Things to do during a school crisis situation

Things to do during a school crisis situation

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  Things to DoDuring a School Crisis Situation By Melissa Winfield
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  Assess the Crisis •One of the initial things that should be done at the onset of a crisis situation is to adequately and quickly assess the crisis situation. Take a mental gauge of the level of severity of the threat. Then make a logical, coherent decision as to how you will initiate intervention. If a member of the school crisis team is readily available, assess the situation together and come up with a plan of action that will help to ensure the safety of the all members of the building.
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  Call for Assistance •After assessing the situation, if needed assistance (ex: police, fire department, etc…) should be called immediately to facilitate in the containment of the perceived threat. The sooner this action is done, the better. Having the proper personnel available can help to contain a crisis situation and prevent it from being more problematic.
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  Implement an EmergencyPlan • After the proper authorities have been called, the building should implement an appropriate emergency plan (ex: lockdown). It is essential that all members of the building be aware that the building is compromised and take appropriate action to secure all staff and students from any potential threats. Once this all call has been made, all members of the building can take precaution against this threat.
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  Utilize Trained Staff •During a crisis situation it is also important to utilize trained staff. Schools should have crisis teams that are readily available to deal with these situations. Members of a crisis team could include social workers, guidance counselors, the school nurse, security guards, school monitors and other specialized personnel.
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  Remain Calm • Oneof the most important things to remember during a crisis situation is to try to remain calm. Remaining calm and staying focused will enable you to make more rational decisions during a crisis situation. Being calm can also be contagious. If you are able to remain calm, your students and other staff members will often follow suit. Remaining calm is a key component of safety and security.
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  Clear Communication Network •It is also important to have a clear communication network established in the building. Preferably, this system should be in place on a regular basis, so that during a crisis situation all parties have clear access to information. Examples of communication could be the utilization of walkie-talkies, phone trees, intercoms, codes, video surveillance, etc…
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  References • http://crisisguide.neahin.org/crisisguide/