Thinking the Unthinkable Effective Crisis Planning in International Schools Simon O’Grady Principal The British International School, Cairo

Critical Incident Planning in Our Schools Crisis contexts for British schools overseas Building a crisis management model Tackling real case studies Bringing it all together – towards a critical incident plan

Critical Contexts for British Schools Overseas Critical incidents may be seen as sudden unexpected events that have an ‘emergency quality’ with potential to impact the entire school community (Brock, Sanoval, & Lewis, 1996) Schools have a number of critical contexts: fire stranger on site pupil kidnapping school bus accident terrorist incident sudden death natural disaster safeguarding issues

Building a Critical Incident Model Prevention – Preparation – Response – Recovery (PPRR) PPRR has 3 levels (1)Crisis prevention activities (2)Actions within or just after a crisis (3)Long term follow up to a crisis Common content: cognition, communications, coordination, control

Prevention Identify, reduce & eliminate risk RAFs common in schools Preparation Plan, train & practice Do this in a Critical Incident Plan Set up a Critical Incident Team Response Devise options based on info & data Select right response(s) Implement

Tackling Real Case Studies Form groups of 3-4 to discuss a specific case study. This will draw upon your own school experience and focus on prevention, preparation, response & recovery. The cases crisis contexts are: stranger on site, pupil kidnapping, school bus accident and terrorist incident.

Case Study 1 – Stranger on Site A member of staff rushes into the school office and says that she has seen two strangers on site. Two young men who do not look like parents. The school day is due to end in ten minutes. Parents will be collecting primary children and the bell will be sounding for the end of lessons. What does your school do?

Example of a Lockdown Policy The British International School, Cairo Phase 1 – Lockdown Alert. Staff secure pupils. EMS called. Phase 2 – Campus secured. Security sweep buildings. Communications blackout. Phase 3 – Situation reassessed. EMS take control. Release alarm. Staff & pupils taken to central points for briefing and controlled release. Phase 4 – SMS to parents to arrange collection. Controlled.

Case Study 2 – Pupil Kidnapping It’s 8am. You receive a phone call from your deputy head. She is at the school gate with two pupils. They are in tears as they have just seen two children forcibly taken from their private car on the way to school, with their driver left injured by the roadside. What should you do?

Case Study 3 – School Bus Accident A school bus with 7 pupils on board has been involved in a collision with another vehicle, on its way to school. The bus supervisor (on board) has called the school office. The vehicle is a write-off but the pupils are ok. A couple of parents are at the scene already and one of them has just texted you an image from the scene. What do you do if faced by a bus accident?

Case 4 – Terrorist Incident A parent calls you to say the BBC has Breaking News of a terrorist incident in the centre of the city, some 10km from the school. A suspected bomb attack with injuries and fatalities. What should you do?

Bringing It All Together

Create a Critical Incident Plan Critical Incident Mgt. Team Set up a critical incident management team Define and allocate tasks in specific scenarios Communicate the plans to staff, parents and students Simulate with staff so that they know the policy and its procedures Communications Planning Maintain an up-to-date list of phone numbers & addresses Set up group lists of addresses & group text lists Prepare ‘ready to go’ communications templates Plan incident administration: dedicated phone line, room

Effecting the Plan Gather accurate information Establish the facts – what has happened; when did it happen; how did it happen; number & names of students/staff involved Convene a meeting of the CIMT Establish the Level of Response Go through the Incident Agenda

Day 1 Critical Incident Meeting Agenda Brief the team & agree on the facts Outline agency contact (done or to be done) Checklist on CI administration e.g. phone line Establish procedures for the day Discuss implications of working normal routines Discuss communications approach for those directly affected & wider stakeholders Agree communications arrangements e.g. staff meeting(s); student assembly Identify likely vulnerable students Agree time to meet CIMT at end of day Source: Responding to Critical Incidents, Guidelines for Schools, Dept. of Education & Skills, Eire

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