PROJECT SAVE

 

(Safe Schools Against Violence in Education)

 

Building-level Emergency Response Plan
      Commissioner's regulation 155.17

 

Introduction

 

Emergencies in schools are paramount issues that must be addressed in an  expeditious and effective manner. Schools stand at risk from a wide variety of acts of violence, natural and manmade disasters. To address these threats, the State of New York has enacted the Safe Schools- Against Violence in Education (SAVE) law. Project SAVE is a comprehensive planning effort that addresses prevention, response, and recovery with respect to a variety of emergencies in schools.

 

The Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES in coordination with the Cambridge Central School District supports the SAVE legislation and intends to facilitate the planning process. The Superintendent of Schools encourages and advocates ongoing district-wide cooperation and support of Project SAVE.

 

Section I: General Considerations and Planning Guidelines

 

A. Purpose

 

The Cambridge Central School's building-level School Emergency Response Plan
was developed pursuant to Commissioner's Regulation 155.17. At the direction of
the Cambridge Central School District Board of Education, the Superintendent of the
Cambridge Central School appointed a building-level School Safety Team and
charged it with the development and maintenance of the School Emergency Response
Plan.

 

B. Identification of School Teams

 

The Cambridge Central School has three emergency teams:

1.   School Safety Team

2.   School Emergency Response Team

3.    Post-Incident Team

 

C. Concept of Operations

• The initial response to all emergencies at Cambridge Central School will be by
  the School Emergency Response Team.

• Upon the activation of the School Emergency Response Team, the Superintendent
  of Schools or his/her designee will be notified and, where appropriate, local
   emergency officials will also be notified.

•  Efforts may be supplemented by County and State resources through existing
   protocols.

 

D. Plan review and public comment

 

•  This plan shall be reviewed and maintained by the Building-level School Safety
    Team and reviewed on an annual basis on or before July 1 of each year.

• Pursuant to Commissioner's Regulation 155.17 c(3), a summary of this plan will
   be made available for public comment 30 days prior to its adoption. This plan
    must be formally adopted by the Board of Education.

• Building-level Emergency Response Plans shall be confidential and shall not be
   subject to disclosure under Article 6 of the Public Officers Law or any other
   provision of law, in accordance with Education Section 2801-a.

• Full copies of the plan will be supplied to both local and State Police.

 

Section II: Risk Reduction

 

A.  Designation of School Teams

 

1.   The building-level school safety team shall be comprised of:

•  School Safety personnel

•  Local law enforcement officials

•  Representatives of teacher, administrator, and parent
   organizations

•  Local ambulance and other emergency response agencies

•  Other representatives the Board of Education deems appropriate

•  Other school personnel

•  Community members

 

2.   The building-level Emergency Response Team shall be comprised of:

•  School personnel

•  Local law enforcement officials

•  Representatives from local, regional, and State emergency
   response agencies

•  Other appropriate incident response teams

 

 

3.   The building-level post-incident response team shall be comprised of

•  Appropriate school personnel

•  Medical personnel

•  Mental health counselors

•  Others who can assist the school community in coping with the
    aftermath of a violent incident

 

B. Prevention/Intervention Strategies

 

Building Personnel Training

Training for emergency teams and safety officers, including de-escalation training will be conducted as determined in the district-wide plan.

 

Coordination with Emergency Officials

This building-level plan will be tested on an annual basis, including the use of tabletop exercises in coordination with local and county emergency responders and preparedness officials. These exercises shall be coordinated by the
Emergency Response Team.

 

Annual multi-hazard training for staff and students

Multi-hazard training for students and staff will be conducted on an annual basis.

 

C. Identification of Sites of Potential Emergencies

 

The building-level school safety team will work to identify both internal and

external hazards that may warrant protective actions, such as the evacuation and sheltering of the school population.

 

Section III: Response

 

A. Assignment of responsibilities

•  The building-level Emergency response team will respond using a chain of
     commands consistent with the National Interagency Incident Management
     System (NIMS) incident command system (ICS).

•  In the event of an emergency, the response team may adapt NIMS ICS
     principles based on the needs of the incident.

 

B. Continuity of Operations

•  In the event of an emergency, the building principal or his/her designee will serve as Incident   Commander. The School Incident Commander may be replaced by a member of a local emergency response agency.

•  After relinquishing command, the building principal or his/her designee
    may be asked to serve in a support role as a part of a unified incident
    command if established by the local emergency response agency.

•  The school will establish a chain of command to ensure continuity of
    operations.

 

C. Notification and Activation

•  The report of an incident of a hazardous development will be reported to
    the building principal and his/her designee as soon as possible following its detection.

• The building will utilize both internal and external communications in
   emergencies: (Examples:

Telephone
Intercom

Direct radio system (portables)
Local media

Emergency Alert System (EAS)
Bullhorns

Bus radio system
Runner system

NOAA Weather Radio

 

•  In the even of an emergency, the building principal or his/her designee will notify all building    occupants to take the appropriate protective action.

•  Further district notification procedures will be addressed as outlined in the
   district-wide plan.

D. The Building level Emergency Response Plan includes at least the following Hazard specific guidelines:

Threats of violence

Hostage/Kidnapping

Natural/weather related

Civil Disturbance

School Bus Accident

Gas Leak

Intruder

Explosive/bomb threat Hazardous Material Biological

Radiological

Epidemic

Others as determined by the building-level school safety team

 

E. The evacuation procedures of students, staff, and visitors includes at least

•  Evacuation before, during, and after school hours (including security  during evacuation

•  Evacuation routes (internal and external)

•  Sheltering sites (internal and external

•  Procedures for addressing medical needs

•  Transportation

•  Emergency notification of persons in parental relation to the students

•  Other procedures as determined by school building safety team.

 

E. Security

•  In the event of an incident/crime on school property, the building shall
   utilize the following procedure(s) for securing and restricting access to the
   scene in order to preserve evidence from being disturbed or destroyed.

•  The initial scene security is charged with the building principal or
   designee until relieved by law enforcement officials.

•  No items shall be moved, cleaned or altered without prior approval from
   the appropriate law enforcement agency.

•  Nothing in this section should be interpreted to preclude the rescue and aid of injured             persons.

 

 

Section IV: Recovery

 

The Post-Incident Response Team has developed the following procedures for

dealing with post-incident response:

A.        Short Term

• Mental health counseling (students and staff)

• Building security

• Facility restoration

• Post Incident response critique

•  Other

 

B.         Long Term

• Mental health, counseling (monitor for post-traumatic stress behavior)

• Building security

• Mitigation (to reduce the. likelihood of occurrence and impact if it does occur again)

• Other

 

 

      Recertified July10, 2007