Communications During a Crisis Presented by: Bill Bond Sponsored by VALIC NASSP Specialist for School Safety

THE WAR IS OVER Schools against cell phones We lost

The Problem The average school shooting lasts only Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security The average police response time to an active school shooting is 12.5 minutes 18 minutes

Help Arrives. Average police response time is 18 minutes! Help Arrives. Average police response time is 18 minutes! Agency then dispatches the officers. Appropriate agency receives the information. Officers must drop what they are doing and travel to the scene from their current location. What happens when you call 911? Center might be overwhelmed with incoming calls. (20% of 911 calls are abandoned) The 911 operator has to interpret the emergency. Emergency Call 911 Dialing… 911 operator directs call to the appropriate agency. 18 Call is routed to a centralized 911 call center

Time Line Case Study Sandy Hook Elementary School Main office staff reports hearing glass breaking and seeing the shooter. 911 call is made. 9:35:00 a.m. (0 Seconds) Newtown Police Department Dispatcher broadcasts shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. 9:37:06 a.m. (+126 Seconds) Last gunshot is heard. Suicide shot from the shooter. 9:40:03 a.m. (+303 Seconds) Newtown officers enter Sandy Hook Elementary School. 9:44:47 a.m. (+587 Seconds) First Newtown police officer arrives. 9:39:00 a.m. (+240 Seconds) Dec

42% reduction in response time. Police were on scene within 4 minutes of the 911 call. That is one person every seconds. Extremely fast response time. Shooter kills 20 students and 6 school staff members in 303 seconds. SchoolGuard could have alerted police 126 seconds sooner (11 lives sooner). What Does This Teach Us?

Plan for a Crisis  Meet with local police and walk through the building.  Traffic flow/Parent parking  Maintaining crime scene and witnesses  Master keys  Digitize the school  Learn the emergency terms

Communication Plans  Parents need information  Phone system  Website  Teacher at front door  Parent volunteers  Mass text messages

Crisis Kits  Flash Drive or on Your Phone  Student information  Teacher information  Digitized school  Emergency contacts  First aid supplies  Communication supplies  Traffic control supplies  Sign out forms  Leather gloves

Crisis Plan  Decide within seconds  Staff roles and responsibilities  Training and practice  Call 911 NOW!  Evacuate or lock down : decide  Project calm and confident demeanor  Single spokesman  Student release  Documentation

Control the Crisis  Remain calm  Call 911  Evacuation or staying in place  Use simple language  Anyone can call a lockdown  Only Principal or AP can call all clear

Mother is Coming  Staff member with information for parents  Parents on crisis team to reassure other parents  Sign out area/forms  Students use cell phones to call parents  Phone system  Website  Text Messages to parents

Media is the Key to Recovery  School spokesman  Media area/ sign in sheets  Your community is your audience  Know your mission  Know the media’s rights

Who is Responsible?  Security/law enforcement officers  Counseling services  Communication  Money

Return to Normal ASAP

Unification  Identify reunion area(s)  Identify sign out area  Train staff and develop sign out forms  If possible, escort students to parents  Develop a victims/witness list to separate from other parents

Psychological Services  National Association of School Psychologists 

Victim Assistance  Triage Training  Prepare Emergency Supplies  Identifying Students  Providing Information to Emergency Responders/Hospital  Recording Names

Staff Responsibilities  PRINCIPAL  Remain in Control Center  Prepare text messages  Directs 911 Call  Prepares All Announcements  Prepares Statements for Secretaries

Staff continued  ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS/NURSE  When Secured Report to Scene  Provide Medical Assistance-Nurse  Identify Victims-Report Status to Office Record Names and Ambulance Information

Staff continued  PRINCIPALS SECRETARY  Call District Office  Log Times of Notification  Contact Parents of Victims  Type Prepared Statements

Staff continued  SECRETARIAL TEAM  Call 911  Turn Off Bells  Clear Office of Non-Essential People

Staff continued  HEAD CUSTODIAN AND STAFF  Secure The Building  Assure Crime Scene Is Unchanged  Prepare Parent Parking Area

Staff continued  ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WITH VESTS  Clear Bus Area of Vehicles  Direct Parents To Parking Area

Communications During a Crisis  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be with you today! Bill Bond, NASSP Specialist for School Safety   Phone: ext.357 To schedule Bill Bond to do a presentation in your school or district, please contact Carolyn Glascock ext  For a list of topics and other NASSP services please visit the NASSP Website at