REMS Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Merrill Middle School REMS Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools

For all drills & actual emergencies Students are always silent exiting and re-entering the classroom or building so everyone can hear any instructions that are given. Circumstances can change in an instant. You can be re-entering your classrooms and an additional lockdown or tornado warning could be issued so everyone needs to be able to hear at all times.

Student cell phones should always be off. If you alert your parents to an emergency going on at Merrill (lockdown, fire, etc.) their natural reaction is to come to the school. If they come to Merrill: 1. Their lives may also be in danger. 2. They are going to create heavy traffic and emergency vehicles cannot get to the school as quickly as possible. Leave your phones off and trust that school staff will keep you safe.

NEVER ACTIVATE A FIRE ALARM FOR ANYTHING BUT A FIRE! Students form a single file line. Stay with your class. Evacuate the building along pre-arranged interior routes. If the fire alarm ever goes off during passing time, exit the building at the nearest exit and report to your 8th period teacher that you are with right now. This teacher will be at ____________ location outside. NEVER ACTIVATE A FIRE ALARM FOR ANYTHING BUT A FIRE!

Tornado Students form a single file line. Stay with your class. Second floor enters the tunnel first. First floor lines up in the hall along the lockers outside of their classroom while waiting to enter the tunnel. Follow the emergency evacuation route to the tunnel.

Assist students with special needs If there is a student using a wheel chair on the second floor: For a fire  there is an evacuation chair at the top of the east stairs For a tornado  they can take the elevator to the 1st floor and they go to the copy room in the main office.

4 TYPES OF LOCKDOWNS

Clear the Halls Examples are: medical issue, an irate student or parent or a bomb threat. Lower-level response to an issue within the school. Be on alert in case a high-level response is needed.

Perimeter Lockdown (Threat OUTSIDE of the building on or near campus) Examples are: police chases, threats made by an ex-spouse or parent. Close windows & blinds. Business carries on as usual but no one can enter or exit the building until further notice. This includes Central students.

Internal Lockdown (Threat INSIDE the building) The threat has made it’s way into the building. Lock doors & open window blinds. Remember LEFT→LOCK Turn off lights. Students go to the most obscure corner of the classroom. Everyone is silent. Student cell phones are off/Staff cell phones are on silent. You do not want the threat to hear your cell phone vibrate or ring or it may alert him/her to your classroom.

Active Threat (IMMEDIATE THREAT to the school or district) Can be external or internal. Serious and most likely deadly RUN: If your teacher chooses to run, they will have students run to our emergency evacuation site (preferably with their hands behind their head so police know they are not the threat). TEACHERS: DO NOT SHARE THE EMERGENCY EVACUATION SITE WITH STUDENTS IN ADVANCE.   HIDE: Follow INTERNAL LOCKDOWN steps FIGHT: As a last resort, ADULTS should consider using force or items such as a chair or fire extinguisher to incapacitate the threat.

Bomb Threat Bomb threats may be communicated in many ways. All bomb threats should be taken seriously regardless of how they are delivered. If you hear of or see a written bomb threat anywhere report it to a teacher or administrator immediately.