Garrett Park Elementary School Safety Information Meeting

Garrett Park Elementary School

• Safety Information Meeting

• September 24, 2008

Meeting Outcomes

• Explain the function of the On-Site Emergency Team.

• Provide an overview of MCPS emergency procedures.

• Explain key points of Code Red and Code Blue procedures.

• Explain Shelter-in-Place and Parent/Child Reunification Plans.

OSET

• Stands for “On-Site Emergency Team”

• Is a nationally recognized organizational and management tool used by MCPS

• Has identified members

• Calls for all available staff (those without students)

• Activated by the incident commander (administrator or teacher-in-charge)

Code Blue

• Used to alert staff that an emergency/crisis exists at or near an MCPS facility

• Requires students to be accounted for and under adult supervision

• OSET will be activated via a PA announcement or through walkie- talkies

• Classroom instruction continues once all students have been accounted for and when it is deemed safe to continue with normal activities

• Depending on situation

• Fire watch may be established or adults are posted at stations to assist with supervision of students as they move throughout the building
• Classroom doors may be locked
• Students will be asked to remain in their classrooms
• Staff outside will be asked to move inside
• Staff and parent helpers may be called to monitor the front door

Classroom Teachers

• Classroom Teachers

• _____bring outside students in

• _____re-assure students that they are safe

• _____email attendance to the Outlook Garrett Park Private folder,

• _____continue classroom instruction

• _____restrict hallway use until safe to do so (a member of the OSET team,

• usually the principal will let you know when it is safe to use the

• hallway, then supervise hallway use

• _____ignore bells

• _____evacuate if the fire alarm sounds

• _____wait for further instructions

• If the Montgomery Child Care Association at Garrett Park Needs to Move In

• _____ media center and computer lab activities will immediately be cancelled

• If the Garrett Park Co-Op Nursery Needs to Move in

• _____ media center and computer lab activities will immediately be cancelled

Code Red

• Alerts staff that imminent danger exists inside or outside the building

• Requires moving to an immediate lockdown mode

• Staff makes the room look unoccupied by pulling down blinds, turning off lights, and moving away from windows and doors and remaining silent

• Requires that students are accounted for and under supervision

• Attendance is reported when it is safe to do so

• Staff supervising students outside when an emergency occurs inside the building are notified via a walkie-talkie and instructed to move students to our holding sites

Code Blue Shelter-in-Place

• Used to describe an enhanced level of Code Blue due to an emergency/crisis near the building-dismissal will not occur as scheduled

• Could be a weather-related emergency or a suspected chemical/biological/radiological incident

• Doors and windows are secured/locked.

• Students are brought into the main building from outdoor activities.

• Depending on the situation, electrical power is shut off to ensure immediate shutdown of HVAC.

• A Fire Watch might be established.

Parent/Child Reunification

• A specific plan designed to reunite students with their parents/guardians in the event of an emergency/crisis at the school.

• Its purpose is to ensure safe and orderly reuniting of students and parents/guardians.

• Signs will be posted showing the location (APR).

• Staff will be stationed to explain procedures parents need to follow.

Parent/Child Reunification Procedures:

• Parents enter the reunification area through the APR

• Parents fill out card with student’s and the parent’s names.

• Have a picture identification ready to show.

• You must be named on the student’s Emergency Authorization Form or Emergency Yellow Sheet to pick up student(s).

• Once approved, staff will retrieve the student(s).

• Parent/guardian will sign the student(s) out.

• When student arrives, exit through doors by the staff lounge.

General Emergency Procedures:

• Make school-wide announcement

• Call 911 if need be

• Call OSP, Garrett Park Day Care, Nursery School, Holy Cross School, PTA President, Garrett Park Town mayor

• Establish Command Post

• Building Service Notification-Perimeter doors locked

• Post Code Blue or Red Signs if possible

• Account for all in building and share next steps