Post by Berta on Aug 9, 2007 17:51:13 GMT -8
Frequently Asked Questions about School Preparedness:
(from http://www.nsd.org)
What is emergency preparedness?
Northshore School District has taken steps to ensure your child's safety while in school. Each school has developed a crisis response plan. Emergency preparedness is basically preparing the steps you will take in the event of an emergency, such as contact information, communications, and evacuation plans.
In the event of a terrorist attack or other emergency situation, will the district go into lockdown?
The specific actions taken by the district in any emergency situation-both districtwide and at individual schools-will depend on the specifics of the situation. Any action taken would depend on several factors, including the level of threat and the advice of local, state, and federal agencies. The safety of students and staff members will be the primary concern in any decision.
What will the school district do if an act of war or other emergency situation occurs while students are in school?
The specific actions taken by Northshore schools in any emergency situation-both districtwide and at individual schools-will depend on the specifics of the situation. Any action taken would depend on several factors, including the level of threat and the advice of local, state, and federal agencies. The safety of students and staff members will be the primary concern in any decision.
What is Shelter-in-Place?
Shelter-in-Place is a short-term solution to a short-term problem. If an accident or attack that created contaminated air occurred in the nearby area, everyone would be brought indoors, including those in portables. Building personnel would close all windows and doors and shut down the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC). This would create a neutral pressure in the building, meaning the contaminated air would not be drawn into the building.
Shelter-in-Place is a short-term measure (measured in minutes or hours, not days) designed to use a facility and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate people from a hazardous outdoor environment. The alternative would be to evacuate into a hazardous situation, thereby causing harm to all involved.
During a Shelter-in-Place incident, our district facilities will be secured. On the advice of local emergency personnel, no one would be allowed in or out until the authorities give the all-clear. While we protect our students in the school, we recognize that for their own safety, parents and community members in the affected area would be sheltered in their homes or at work
What measures are being taken for students in portables?
If an accident or attack that created contaminated air occurred in the nearby area, everyone would be brought into the school building, including those in portables.
Why are you keeping children from their parents?
Northshore does not intend to keep children from their parents if a crisis occurs during school hours or school activities. It is the school district's intent to make sure that children are safe inside their schools until such a time that the threat has been reduced. During a lockdown or Shelter-in-Place, people will not be allowed in or out of the building until and all clear is given by emergency officials. Parents will be informed of the parent-student reunification center location via the school system emergency messaging systems (Hear It First and SchoolConnects), Northshore's website (www.nsd.org).
What is a parent reunification site?
If public safety officials require that a school building be evacuated, students and staff members will be safely transported to a designated parent-student reunification center. Parents will be informed of the reunification location via the school system emergency messaging systems. At the reunification center, students will be released to their parents or others authorized to pick them up upon presentation of proper identification.
Why can't I be given the evacuation and parent reunification locations ahead of time?
During emergency situations, circumstances could arise that might force changes to previously designated locations. Parents will be informed of parent-student reunification center locations through school resources.
Are schools stockpiling food and water?
The school district is taking action to make sure that schools and offices have the appropriate resources available for up to three days.
What if my child is riding a school bus at the time of a crisis?
School bus drivers will be in contact with our Transportation Department for instructions in the event that a crisis occurs while students are in transport. Bus drivers will be informed to use common sense and not travel toward the crisis location. Parents will be informed of the parent-student reunification center location via the school system emergency messaging system and local media.
Who can pick up my children?
Children will not be released to individuals who are not authorized on the student's emergency care card or who do not have written parent authorization.
Parents and guardians are responsible for the accuracy of the information on their child’s emergency care card. If parents have not completed a card, they need to do so. If their information has changed, parents need to update the information.
Friends and neighbors may sign a child or children out with written permission from a parent or parents. Schools prefer to have written permission on the day that a child's pickup will change, but schools will also keep written permission on file. School offices will keep the permission notes - usually they will attach them to the emergency care card(s) of those involved. Schools will also ask for identification when the child is released to the one(s) mentioned in the permission note. It is advisable to communicate with the teacher as well, perhaps with a copy of the signed written note.
What about my child's medication?
If your child takes medication regularly, you, the parent, should make sure that the school has a three-day dosage of additional medication on hand. Talk with your child's school nurse for more information.
Are students allowed to have cell phones at school?
High school students are allowed to have cell phones at school. Students are not allowed to have them turned on during the school day. However, in the event of an emergency, students may be allowed to use their phones to communicate with parents depending on the nature of the emergency.
The Northshore School District has developed comprehensive emergency-response plans. More information about the district's emergency preparedness is available at www.nsd.org. Click on Health and Safety.
(from http://www.nsd.org)
What is emergency preparedness?
Northshore School District has taken steps to ensure your child's safety while in school. Each school has developed a crisis response plan. Emergency preparedness is basically preparing the steps you will take in the event of an emergency, such as contact information, communications, and evacuation plans.
In the event of a terrorist attack or other emergency situation, will the district go into lockdown?
The specific actions taken by the district in any emergency situation-both districtwide and at individual schools-will depend on the specifics of the situation. Any action taken would depend on several factors, including the level of threat and the advice of local, state, and federal agencies. The safety of students and staff members will be the primary concern in any decision.
What will the school district do if an act of war or other emergency situation occurs while students are in school?
The specific actions taken by Northshore schools in any emergency situation-both districtwide and at individual schools-will depend on the specifics of the situation. Any action taken would depend on several factors, including the level of threat and the advice of local, state, and federal agencies. The safety of students and staff members will be the primary concern in any decision.
What is Shelter-in-Place?
Shelter-in-Place is a short-term solution to a short-term problem. If an accident or attack that created contaminated air occurred in the nearby area, everyone would be brought indoors, including those in portables. Building personnel would close all windows and doors and shut down the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC). This would create a neutral pressure in the building, meaning the contaminated air would not be drawn into the building.
Shelter-in-Place is a short-term measure (measured in minutes or hours, not days) designed to use a facility and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate people from a hazardous outdoor environment. The alternative would be to evacuate into a hazardous situation, thereby causing harm to all involved.
During a Shelter-in-Place incident, our district facilities will be secured. On the advice of local emergency personnel, no one would be allowed in or out until the authorities give the all-clear. While we protect our students in the school, we recognize that for their own safety, parents and community members in the affected area would be sheltered in their homes or at work
What measures are being taken for students in portables?
If an accident or attack that created contaminated air occurred in the nearby area, everyone would be brought into the school building, including those in portables.
Why are you keeping children from their parents?
Northshore does not intend to keep children from their parents if a crisis occurs during school hours or school activities. It is the school district's intent to make sure that children are safe inside their schools until such a time that the threat has been reduced. During a lockdown or Shelter-in-Place, people will not be allowed in or out of the building until and all clear is given by emergency officials. Parents will be informed of the parent-student reunification center location via the school system emergency messaging systems (Hear It First and SchoolConnects), Northshore's website (www.nsd.org).
What is a parent reunification site?
If public safety officials require that a school building be evacuated, students and staff members will be safely transported to a designated parent-student reunification center. Parents will be informed of the reunification location via the school system emergency messaging systems. At the reunification center, students will be released to their parents or others authorized to pick them up upon presentation of proper identification.
Why can't I be given the evacuation and parent reunification locations ahead of time?
During emergency situations, circumstances could arise that might force changes to previously designated locations. Parents will be informed of parent-student reunification center locations through school resources.
Are schools stockpiling food and water?
The school district is taking action to make sure that schools and offices have the appropriate resources available for up to three days.
What if my child is riding a school bus at the time of a crisis?
School bus drivers will be in contact with our Transportation Department for instructions in the event that a crisis occurs while students are in transport. Bus drivers will be informed to use common sense and not travel toward the crisis location. Parents will be informed of the parent-student reunification center location via the school system emergency messaging system and local media.
Who can pick up my children?
Children will not be released to individuals who are not authorized on the student's emergency care card or who do not have written parent authorization.
Parents and guardians are responsible for the accuracy of the information on their child’s emergency care card. If parents have not completed a card, they need to do so. If their information has changed, parents need to update the information.
Friends and neighbors may sign a child or children out with written permission from a parent or parents. Schools prefer to have written permission on the day that a child's pickup will change, but schools will also keep written permission on file. School offices will keep the permission notes - usually they will attach them to the emergency care card(s) of those involved. Schools will also ask for identification when the child is released to the one(s) mentioned in the permission note. It is advisable to communicate with the teacher as well, perhaps with a copy of the signed written note.
What about my child's medication?
If your child takes medication regularly, you, the parent, should make sure that the school has a three-day dosage of additional medication on hand. Talk with your child's school nurse for more information.
Are students allowed to have cell phones at school?
High school students are allowed to have cell phones at school. Students are not allowed to have them turned on during the school day. However, in the event of an emergency, students may be allowed to use their phones to communicate with parents depending on the nature of the emergency.
The Northshore School District has developed comprehensive emergency-response plans. More information about the district's emergency preparedness is available at www.nsd.org. Click on Health and Safety.