Transcript Crisis Response Plans

Crisis Response Plans
Why are schools responsible for Crisis
Response Planning?
What components already exist in your
district/school?
What parts of this legislation cause you
heartburn?
Most Common Crises
Schools Experience
Student death due to accident or illness
Student death by suicide
Student death due to homicide
Staff death due to accident or illness
Staff death by suicide
Catastrophic events involving students or staff
Natural disasters
Expectations of Training
Understand the legislation & essential
components of crisis response plan
Be able to construct a district plan for
implementation
Identify pertinent members of a team
Provide current research and resources for
school districts interested in further
information.
Crisis Response Planning
Legislation
District constructs model
Schools construct specific plans/teams
District annually review/update and post
Training annually for all district employees
District: July 1, 2000
School: December 31, 2000
Each school shall have a
crisis response team
Minimum Team Membership
 the principal.
 One certified member.
 One classified member
 One parent.
Basic Plan Requirements

Identification of person in charge and a substitute
 Identification of team members and specific crisis team
job functions
 A communication plan
 Crisis response protocols
 Emergency procedures
 Evacuation and lock down plans
 Crisis response policies.
The district and each
school within the district
shall consult with local
social services agencies
and local law enforcement
authorities when
developing the school
crisis response plan.
Crisis Definition
The legislation defines crisis to include a
traumatic event or emergency condition
that creates distress, hardship, fear or grief.
Changes?
Trauma
Working in the Aftermath
Grief and Trauma are
Different
Trauma is unlike any other psychological
response.
Traditional counseling techniques are not
helpful.
Grief
An emotional response to
loss of something loved.
A heart centered
experience characterized
by sadness, anger, guilt and
other emotions.
Trauma
A reaction to exposure to
events beyond the realm
of every day experience.
A brain based
biochemical response.
Reactions to Trauma
Leaves people feeling collectively helpless
Out of control
Children’s responses are
dependent upon that of
the adults around them.
Trauma survivors need to cope with the
trauma before they can begin to grieve
The victim of trauma does not need to know
the injured or deceased to suffer trauma
Trauma victims are triggered into high
anxiety by being too close to those who are
highly emotional or are grieving.
The Continuum of Trauma
Hyperarousal
Intrusion
Constriction
Untreated Trauma may
lead to:
use of drugs and alcohol
loss of sleep
increase in high risk behavior
increase in violence
loss of viable and long-term relationships
withdrawn and isolated behavior
inability to access their old emotional self
life no longer feels the same
Factors That Increase the
Likelihood of Trauma
 Incidents within closely knit communities
 Incidents with multiple eye witnesses
 When the victims have a special significance
 When a community is exposed to carnage or misery
 Incidents that call for numerous rescue workers
 Incidents that attract a great deal of media attention
Stages of Crises Planning
Pre-Crisis
Crisis
Post Crisis
Crisis Management is that
part of a school’s approach to
school safety which focuses
more narrowly on a timelimited, problem-focused
intervention to identify,
confront and resolve the
crisis, restore equilibrium and
support appropriate adaptive
responses.
School-wide Management
after the Crisis
Calm leadership and consistency in discipline
Rumor control
Take positive action
Create a safe environment
Predict and prepare
Normalize the usual reactions to trauma
Create opportunities to talk
Allow for personal action
There is a sense of security in
knowing we have a plan for
crisis intervention. Knowing
what to do and when to do it,
keeps crisis from becoming
chaos.
A Typical Plan May
Include:
A working definition
of crisis
Team members and
team jobs
Communication plan
(includes all phone
numbers)
Protocols and
Procedures to follow
during crisis
Crisis policies
What the Plan Makes Clear
What each team member will do
How the chain of command operates
Who is in charge of what
How to approach problems that may
come up
Why Do You Need A Team?
A crisis response team is a collection of
representatives from all facets of school life. A
team provides collaborative leadership when crisis
occurs and assumes an educational role with
teachers, staff, parents, other school personnel
and students. When crisis occurs, the team shares
in decision-making and delegates the tasks of the
specific incident.
A Crisis Response Team:
Assesses and provides structure
Promotes Community
Prepares for the crisis
Responds during the crisis
Evaluates effectiveness
Possible Team Members
Principal
Assistant Principal or
designee
Counselor
Faculty Member
Security Personnel
School Psychologist
School Nurse
School Social Worker
Parent
Social Service Agency
Representative
Law Enforcement
Student
Secretary
Custodian
Specific Jobs During Crisis
Media Liaison
Agency Liaison
Law Enforcement
Liaison
Roamers
Safe Room Attendant
Keeper of the Ready
Bag
Home Visit Designee
Counseling
Log Attendant
Attendance
Communication
Parent Relations
Forms Attendant
One of the most important parts
of a plan is
COMMUNICATION.
Who tells what to whom and
when…
incomplete information only fuels
rumors.
COMMUNICATION must be
ongoing and should be closely
followed up. This can build trust
and credibility with the school
and the community.
The Most Important Thing
VERIFY THE FACTS
The principal or designee should contact law
enforcement, medical authorities or family
to verify if indeed a crisis did occur and the
magnitude of it.
Rumor Control
Identify & notify internal groups.
Designate staff to answer the phone.
Identify & notify key communicators in
the community.
Provide accurate & timely information to
the media
After the immediate crisis have a public
meeting
Telephone Tree
The goal is to give staff time to become
emotionally prepared to meet the day.
Should include all staff including secretary,
custodian, cooks, bus drivers, etc.
• Give only the facts
• Give the time and place of a before school meeting
• Request that callers not go into conjecture or
surmising
Communication Technology
Intercom System
Fax Machines
Panic Buttons
Alarm Systems
Bullhorns &
megaphones
Computer
telecommunications
Telephones
Cellular Phones
Walkie-Talkies
Announcing the Crisis
Announce as soon as facts are verified
Make the announcement for all students
at the same time
Make the announcement from a formal
written statement
Make the announcement to small groups
of students (in a classroom)
Do not use the PA system.
What the Announcement
Will Say
Validate feelings
What happened
Who was involved
What is happening now
What information do I need
What will happen next
Keep in Mind:
A regular day may be too hard for
grieving students.
Offer choices of activities.
Media Guidelines
Assign a media liaison person
Do not allow press on campus
Call them before they call you
Identify a time & a neutral place to meet
with them
Have an official statement prepared
Give honest answers
Scenario
A severe earthquake occurs during school
hours. There is structural damage to the
school building and several students and
staff members are hurt. Power has gone
out all over town limiting communication.
Protocols
A Crisis is in progress
on school grounds
• If a criminal activity
call 911
• Implement lockdown or evacuation
procedures
• Convene the crisisresponse team
The Crisis has
already occurred
• Verify facts
• Initiate the phone
tree
• Convene the crisisresponse team
Evacuation Procedures
Call 911
Alert bus system
Buddy school or alternative location
Attendance
Community notification
Alternate routes
Practice drills
Attend to students with special needs
Lock Down Preparation
Determine signals and procedures for
lockdowns.
Conduct drills.
Lock Downs
Detention of students in classrooms
Checking of hallways by teachers
Keep students calm
Close shades & blinds, lock windows &
doors
Wait for the all clear signal
Ready Bag Contents
 Responsibility checklist
 Phone number list
 School map
 Blueprints
 Keys to all doors
 Student roster including
parents phone numbers
 Master schedule
 Name tags
 Pens & magic markers
 Bullhorn
 Batteries
 First Aid Kit
 Sample forms
 Communication
electronics
 Legal Pads
Post Crisis
 Notify Superintendent
 Convene Crisis Team
 Assign team members
specific jobs
 Prepare formal statement
 Plan staff meeting
 Identify students & staff
most affected
 Determine if additional
resources are needed in
community
 Call subs
 Provide guidelines to staff
 Setup & staff safe room
 Assign staff to follow
deceased students
schedule
 Make school
announcement
 Remove deceased
student from attendance
rolls
Crisis Response at Building
Level
 Introduce the crisis team
 Review facts
 Summarize the
assignments
 Announce safe room
 Designate staff gathering
place
 Discuss/validate feelings
 Discuss impact of the
event
 Announce press protocols
 Offer coverage of classes
for teachers who need a
break
 Hand out pertinent forms
 Suggest possible
beginning
thoughts/phrases
 Give time/place of after
school or next meeting
Respecting Cultures
 Dress appropriately
 Greet and say good-bye to survivors in their own
language
 Allow survivors to direct you through cultural protocols
and follow their direction
 Participate in defined rituals, as allowed or requested
 Apologize when you do something wrong
 Find out, and use, appropriate body language
 Be aware of spiritual beliefs in the culture
Safe Rooms
A space that is set aside for people to
gather in the aftermath of tragedies.
Most often this is in the school library
or some other comfortable space.
It is not whether the Safe Room
is used by a large number of kids
that makes it useful. Whether
kids go into it or not, they know
they can! This builds a bridge to
safety for them.
Safe Room Guidelines
Listen, observe, validate, reflect
Sign in and out
List students who may need follow-up
services
Allow students to choose the length of the
Safe Room stay
Refer students to counselors if needed
Safe Room Checklist
 Name tags for staff
 Chairs
 Tables
 Big pillows
 Healthy food & drink
 Sign in & out sheet
 Fact sheet
 Kleenex
 Self-care handouts
 Writing materials
 Art materials
 Stuffed animals
 Age appropriate books
 Tape player & relaxing
music
 Community Resource
List
Safe Room Activities
Talking
Sitting
Writing
Coloring
Walking
Listening to music
Quiet time
Working on
assignments
Drinking hot
chocolate
Just a time to feel
“safe enough to
feel”
Give Sorrow words; the grief
that does not speak knits up the
o’er wrought heart and bids it
break---Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Safe Room Handouts to
Have Ready
 Helping a grieving friend
 Helping grieving parents
 Helping your child after a
disaster
 Funerals & memorial
activities
 Post-traumatic stress
reactions
 Stages of grief
 Guidelines for classroom
discussion
 Classroom activities
 Phone tree directions
 Needs of students
 Warning signs of suicide
 Stress reducers
Forms or Templates to
Have Ready
Student checkout
Letter template for parents
Initial announcement of crisis event
Orientation information for team
Safe room sign in
Student referral slips
Evaluation forms
Scenario
You are notified at 5:30 a.m. that a 12th grade
boy who was on the basketball team committed
suicide by gunshot during the night. He was
out the evening before with his girlfriend and
some friends. The friends witnessed a loud
fight between him and his girlfriend. He also
has a brother in 8th grade and a sister in 4th
grade.
Crisis During Non-school Time
 Institute the phone tree to inform Crisis Response Team
members
 Coordinate with community agencies
 Identify & make a list of students & staff most likely to
be affected
 Notify remaining staff with information by letter or
telephone
 Schedule faculty meeting for an update before affected
students return to school
 When school reconvenes, monitor students & staff
previously identified
 Make referrals
Policy provides both a
foundation and a framework
for action. The chances of
effectively managing a crisis
are increased with consistent
district policies.
Possible Policies
Funeral Attendance
Absence
Make-up work
Memorials
Evacuation vs. Lockdown
Transportation for Early Dismissal
Maintaining Preparedness
Conducting drills and establishing a
procedure for periodically reviewing and
updating the Crisis Response Plan are two
essential elements of maintaining
preparedness.
Drill Activities
For team members: respond to
hypothetical scenarios.
Practice drills that involve moving staff &
students to a safe location.
Practice lock down procedures with staff
and students.
Avoid using dramatic props.
A coordinated district-wide
crisis response is no
accident. It reflects
prevention, intervention
and rehearsed reaction.