“Crisis”

1. “Crisis”

2. Critical Incidents • Are extraordinary events • Require coordination of numerous resources to resolve • Occur with little or no warning • Have potential for causing loss of life and significant property damage

3. They Can Take Many Forms Examples of Incidents • Natural disasters • Fires • Hazardous material incidents • Bus accident • Criminal activity • Medical emergencies

4. School Violence • Only a part of it • Gets most press • Is horrific

5. School Violence Statistics • Recent school shootings make schools seem unsafe but students are twice as likely to be victims of violence away from school • Full report – National School Safety Center

6. All New York Schools Mandated to Adhere to Safe Schools Legislation

7. School Board and Superintendent MUST HAVE A Comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Plan in Place

8. District Must Have Policies, Practices and Procedures, and Contractual Language to Deal with Emergencies

9. More Importantly - Staff Need to be Trained and Need to Practice Emergency Drills Lessons Learned • Columbine • Hurricane Katrina • Other

10. Common Problems Faced When Responding to Critical Incidents • Determining who’s in charge • Gathering intelligence about what exactly is happening • Identifying and isolating the “area of danger” • Establishing and maintaining communications • Coordinating a wide variety of resources • Managing crowds and the media

11. Incident Management Team • Operations • Logistics • Planning and Intelligence • Administration/Finance

12. Must Have A Central Command Post Your immediate response determines the recovery period

13. District Goals in Managing a Critical Incident • Ensure safety of students, faculty and staff • Protect district property • Stabilize and resolve the incident when possible • Provide support for responding public safety agencies

14. Factors That Can Be Controlled • Access to area • Communication procedures • Personnel and resource deployment • Public information • Strategy and tactics

15. Develop Emergency Plans • District level committee • Building level teams

16. An emergency plan is only as good as the “Trained” people who use it

17. If you can’t operate your emergency plan with only 40% of your adult staff then you need to redesign it • Some may be sick, dead or run away

18. The ability of staff to manage students and parents during a crisis is not natural – It must be taught

19. Emergency Preparedness Training • Roles assigned • Building teams • Role plays • Drills (Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuation) • Supply kits • Communications without Power (Back up Technology and Batteries)

20. Coordinate with your Local Community– Every Emergency Is Local Partner with: • Fire department • Police • Local officials • Building Staff First Responders (May be Isolated and Only Responders)

21. Federal National Incidence Management System (NIMS) • On-line courses • Can hold back monies such as Title I, etc.

22. Federal National Summit October 10, 2006 Making Schools Safer Tips for Schools: • Restrict access by vehicles & people • Review screening policies for visitors, volunteers, and personnel • Train personnel in non-confrontational methods for approaching strangers on campus; direct them to report all unknown persons in building • Encourage students to report unusual activities or people

23. Federal National Summit October 10, 2006 Making Schools Safer Tips for Schools (cont’d): • Consider a tip line for students to report suspicious behaviors or rumors • Make sure local law enforcement is part of crisis response and knows its role • Train custodial staff for crisis response • Provide all staff members with adequate crisis training and support

24. State NYSED Homeland Security System for Schools New York State School Safety Guide sent to each school (Not published on website for security reasons)

25. Local Contact Your County/City Emergency Management Office

26. Labor Relations Issues • What if school closed for a period? • Pay required anyway? • Benefits? • State aid? • What if school hours changed? • Authority/negotiations required? • Utilities costs? • Extra curricular, child care, etc. • Employer Leave Act – employee who has completed training can volunteer up to 20 days for Red Cross and cannot lose pay from the district.

27. What if staff/students do not report? • Roads closed, fear, other • Pay staff? • What if make up school days? • Authority/negotiations required? • Past June 30? Weekends? • Premium pay requirements? • Pay for missed days plus make ups? • Internet instruction an alternative? • Technology available? • Staff trained? • Alternate locations? • Facilities requirements? • Travel reimbursement? • Maintenance staff needed?

28. Financial Implications • Insurance policies • FEMA’s reimbursement policy for floods • Inventories, etc. • Red Cross site – reimbursement aid • Capital project aid • Public health issues • Use of buildings for housing community • Impact on tax payer monies • Involve school attorney in agreements • Labor costs

29. Crisis Communication

30. External Audiences Students/Parents/Community Leaders • Open lines of communication • Be factual and sincerely concerned • Ease their situation by addressing logistical/other needs

31. Internal Audiences Employees and School Board • To the extent incident known, talked about, consider holding meetings to brief employees/associates on status • As statements given to media, share with employees/associates • In a crisis, forward all media calls to designated spokesperson

32. The Public’s Concerns? Don’t lose sight of public’s concern • Credibility is your greatest asset • Guard your reputation • Underscore commitment to doing the right thing in all policies, procedures, and practices

33. What Do You Do When A Crisis Hits? • Push everything else aside • The only thing that matters at that very moment is the crisis • How well you manage the crisis will depend on how well you react from the very beginning

34. Crisis Communications • In a crisis situation, everything is heightened • Need to work quickly, but remain focused • Have one designated spokesperson and convey all necessary information as quickly as possible

35. Steps to Follow When A Crisis Hits • Convene your crisis team • Gather the facts • Implement a response • Develop key messages • Choose a spokesperson • Monitor • Evaluate

36. What’s At Stake • How you communicate creates a climate that either enhances stability or doesn’t • Greater awareness and understanding may prevent future occurrences • The blame culture vs. the betterment culture

37. What’s At Stake - Legally • Whether or not there’ll be a lawsuit • Whether there’ll be a settlement and if so, the amount • Whether adverse publicity will attract lawyers and lawsuits on other issues • Whether oversight regulators will react, Department of Education, etc.

38. What’s At Stake - Professionally • Your organization’s reputation • Your relationship with the community, other professionals, institutions • Your relationship with employees • Your credibility

39. Review/Evaluate Plan • At least annually • After a crisis have team debrief on what went well / what to improve

40. Educational Program • Prevention • Intervention • Minimize loss of instruction time and keep focus on teaching and student learning

41. Summary The overwhelming majority of schools are safe and nurturing places for students • Be aware and prepared • Take a balanced approach • Control access to the learning environment to protect all students and staff

42. “Governance Team has the difficult task of creating an environment that both protects safety and encourages learning” Tim Kremer NYSBBA Executive Director