REVISED 5/10/12
At SafePlans we track school related news stories for SchoolSafetyNews. This story focuses on response options; which are important – but response options only mitigate. Check out the article and reach your own conclusion.
Thirteen years after the Columbine shooting, the most important advance in school security since the Columbine shooting is the realization that lockdowns are simply inadequate.
This is not to diminish the importance of programs like threat assessment or the advances in physical security. Unfortunately no amount of physical security can stop every external attack and even the most robust threat assessment programs can fail to identify potentially violent behavior in time to stop all attacks stemming from students or employees. Therefore, it is vital that campuses implement intruder response plans and training to mitigate the impact of a violent intruder and maximize survivability for occupants. This requires more than a simple lockdown. Continue Reading…
The Intruder Vulnerability Assessment app is based upon national best practices and SafePlans’ lessons learned. This innovative application provides a solid overview of a school’s vulnerability to an attack from a violent intruder. The app is available for FREE on the iTunes app store.
The first of its kind “Intruder Vulnerability Assessment” app is a component of SafePlans’ Emergency Response Information Portal (ERIP) cloud homeland security solution and integrates with SafePlans’ Intruderology training program.
Click the icon to view in the App Store
Since SafePlans completed a homeland security funded project for the Southeast PA Regional Taks Force (SEPA RTF) to develop security standards for schools, new emergency preparedness laws have been enacted. Many of these new PA Chapter 10 (Safe Schools) requirements closely mirror SafePlans’ recommendations in the comprehensive 2011 report.
Below is a summary of key items (Chapter 10 is available for download here). SafePlans’ Emergency Response Information Portal (ERIP) contains web-based emergency plans and site mapping capabilities to help PA districts to easily comply with the following items. Please contact SafePlans if we can be of assistance or to request a demo of the ERIP system (866-210-SAFE or info@safeplans.com).
§ 10.2. Purpose
The purpose of this chapter is to establish and maintain a cooperative relationship between school entities and local police departments in the reporting and resolution of incidents that occur on school property, at any school sponsored activity, or on a conveyance as described in the Safe Schools Act (such as a school bus) providing transportation to or from a school or school sponsored activity.
From Section 10.8 Emergency and nonemergency response preparedness Continue Reading…
Physicians, pilots and other professionals use checklists to improve safety and efficiency. Atul Gawande is a surgeon, writer and public health researcher that, among many other things, has worked to implement checklists in healthcare to help safe lives. His book, “The Checklist Manifesto” (Amazon.com) details his research into various fields’ application and/or need for simple checklists to enhance safety and improve quality of service.
“The book’s main point is simple: no matter how expert you may be, well-designed check lists can improve outcomes” – freakonomics
Emergency plans come in a variety of formats, names and even purposes. For the most part, it seems emergency management has gone away from integrating checklists. Prior to the 2001 and the subsequent National Response Plan (NRP), National Incident Management System (NIMS), Incident Command System (ICS) and other federal requirements, checklists were not uncommon in emergency plans. Continue Reading…
This last wee’s storms exhibited a tragic reminder of the importance of all-hazards planning. It is all too easy to focus on events like bomb threats, school shootings and overlook severe weather preparedness. While a school is obviously at the mercy of the storm as to where a tornado appears, a great deal can be done to prepare for and mitigate the effects of a tornado or extreme winds.
In the way of preparedness here are some recommended steps that go beyond the standard severe weahter shelter plans:
Pre-Planning
• Work with local emergency management officials to determine severe weather shelter areas
• Consider Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for select staff
• Conduct drills to test communications (to include mass notificaiton) and movement to shelter assignments
• Preplan evacuation routes and rally points (avoiding power lines) in the event the school becomes damages and unsafe
When Severe Weather is a Possibility:• Assign staff to monitor weather
• Ensure radios (two-way/walkie-talkies and weather radios) are charged and conduct a staff meeting to review plans
• Consider special events, outdoor activities and bus times
When a Severe Weather Watch Occurs:
• Establish an interior command post
• Ask teachers to review severe weather plans
• Increase staff monitoring during transition times and meal periods
• Compare estimated storm impact with release times. Make plans to hold students and communicate with parents.
When a Severe Weather Warning Occurs:•
Enact severe weather plans
Always collaborate with your local response agencies on emergency planning issues.
Stay safe!
Brad
This post is provided by SafePlans (www.safeplans.com), an all-hazards preparedness solution including emergency plans, staff training, and detailed site mapping.
Click here to learn more about the author
The attack on the youth camp in Norway is illustrative of a targeting trend that moves terrorist attacks away from higher value/critical infrastructure targets that have implemented improved physical security. Could this mean that terrorist will forgo attempts on more classic targets and focus on soft targets? If so, schools in the United States would seem to be a logical and obvious target.
Situational Awareness & Analysis Continue Reading…
The recent bomb threat plot in Utah illustrates the need for schools to be aware of threats from Improvised Explosive Devices (I.E.D.’s) and well as diversionary style attacks. The SafePlans video from circa 2004 illustrates the risk of Secondary Attacks and their countermeasures.
Stay safe
Brad
This post is provided by SafePlans (www.safeplans.com), an all-hazards preparedness solution including emergency plans, staff training, and detailed site mapping.
Those that have attended SafePlans’ Intruderology and Security Awareness For Educators (SAFE) training have learned a little bit about Kip Kinkel. Kinkel’s school attack on May 21, 1998 (he murdered his parents on May 20th) is used to illustrate how threat assessment could have prevented the attack and actions in the school cafeteria mitigated how many lives were lost.
Looks like Kinkel is no longer enjoying incarceration and would like to be moved to a mental hospital. His lawyer is saying Kinkel landed in prison because he had inadequate legal representation. The lawyer claims (among other things) that Kinkel being curled up in the fetal position days before he took the plea deal is indicative of mental illness. He isn’t saying Kinkel curled in the fetal position days before murdering his parents, another student and wounding 25 . No, after the killing and when he realized the rest of life would be behind bars, Kinkel felt bad. I will save my sympathy for the victims of the shooting and hope Kinkel is kept in prison.
More on Kinkel’s Shooting:
http://www.schoolsafetynews.com/index.php/2010/02/fighting-back-…school-shooter/
For more on the transfer request:
http://news.opb.org/article/kinkel-wants-be-moved-prison-hospital/
This post is provided by Brad Spicer, CEO of SafePlans (www.safeplans.com). SafePlans specializes in providing the technology, resources and training needed to improve emergency readiness and protect people and property.
Click here to learn more about the author
On November 2nd, millions of Americans will exercise their constitutional right to vote. As this is a security post and not a political commentary, you may wonder how this is relevant to school safety. Simple, in order to accommodate this democratic process, thousands of schools open their doors and become polling places for millions of people. As evidenced by the shooting in New Hampshire today, this is a bad idea.
Regulating access is a fundamental pillar of security, yet because county clerks do not want to take the time to identify polling places that are not full of children, schools become a softer and higher profile target in a single action.
A softer target because the general public is invited unregulated into the school, while school is in session. Certainly election officials were will closely regulate voting activity, but hundreds and possibly thousands of adults will enter these polling schools without being challenged.
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Subscribe via Email