Advanced planning for emergencies and disasters is essential to provide for the safety of students and staff should a threat to safety arise from fire or other causes. It also strengthens the morale of all concerned to know that preparedness plans exist and that students and staff have been trained in carrying them out.
Therefore, the Superintendent shall be responsible for developing plans that meet state and local requirements for preparedness in case of fire, civil emergencies, tornadoes and other natural disasters.
Fire drills shall be held in all buildings in accordance with the local ordinances of the respective jurisdictions.
The Board requires that procedures for dealing with bomb threats shall:
- Aim first toward ensuring the safety of students and personnel.
- Aim also toward identification of the person or persons making the threat.
- Require immediate reporting of any incident to the Superintendent's office and to law enforcement authorities.
- Not require evacuation of the threatened building. The principal will make the decision to evacuate, complying with any direction given by the Superintendent or any order given for evacuation by the police.
- Establish staff responsibilities for searching the building for unidentified threatening objects. The request of an employee to refuse to participate in a search shall be honored.
- Provide that students shall not be dismissed from school until the end of the school-day. Instead, if evacuated, they shall remain in designated areas until the principal and the police are satisfied that no danger exists. Teachers shall remain with their students and be responsible for them.