We practice an intruder dirll, and call it Code Red. There is a total lockdown with
lights off, doors locked, blinds pulled, and the kids go in a corner. We do not at
this time notify the parents of this drill. We also have made red and green cards
for each room with the room number on them. They post the green in the door
window classroom window and shove one under the door if things are ok. The
red is displayed if there is something wrong.
We do have lock down drills. There were a couple of staff that were VERY much
against it because they thought it would scare kids, upset parents, etc. But we
did it anyway. Parents were notified ahead of time.
We stayed in lock down the first time for about 20-30 min. I went to each room,
tried the doors, tried to look in - then we met afterward and discussed any
changes that might need to be made - placement of kids in room, etc. Each
room also has a green and a red card that they put in the door window to
indicate OK or problem. If no card is there, or a red card is showing, they know
that someone will unlock and come in (in a real emergency it will be swat team).
Each room now has an emergency "go" bucket with emergency water, gloves,
first aide, garbage bag, toilet paper, flashlight, etc.
We have also practiced evacuating the building to the church next door.
The ironic thing is - after our second practice we had the bank next door robbed
and a suspected bomb left. So swat was called, and we had to lock down for
hours and then evacuate to the park where we coordinated parents picking up
kids.
Bottom line - must practice.
We practice fire, tornado, lockdown, and coming in from the playground during
crisis throughout the year. It has not created tension because the teachers
discuss the importance of safety with the students prior to drills. In addition, the
fire department and sheriff department conduct unannounced drills each year.
Mark - Cerro Gordo just had a Lockdown and Fire drill on the same day. We
coordinated this with the city police and fire department. We had it on the
calendar and on our display out front of the school. The teachers informed the
students ahead of time and the elementary practiced before hand. No one was
surprised and everything went well. The lockdown lasted about 5 min. while
administration checked everything. We had our fire drill right afterwards. We met
with the police and fire department afterwards. We had a few inquiries before
hand but they were positive.
We do lockdowns one or two times per year. I send a note in my newsletter
early in the year with info on all the types of drills that we do. I announce the
lockdown drill, and we go over procedures with staff the morning of the drill with
my school liaison officer present. The drill takes no more than 10 minutes, as we
go room to room to listen for noise and check that doors are locked.
It has not really created any more tension or fear than other drills
- we have teachers discuss the importance of all of these drills with the kids.
I have practiced lockdowns and building evacuations in the last two schools I
have been at. It has not seemed to create any visible tension or fear but we do
spend time prepping the students beforehand. We tell parents about our crisis
plan and that we do these annually and I think they are relieved that we have a
plan in place. We lock down long enough for the police/fire department to do a
complete walk through of the building. They also jiggle a few door handles to
make sure teachers understand not to answer the doors.
We do practice an intruder alert/lockdown once per year. Parents are notified
ahead of time, and our local police dep't is on site training with us from their
end. Hope this helps and good luck. Every day I pray I will never need to use it!
Hi Mark, we do practice all of the drills. (fire, storm, earthquake, intruder, and
bomb threat) I do not inform the parents, but the teachers know in advance for
the first ones and then I do a second round of unannounced drills. It has done
the opposite, there is little tension or fear because everyone knows and
understands the expectation and has had the opportunity to practice. I usually
lock down long enough for myself and my custodian to make sure all the doors
are locked, kids are accounted for, and the building is secure, less than 5
minutes.
We do and have done so since 1998.
Yes, it does create tension initially but the way you approach it is critical. We
presented it as if it is just like any other drill - and we need to know what to do
in case of an emergency - be prepared.
Yes, we inform parents of the practice and let them know ahead of time when
we will practice the drill because no one is allowed to enter or exit during the
drill. We post a sign on the door: Lockdown Drill in Progress - no entry"
We lock down for about 15 minutes, depending upon whether it is an external
threat or an internal threat (intruder).
We invite the police to come and evaluate us and give recommendations for
improvement.
If it is an external threat and near to our school (possible intruder) we have
"sweepers" pick up attendance cards that are slipped under the classroom doors
so we can account for all people. We use read and green cards that are slipped
under the doors to indicate if the occupants of the room are ok or need
immediate assistance (asthma attack, etc.).
If it is an intruder we do not sweep. The police come in and then it's their job to
find the intruder.
Another lockdown drill just disallows anyone from going outside. (External threat
- - precautionary -not near to our school)
Yes, but we don't call it that...we have 4 color coded drills which staff know what
the definitions are...students just know the color and the directions they are to
follow. My own child attends another school and when she told me about how
her class is to behave if an intruder is in the building, I was shocked... (3rd
grader)...her PE teacher told her that they are to hide in his office and then he
will shoot ping pong balls at the "bad man"...now, I know he was joking, but my
child thought he was serious!
We just held our School Safety Plan Meeting on Wednesday. We are a PBIS
school and do a weekly "cool tool"; basically it is a way to teach behaviors like
academics. We do these cool tools all the time. In our first week we do a cool
tool for Tornado, Fire, and Code Red Lockdown. The teachers practice it and
then we do it later in the year, once announced, the other not.
I have also trained my staff using a video for the lockdown procedure called, A
Critical Incident: What to do in the first 20 minutes.
One of the things that we do that has been very successful is as follows:
On the days that we have scheduled evacuation drills, we practice a code red
lockdown first (3minutes), then an evacuation drill (5 min) then a reverse
evacuation drill (getting students into the building quickly) 3 minutes.
Hope this helps.
We started this last year. It did not create any additional problems that I was
aware of. If anything it made everyone feel more prepared for a potential
problem. We did send a note home to parents to inform them this was going on.
We locked down long enough for the local police to do a complete sweep
throughout the building. It took about 20 minutes.
We do lockdown drills as required by the superintendent. We send a letter prior
to doing the drill so that parents are aware of our practice and can talk to kids
about it. It usually doesn't last longer than 15 minutes
NO - I would only do it IF the event was well publicized, announced, etc. Talk
about creating a wave of panic that we just don't need.
I instill heavily with teachers - KNOW THE PROCEDURES AQt the last workshop I went to, they told us that students should not practice
the lock down procedures. Staff needs to know what to do and how to do it but
students were not to practice it for 2 reasons:
1) as you said it raises tension and fear
2) 90% of the bad guys have been students, so if thy know the procedures and
where the kids are, that defeats the purpose of the lockdown.
We don't practice the lockdown with kids, but cover it intensely with staff.
We have been practicing fire, disaster, bus, and lock down drills for years. The
explanation of them is in our student/parent handbook. We have not had any
problem. It was my understanding fire, disaster and bus drills are mandatory. At
least our ROE requires us to do them. Have a great weekend.
Yes. As a matter of fact we are doing our Code Red Drill and others tomorrow.
It’s more for the teachers than the kids. We are a Prek-2 building - so the kids
don't really have a clue of what we are doing. I come over the loud speaker and
tell them we are practicing just like a fire and tornado drill. It's just practice - no
one is hurt, no one is lost, etc. It's much needed for the teacher to refresh and
remember what's in their crisis plan! I even document it on our sheet we have
to submit to the ROE for the fire drills and tornado drills and bus drills.
Yes, our elementary schools practice this twice each year. We lock down for
about 20 minutes. The teachers lock their doors, pull their shades, call in
attendance, and continue teaching. We don't announce it in advance to parents
or students, and it's never created a problem.
At our Safety Committee Mtg. this week, we discussed this very issue. The
Superintendent said that the elem had never done one in the 25 + years she had
been in the district. We all agreed that we should do one at all the schools this
year. But the elementary would have to send letters home in advance. We are
going to discuss this more as we would not do it until the spring. We are
updating our procedures and emergency plans and are waiting until they are
ready to go. We will probably do the elem last so that we see what needs
improvement from the other building. It may be scary, but it would be helpful if
it actually happened.
The lockdowns do not last more than 15 minutes depending on the size of the
building and the procedures you have in place.
If you send me a reminder, I will send you a copy of our plans once they are
done, the letter we use for the parents, and a report of how it went.
I hope this helps.
Our district does practice a lockdown drill...as a matter of fact, we did it today.
No, we don't inform parents. No there is no tension or fear. We lock down until
we have everyone accounted for and have made sure that all procedures were
followed...just like a fire or disaster drill (except it takes a few minutes longer).
Took about 15 minutes total and teachers continued instruction...but with kids
away from windows and door and the room locked. I am in a building with only
4th or 5th grade students, so it's a little different as far as anticipating panic. I
told them we would use this if there were a national emergency or a stray dog in
the building that we didn't know if it is rabid, or if there were some crime
happening around the school. We don't talk about intruders. Our outside doors
are always locked and people have to be buzzed in. So, we certainly don't want
them to question that practice. They are told never to let anyone in (if walking
by a door)...even if they think the person works in our building.
am in an EC through Grade 3 building. We conduct 10 fire drills, 4 disaster, and
4 lockdowns throughout the school year. We do walk throughs at first for all
types of drills and then after our initial practice we then use alarms and intercom
announcements for the lockdown. For the lockdown, Once we see all students
are locked in (I have different personnel who are not in charge of a classroom,
check different areas of our building to see everyone is secure) then we
announce over the intercom that the drill is over and we resume normal activity.
We also have lockdown buckets in the classroom with some survival supplies.
My answers below--Do any schools practice (like a fire or tornado drill) ----Yes, both.
A situation such as intruder in the building, lockdown, etc? --- Yes we practice.
Has this created more tension and fear? --- Initially it did, however we have
police assist us with this when doing our drills without students.
Do you inform parents of this practice? --- In my monthly newsletter and
opening morning greeting with students, I discuss that we try to make our
school the safest school possible. This is why we need their help!
How long do you lock down? --- Call me and I can explain if you wish. (I also
have a video that I can send to you as an attachment.)
felt the same way when we began talking about doing such drills. But I use the
example of doing a lock down for many situations...and then I tell of the time a
rabbit hopped into the school and was able to get into a classroom and hide
behind a heavy cabinet and it took a long time to set him free.
The older kids know what I am talking about but for the younger kids, who I
don't want to scare, this store makes sense to them as to why we need everyone
out of the hallway and the doors locked.
You don't have to use the words, intruder, and person with a gun, etc., to
practice this type of drill.
Yes, we practice this quite often. We do make it clear that this is only a drill.
The police are also working with us to make the code widespread throughout
every school in Lockport. Hope this helps.
For elementary school principals...Do any schools practice (like a
fire or tornado drill) a situation such as intruder in the building,
lockdown, etc? Yes
Has this created more tension and fear? I don't believe it has.
Do you inform?
parents of this practice? Yes, in a letter that is sent home about all
safety drills.
How long do you lock down? Not long - 5-10 minutes. Teachers do not open
their doors until I come around and give them the okay. I have a fairly small
building though. In a real situation, they would wait for law enforcement to give
them the ok.
WE practice the Crisis Management Drill. We let the children know exactly why
we are having them. Also I let them know each time we are doing them so they
are not afraid. I do not inform parents, and have never had any problems
because we do this. The parents are glad that we have the plans and are doing
this. If the drill is successful the lockdown is very brief.
My children take this very seriously.
We have not had an actual practice, but we will this year and intend to
implement this annually. My teachers tell me they actually appreciate the
opportunity to practice and several parents have made recent calls to check if we
intend to do this. I think the anniversary of 9/11 tends to get people thinking.
We practice once a year, the administration comes out and asks us to do a
surprise lockdown, so no parents aren't notified in advance. We found it to be
helpful as discussion ensued as to where to put kids, away from doors and
windows, best ways to keep them calm. We review our emergency plans yearly
with staff.
Hope this helps,