Defining "Securable" Locations for a Lockdown
Most schools have a lockdown plan. However, not many schools have a good lockdown plan. Just as every classroom should have an evacuation plan, every room needs a lockdown plan that meets the needs of that specific location. Keep in mind, there are numerous access control solutions that can enhance a school's ability to lockdown and no location can offer total protection from a hostile intruder. At a minimum, schools should identify locations that meet certain basic safety guidelines.
Case Study - Fighting Back Against a School Shooter
Lately it seems there has been a lot of interest in schools and colleges instructing teachers to fight back when confronted with an armed attacker. Certainly the thought of having teachers (and even students) being told to throw books and fight back against a gunman is incredible and counter-intuitive. Luckily no one ever told by Ryan Crowley, Jake Ryker, Josh Ryker, Douglas Ure, Davis Ure, Ada Walberger, Joshua Pearson and Travis Weaver not to fight back against a school shooter. In 1998, these seven students prevented an attacker from killing more of their schoolmates.
On May 20, 1998, 15year-old Kipland (Kip) Phillip Kinkel was expelled from school for possessing a loaded firearm. His father, Bill Kinkel, a 59 year-old Spanish teacher picked him up from the police station, where they stopped at a Burger King on the drive home.
Preventing Targeted School Violence
After the Columbine shooting, Secret Service researchers and the Department of Education implemented the Safe School Iniative and offered suggestions for schools and parents. "Because information about these attackers' intent and planning was potentially knowable before the incident, some attacks may be preventable," the Secret Service says.
"However, because the time span between the attacker's decision to mount an attack and the actual event may be short, quick responses are necessary."
• Understand that violence is the end result of a process, which is understandable and often discernable. Students don't snap.
• There are no accurate or useful profiles of school shooters. Focus on thinking and behavior, not traits.
• Targeted violence stems from an interaction among attacker, situation, setting, and target. Pay attention to the role of bystanders, people who know what is going to happen.
• Use an investigative mind-set. Rely on the facts of this specific case. Corroborate key information. Investigate communications. Talk to the circle of friends. Investigate weapon-seeking.
• Each case is different. Each requires an individual, fact-based approach.
• Reduce barriers to students telling what they know.
• Because many students brought in guns from home, consider issues of safe gun storage.
• Don't look only for threats. Many students who posed a threat did not threaten.
• Improve handling of grievances.
This post is provided by SafePlans (www.safeplans.com), an all-hazards preparedness solution including emergency plans, staff training, and detailed site mapping.
Train the Plan
09/21/08, by Brad 
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Categories: Best Practices, Severe Weather, Lockdown, Bomb Threat/IED, Public Health/Pandemic, Threat Assessment An untested and untrained plan is little more than theory. After developing school/college emergency plans a training program should be designed to educate students, parents, teachers, staff, crisis team members and administrators in threat assessment procedures, emergency response, management policies and procedures. Once training is implemented, exercises should be conducted to test the plans and training.
Currently, most educational facilities have adopted a training philosophy that embraces performing extremely well under reasonable conditions, rather than performing reasonably well under extreme conditions. For example:
Lockdown, Weather, Earthquake & Fire Drills Deficiencies
Staff has advanced knowledge of the exact time of the drill and the drill occurs when all students are in the classroom.
Solution
After two or three successful drills, limit advanced knowledge to the day of the event and implement the drills during transition times. Note: Avoid conducting drills during meal periods, due to the costs associates with missed lunches. To test response, set up a mock lunch period with students and staff.
Once you have your drills up and running, it is time to conduct training exercises. Tabletop & functional exercises use vivid scenarios, guided by experienced and certified facilitators, to engage participants in discussions of how they would respond to hypothetical events. Tabletops are designed to be a non-threatening and relatively low cost approach to validating capabilities. Use Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) based exercises to explore and validate plans, identify logical or structural conflicts or gaps in those plans and develop specific areas for further study and improvement. Scenario should be coordinated/developed with local emergency management and public safety.
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.
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