LA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL SAFETY DAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2013

PERIOD 1 INTRODUCTION AND PROCEDURES

INTRODUCTION Today is La Vista High School Safety Day. In an emergency it is important for everyone—administration, teachers, support staff, students—to know our procedures so that we can respond appropriately, promptly, and safely in an emergency and communicate with your parents and the community. You will be hearing important safety information in the beginning of each of your classes today. Each period will focus on a different type of situation so it is important that you pay attention to what is presented in each class. We want you to understand why we follow certain procedures. This will help you respond if you need to make decisions about the appropriate actions to take.

TODAY WE WILL REVIEW... General practices for all emergencies (period 1) Earthquake drill procedures (period 2) Fire drill procedures (period 3) Lockdown procedures (period 4) Procedures for when you are not in a classroom (period 5)

STAYING PUT AT LA VISTA Although it may be your first impulse to leave campus in a real emergency, this is not always the best option. La Vista is better prepared for emergencies than you are on your own. We have staff members who are trained to assist people. Parents and guardians have a central place to find you. This is where they expect you to be. Emergency services will come to centralized locations like La Vista before they go to individual homes. There may be hazardous conditions off campus.

COMMUNICATION Listen to what the staff is telling students during an emergency. Their directions are important because things can change quickly. Minimize the amount of talking that you do with your fellow classmates, so the staff can be heard. We will communicate with your parents and public agencies as necessary to keep them updated on our response to an emergency and how we are keeping you safe.

WHAT ABOUT MY CELL PHONE? Cell phones are a great tool but in some emergency situations, you may be told to silence your cell phones and not talk at all.  Do not call your parents or guardians to alarm them unnecessarily.  Your first priority is to follow the safety procedures the school has set up. Do not make calls until you are safely in an evacuation area.  In some cases, you may be directed to communicate a specific message to your parents via text only. Listen for these directions from staff.  Unnecessary communication by cell phone may actually delay our response to an emergency.

REVIEW Why is it important to know about emergency procedures? Why is it important to stay at La Vista if a disaster strikes while you are in school? How can cell phones help in an emergency? How can they cause problems?

PERIOD 2 EARTHQUAKE

DURING AN EARTHQUAKE Don’t wait for instructions: DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON! DROP down onto your hands and knees (before the earthquake knocks you down). This position protects you from falling but allows you to still move if necessary. COVER your head and neck (and your entire body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, get down near an interior wall (or next to low-lying furniture that won't fall on you), and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands. HOLD ON to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around.

WHY DO WE DO THIS? Trying to move during shaking puts you at risk. The greatest danger is from falling and flying objects. Building collapse is less of a danger.

AFTER THE SHAKING STOPS Unless you are in immediate danger, stay where you are; there may be a hazard just around the corner. Follow directions of teachers and other school personnel. Listen for the evacuation announcement.

EVACUATION If under supervision of school personnel, follow their instructions and report to the Emergency Evacuation Area (EEA). Remain in the EEA until the all-clear signal has been given. Stay with your class so that you can be quickly located if your parents come for you. Remember: leaving on your own may just make it harder for parents to find you and know you are safe!

REVIEW Why can’t we just run for safety if we feel the ground shaking? Why do I have to remain in the Emergency Evacuation Area (EEA) if I live right down the street?

PERIOD 3 FIRE

BUT I DON’T SMELL ANY SMOKE... Unlike an earthquake, which would be felt no matter where you are on campus, a fire or other hazardous condition may occur on another part of campus without you noticing. For this reason, always respond to a fire alarm. Assume there is a real emergency!

EVACUATION If the fire alarm sounds, evacuate in an orderly fashion to the Emergency Evacuation Area. Know the evacuation route from each of your classrooms. The routes are posted in each room. Be prepared to adjust your route if you encounter a fire or other hazard.

REVIEW This is just another false alarm. Why do we have to evacuate? How do I know the evacuation route from my classroom? What should I do if there is a fire blocking my planned evacuation route?

PERIOD 4 LOCKDOWN

Our 4 th period safety focus will be lockdown procedures. It may be necessary at times to secure our campus if we have a threat or serious incident that could jeopardize our safety; therefore, it is very important to listen to directions given by your teacher or other adult. We are working on new protocols to reduce injury in the event of a lockdown which include hiding, running or, as a last resort, fighting.

IF A LOCKDOWN IS ISSUED... In a lockdown, you may not know immediately what the specific threat is or where. Your immediate concern is with not being discovered. For that reason do the following: Sit closest to the interior wall. Sit away from doors and windows. Do not talk. Silence your cell phones. Listen to your teacher’s instructions. You may be directed to hide, or run (escape). Ignore all bells and alarms unless otherwise instructed.

IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF CLASS... Exit the school if safe to do so. If that is not an option, get into the nearest room as quickly as possible. Once doors are locked (after about seconds), they will not be unlocked for any reason. Do not try to get back to your classroom. You don’t know where or what the specific threat is and it may not be safe for you to move far.

IF YOU ARE IN THE RESTROOM... Exit the school if safe to do. If that is not an option, stay in the restroom. Get into a stall and lock the stall door. Hide on the toilet and silence your cellphone. Ignore all bells and alarms. Stay put unless otherwise instructed.

IF YOU CANNOT EXIT THE SCHOOL, FIND A PLACE TO HIDE... Library Cafeteria Restrooms Closet

REMEMBER... The police are looking for someone who may pose a danger to others. If you are locked out, the police may be unsure whether you are a threat. Cooperate with their orders until they get you to safety.

LOCKDOWN IN REVIEW... What is your immediate concern in a lockdown? How much time do you have to get into a classroom? Where do you go if you are outside of class when a lockdown is called? Why shouldn’t you talk on your cell phone?

PERIOD 5 WHAT DO I DO IF I’M NOT IN CLASS?

STAYING SAFE There may be many times between classes when you have to make a decision without the immediate guidance of an adult or even other students You do not need to take care of dangerous situations or conditions, but you do need to make us aware of them.

REPORT UNSAFE SITUATIONS Not all unsafe conditions require an emergency response, but they should be addressed Report to school staff any maintenance needs (e.g. broken window, damaged furniture) that could cause an injury Let us know if you see someone who does not belong on campus Report any suspicious objects or packages or if you have good reason to think someone might be armed Report suspicious or threatening behavior or comments

REPORT UNSAFE SITUATIONS If someone is an obvious and immediate danger (e.g. openly carrying a weapon), do not look for a staff member, get to a safe place and call 911 immediately!

IF DISASTER STRIKES... If there is an earthquake, fire, or other disaster when you are not in class, do not run to find somebody In case of an earthquake, drop, cover, and hold on where you are. Unless your location is unsafe, remain there and listen for evacuation announcement If directed to evacuate, report to the Emergency Evacuation Area If during class time, report to current period teacher on the field If outside of class time (e.g. break or lunch), report to your second period teacher

ON YOUR WAY TO/FROM SCHOOL... If an earthquake occurs on your way to school, move away from buildings, trees, and exposed wires; continue to school EEA and report to your second period teacher. If an earthquake occurs on your way home, continue home.

THINK AHEAD As you go around school this week, think about what you would do in different parts of the campus if an emergency occurs.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF... You are on your way to the restroom when you feel an earthquake? You are walking down the street when you feel an earthquake? Someone makes a post on Facebook about hiding a bomb at school? An adult you have never seen before is wandering around campus without a visitor’s pass?

THANK YOU! Staying safe in an emergency will require the cooperation of everyone. In the coming days think about different situation that could occur. What would you do? How would you help?