, close any blinds, and arrange students in the classroom where they are the least visible.

	C.	Remain quiet.

	D.	Free up the classroom telephone.

	E.	Ignore all bells and keep students in the classroom until further notice.

	F.	Take attendance immediately and keep attendance book with you as you and your class may be asked to relocate.

	G.	Students in the bathroom will be directed to move to the nearest classroom or secure area by the principal.

	H.	If a dangerous or suspicious situation is observed in the building, contact the office immediately.

	I.	If the class is meeting outside of the building, staff will be notified by the principal as soon as possible. Please keep the class together and move them to a safe location away from the building.

	J.	If students are in the gymnasium, staff will be notified by the principal and are to take students to the locker room and follow the lockdown procedures.

	K.	If you are not in your classroom at the time of the lockdown, remain where you are and follow lockdown procedures.

UNUSUAL SITUATIONS

The following situations are quite unlikely to occur, but in such an event, use the following procedural guidelines:

A.	Student or staff member held hostage

	1.	Isolate the area. DO NOT make a P.A. announcement or sound the fire alarm. The nearest administrator will direct teachers and monitors on duty to notify teachers in nearby classes to take their students to a previously determined area.

	2.	Notify the police immediately, giving as much information as possible (e.g. number of terrorists, number of hostages, types of demands being made). Police will be in charge once they arrive.

	3.	Notify the Superintendent.

	4.	Develop a list of casualties, if any.


B.	Intruders in building or on school property

	1.	Ask them to leave.

	2.	If they do not leave, remind them of trespassing law.

	3.	Notify administrator in charge and the District office.

	4.	Avoid any physical conflict or loud verbal altercations.

	The principal or any staff member who is involved may notify police if intruders do not leave and/or call for the assistance of other members of the staff.

C.	Unauthorized demonstrators or pickets around building before school opens

	1.	Follow procedures for intruders.

	2.	Attempt to enter building peaceably.

	3.	Notify District office.

	4.	Hold students on the school buses if demonstrators seem to pose a threat.

	5.	Notify law enforcement officers.

D.	Demonstrators or pickets around building at dismissal

	1.	Follow procedures for intruders.

	2.	Notify administrator in charge.

	3.	If demonstrators seem to pose a threat, hold students in class until further notice.

	4.	Notify law enforcement officers.


E.	Student Demonstrators (See AG 5540B)

	1.	Identify the leader or leaders of the group

	2.	Notify the group that the administration will confer with the leader(s) but not until all other students return to class.

	3.	Meet with leaders if students disperse and return to class.

	4.	If students refuse to disperse, remind them of truancy regulations and the consequences of school disruption.

	5.	With other staff, try to identify as many participants as possible and notify parents of participants asking them to come to school.

	6.	Attempt to take pictures and/or video recording of participants.

	7.	Attempt to keep nonparticipating students away from the demonstration area.

	8.	Follow through on disciplinary action on students refusing to cooperate.

F.	Buses not operating - students in school

	1.	Keep all students in class.

	2.	Summon all unassigned professional staff members for instruction.

	3.	Dismiss students with their own cars (or bicycles) but follow Board policy regarding student passengers.

	4.	Dismiss students within walking distance after the cars have left.


	5.	Keep remaining students in school until parents are notified of the problem and transportation for their child arrives.

	6.	Alert cafeteria staff if it appears that large numbers of students will have to remain at school for an extended period of time.

G.	Major disruptions at an assembly

	1.	Bring house lights to full on.

	2.	If those causing the disruption are too numerous to be handled by professional staff members on duty, dismiss the assembly and instruct all present to report to next period class.

	3.	If few in number, remove them from the assembly and take appropriate disciplinary action.

	4.	If those causing the disruption are outsiders, follow procedure for intruders.

M.C.L. 29.19
M.C.L. 30.409