Policy Number: J104 Title: Emergency Preparedness Section: Operations Emergency Preparedness It is the responsibility of EASTERN to safeguard the health and welfare of School students and employees by developing and implementing, in cooperation with community governmental agencies, special emergency drill activities that would be appropriate to an emergency, including but not limited to natural disasters, weather conditions, hazardous chemicals, fires, weapons, bomb threats, terrorism, communicable diseases and pandemics, that would demand that students remain at school. Drill activities shall assure accounting for students, orderly movement of students, and placement of students in the safest available building area an area so designated in consultation with the appropriate experts. The Joint Committee directs that the Director or his/her designee establish procedures to be followed for emergency evacuations that affect the operation of EASTERN. The emergency preparedness plan shall be reviewed at least annually and modified as necessary. A copy of the plan shall be provided to the county Emergency Management Agency and local law enforcement. The plan shall also be communicated, in pertinent part to students, parents/guardians, relevant stakeholders, and the community. Emergency Responses All threats to the safety of EASTERN shall be identified by appropriate personnel and responded to promptly, in accordance with the plan for emergency preparedness as promulgated by the Director or his/her designee. Reports of fire shall normally require the evacuation of the threatened school or building, after consideration of mitigating circumstances. The Director or his/her designee is the authorized person to close or not open school during emergency situations. In the event of an emergency, local, county or state officials may require EASTERN be closed to serve as mass-care facilities or to mitigate the spread of infection or illness. Local, county or state officials may also utilize EASTERN s transportation vehicles. Education Students and staff members shall be instructed and shall practice how to respond appropriately to emergency situations. Effective infection control and prevention procedures, such as frequent hand washing and cough/sneeze etiquette, shall be encouraged continually to help limit the spread of germs at EASTERN. Fire Drills and Other Emergency Evacuations Fire drills and instruction on fire dangers shall be conducted in accordance with Sections 1517 and 1518 of the Public School Code. It is the responsibility of the Director to develop and implement detailed written fire emergency procedures and procedures for other types of emergency evacuations including directions posted in each classroom and occupancy area indicating exit procedures.
Weather Emergencies If weather conditions make it too dangerous for buses to travel, EASTERN will not be opened, or will be closed if already opened, and the appropriate radio and television stations will be notified and will carry the information in their broadcasts. In the event that EASTERN is in session and an emergency develops which would indicate that sufficient time is available to transport pupils to their homes, EASTERN will be closed and buses will transport students in the usual manner. It is the responsibility of the parents to arrange for places for their children to go if EASTERN is closed at other than the regular time and their own home is not available. In the event that an emergency arises and no time is available to transport students to their homes, students will remain at EASTERN. Again, radio and television stations will be notified if possible. If parents appear at EASTERN, children may be dismissed to parents on order of the person in charge. Guidelines The Director or his/her designee shall develop procedures for handling school emergencies which include: 1. Immediate notification to appropriate administrative personnel whenever an emergency or impending emergency arises. 2. A plan for sequestering students either in EASTERN buildings or in a safe place other than EASTERN buildings. 3. Design of a communications system to notify parents of the evacuation of students and to alert the whole school community when necessary. 4. Instruction in emergency preparedness and survival techniques as part of the regular curriculum. 5. Cooperation with local agencies, such as the police department, fire department and emergency management agency. 6. Instruction of staff members in the techniques of handling emergencies. 7. Advising the community about School emergency and safety policies. School Code Section 1517, 1518 35 Pa. C.S.A. Sec. 7701 Adopted: 12/11/13
Director Procedure Number: DJ104 Title: Emergency Preparedness Plan Section: Operations Emergency Preparedness Plans Development of School Emergency Operations Plan EASTERN is responsible for having in place at the commencement of each school year a School Emergency Operations Plan ( School Emergency Operation Plan ). The School Emergency Operations Plan shall contain, at a minimum, the following: 1. Building evacuation drill procedures; 2. Lockdown drill procedures; 3. Bus evacuation drills; 4. A plan for sequestering students in EASTERN s buildings or another safe place. 5. Design of a communications system to notify parents of the evacuation of students and to alert the whole school community when necessary. 6. Instruction in emergency preparedness and survival techniques as part of the regular curriculum. 7. Immediate notification of appropriate administrative personnel whenever any employee becomes aware of an emergency or impending emergency. 8. Cooperation with local agencies, such as the police department, fire department and emergency management agency. 9. Instruction of staff members in the techniques of handling emergencies. The following agencies for Upper Moreland Township shall be consulted in connection with the development of the School Emergency Operations Plan. Such consultation shall be coordinated through the Director: 1. Police department; 2. Fire department; and 3. Township emergency services. The Director shall also coordinate review of the School Emergency Operations Plan by EASTERN s architects and engineers. Notification to School Community of School Emergency Operations Plan Notification to staff, students and parents of the contents of the School Emergency Operations Plan shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following: 1. Posting in the administration office of EASTERN s building; 2. Mailing to staff at least once per school year; 3. Discussion in student assemblies; and 4. Posting on School s website. Planned Building Evacuations, including Fire Drills I. Administration of Drills a. Frequency -- At the beginning of each school year, a fire drill will be conducted on either the first or second day of school. At least one fire drill will be held during each month that school is in session. During each school year, there shall be 2 lock-down drill and on severe weather drill.
b. Kinds of Drills -- Most drills should be unannounced. Following the first few drills in a school year, a drill with certain exits blocked must be scheduled in order to test alternate routes. Drills should occasionally be called at "inconvenient" times such as the lunch or assembly period. The Director may, from time to time, enter the building and pull the fire alarm without warning. He/she will, however, notify the police and fire company. To Exits only drills are not allowed according to the School Code, which states that the drill shall include the complete removal of pupils and teachers from the building. c. Prior Notification Regarding Drills -- The Facilities Office must be given prior notice by the Director of planned fire drills. The Facilities Office, prior to the drill, notifies the alarm company not to dispatch fire trucks. EASTERN personnel also should notify the switchboard operator so that calls are held during the drill period. The Director must be given prior notice of all other planned drills. d. Reporting The Director is responsible for filing a monthly fire drill report at the end of each month. That report will reflect information regarding planned fire drills and also note any unplanned evacuations of the building because of suspected fire, a fire, or a false alarm. II. Preparation for Drills a. Staff The Director is responsible for ensuring that all staff members are familiar with drill procedures, the sound and location of the fire alarm and the sound of other alarms in the building. The Director will develop fire procedures and those procedures, including emergency telephone numbers, will be made available to all staff members. b. Students -- Staff and administrators share the responsibility for ensuring that students understand emergency and fire drill procedures. I. General Procedures for Planned Fire Drills a. Safety -- The teacher's first responsibility in a fire drill is to lead the children to a safe evacuation of the building. b. Outer Garments -- In the event an alarm is sounded, outer garments are not to be retrieved. c. Hand Signals -- Teachers should lead groups rather than follow. It is suggested that a system of hand signals be used for "stop," "forward" and "about face." d. Class Roll Book -- Teachers must carry the days' attendance sheet or roll book with them during a fire drill. e. Doors -- Classroom doors and fire doors should be shut upon evacuation. Fire, Suspected Fire or False Alarms II. Procedures a. Alarm Sounding -- In the event of a fire, suspected fire, unidentified smoke, or unusual odor or hazardous materials release, all staff members are authorized to sound the alarm without seeking the approval of the Director.. i. All fires will be reported by using "9-911". If the fire has been extinguished, the caller will relay that and ask for a limited response for a fire investigation. Under no circumstances will school personnel assume the responsibility for declaring that a fire has been extinguished. b. Safety -- The teacher's first responsibility, in the event of a suspected or real fire, is for the safety of the children. At no time should concern with the safety of the building and property damage take precedence over the need to get the children and staff out safely. c. General Procedures -- Teachers and staff should adhere to the general procedures delineated above. d. Shelter -- In the event of a real fire, the teacher should lead his/her class to shelter in a designated refuge once they have left the building. III. Notification Requirements
a. Fire and Police, or Ambulance -- In the event of an emergency requiring police, fire, or ambulance services, the Director or his/her designee, is to contact the Fire, Police or Ambulance Departments. This is best done by using "9-911" which is a direct line number to the Fire, Police, or Ambulance Departments. A report to the Police, Fire or Ambulance Departments should contain the following information: name and position of the caller, name of the building, building location and nature of the emergency. If it appears feasible, the caller should remain near the phone for possible additional emergency communications. b. Director -- Any fire, suspected fire, or unplanned sounding of the alarm system, evacuation of the building or need for police or an ambulance will be reported immediately to the Director. c. Fire Marshal -- Any unplanned sounding of the alarm system or unplanned evacuation of the building will be reported by the Director or his/her designee to the Fire Marshal's office by telephone within one hour of the occurrence. A written report will be prepared and forwarded to the Fire Marshal's office within twenty-four hours. Any unplanned evacuation of the building, a fire, or false alarm will be noted on the monthly fire drill report. Disaster Drills and Lock-Down Drills ( Drills ) I. Disaster Plan -- In general, the disaster response plan provides for the retention of students in school facilities during the time of a disaster or until such time as appropriate arrangements can be made for their dismissal and transportation home. EASTERN s plan should provide for all children and staff to assemble in interior hallways or space on the lowest floor of the building. Retention areas should not be located near windows or doors with large glass lights. Students and staff should not be assigned to the auditorium, gymnasium or other structure with wide, free-span roofs. II. III. Drill Management EASTERN will conduct a disaster drill yearly during the time period designated by the National Weather Service and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. This usually is scheduled for the first week in April. The Director is responsible for scheduling the drill in concert with the materials provided by the National Weather Service. The drill will be reported to the National Weather Service in accordance with instructions provided by that agency. General Guidelines The disaster plan will: a. Designate a line of authority in the event the disaster plan is to be implemented. b. Describe the method or signal to be used to alert the staff and students to implement disaster plan procedures and to terminate the drill. c. Designate a place for each class section or advisor room to assemble in the building. d. Designate a medical evacuation point where first aid will be administered should the occasion arise. e. Describe the obligations and duties of teaching specialists, those teachers without advisor rooms and support personnel. General procedures to be incorporated in the disaster plan: a. Each class section is assigned to a retention drill area. It is the duty of each teacher to familiarize students with the location of the specific area. b. At the start of the drill, teachers will take class rolls and daily attendance sheets to the retention area to be able to account for all students. c. When vacating classrooms: i. draw blackout shades, if any. ii. turn lights out, lab, shop and industrial equipment must be turned off. iii. leave doors open wide (use wedges or stops if available). d. Provisions must be made for handicapped students.
Bomb Threats Evacuation e. During the drill, absolute silence is required until all students have reached their retention areas. Upon reaching assigned retention areas in corridors or other secure places, students should remain standing close against the walls until traffic has stopped. When traffic has stopped, they may be seated on the floor with their backs toward the wall in single or double rows. When students have been seated, quiet talking is permitted. f. If the drill occurs during lunch, serving of food will terminate at the signal. Cafeteria personnel are to lock cash registers, secure cash, turn off gas, electrical equipment, and lights before proceeding to the corridor outside the kitchen. A. Reporting Report immediately to the Director. B. Alarm Sounding -- Once the Director has been notified, the fire alarm should be sounded to evacuate the building. C. Building Evacuation -- The procedures for a fire, suspected fire (fire drill) or false alarm should be followed. The following information is provided concerning actions necessary in the event of an evacuation: A. If an evacuation from EASTERN is required, students will be evacuated from EASTERN to a host school designated by the Director. If a student's residence is in the disaster area, alternate arrangements should be made to have the student picked up at the conclusion of school at the host school site. All students will be retained under school officials' custody until they are transported home or released to their parents or other duly authorized guardians. B. Students will remain the responsibility of the respective school staff until released to parents, guardians or other duly authorized individuals. C. If an evacuation is recommended, ordered or appears to be imminent at a time when schools are closed, School administrators within the disaster area(s) may receive information through the County Emergency Management Administrator advising them not to open schools until the emergency is over. The Director will notify parents/guardians using regular school closing procedures, as appropriate. D. Students will not be sent home early when their homes are inside the disaster area and an evacuation is imminent. E. Logs and records of evacuation activities during emergencies should be maintained by the Director and any administrative staff members who may have involvement with the evacuation. Evacuation to a Host School Conditions exist under which evacuation to a host school may become necessary. One condition would involve evacuating to another building in close proximity to EASTERN. An example is evacuating to a neighboring school as a result of either a fire or bomb threat. The other condition involves evacuating to another school not in close proximity to the evacuating school. An example is a large scale disaster in which the entire school population must be evacuated because of a hazardous materials accident that affects a large land mass area. PL 1332, as amended by SB 1167 School Code Section 1517, 1518 35 Pa. C.S.A. Sec. 7701 Adopted: 12/11/13