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    Shelter-in-Place

    Shelter-In-Place Procedures

    Shelter-in-Place procedures are used when the building is seen as a place of safety and building occupants must remain in a school building for extended periods of time during an event such as a weather emergency, a chemical contamination or terrorist attack. To shelter-in-place means to take shelter where you are and isolate the inside environment from outside environment.

    Response Tone Verbal: “SHELTER-IN-PLACE THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”

    1. MOVE to assigned shelter location/room with your students (i.e. your classroom)
    2. SWEEP any students from the hallway into your shelter location/room
    3. LOCK all exterior doors near your location/room
    4. CLOSE windows
    5. If appropriate, custodian will shut down HVAC system
    6. Instruct students to stay calm and share developmentally appropriate information
    7. Do not use telephone system to request information. Instead, email “Gatewood Office Staff”
    8. Watch your email for messages from Command Station—DO NOT HIT REPLY to these messages for accountability. DO ask questions or communicate problems via email—Example “I have a student who needs to go to bathroom.” Or “Students are complaining of a strong odor in my classroom.”
    9. Send an email to the OH Office distribution group. In the subject line write Green/Red/Medic:
      1. GREEN if all students are accounted for. If Para’s are present in your room, include their name in the title of the email (ex: Green – Jane Doe present)
      2. RED if you are missing student(s) or have extra students; write the missing/extra student name(s) in the body of the email
      3. MEDIC if there is an injury, write the student name(s) and injury in the body of the email
    10. CARE FOR THE STUDENTS IN YOUR SUPERVISION
      1. Calm and re-assure upset students
      2. Provide First Aid if needed
      3. Use supplies in your emergency backpack as needed or necessary
    11. WAIT FOR AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
    12. WAIT FOR “ALL CLEAR” SIGNAL

    After the “all clear” is given all staff should:

    • RESUME NORMAL OPERATIONS as soon as possible
    • Assess the need for aftercare or counseling for students in your care
    • Contact the front office with names/numbers of students who may need counseling
    • Communicate only confirmed information to students (expect an email from administrators)
    • Participate in debriefing sessions and provide feedback to administration to improve planning/response cycle
    • Re-stock emergency backpacks as needed