Access control is important for preventing unauthorized entry, controlling movement within the building, supporting crisis response procedures, and ensuring accountability, making it a vital component of a comprehensive approach to school safety.
The questions in this assessment center on external concerns - people entering the building from outside, and internal access - whether items and areas are appropriately secured.
Knowing the reasoning behind safety procedures, including fire safety rules, is crucial for effective implementation and compliance. But knowing the rationale is not enough. School administrators must also ensure that fire safety is a part of the school’s daily operations.
While this self-assessment is not a comprehensive list, start out by taking a few minutes to walk through your building evaluating fire prevention and response using the questions.
Communicating policies, procedures and expectations about access control is critical for both internal and external stakeholders. Thoroughly explaining the requirements as well as the rationale behind them will increase compliance and effectiveness.
Internal access control often centers on a fundamental question of whether an area is left unsecured for the convenience of adults or because it is good for students and/or safety. It is important to develop expectations for securing internal areas, in particular whether classroom doors are consistently locked or locked only when needed.
External access control requires physical security elements such as entry systems, visitor sign in technologies, and entry door hardware. It also includes training for staff on visitor engagement and access protocols.
Effective access control is important but presents challenges in balancing an open, welcoming environment with the need for secured, limited access.
The third Friday in November is Substitute Educator Day. Substitute teachers are a critical component of a truly safe school.
Calling 911 effectively is a critical element of an emergency response. Know how to dial 911 from your location and provide clear, specific information about the nature of the event as well as details about the location.
There are several recommended emergency response procedures that should be part of the emergency operations plan (EOP) for an effective all hazards approach to school safety. These include evacuation, reverse evacuation, shelter-in-place, drop, cover, and hold, leveled lockdowns, and bomb incident management.
While fire safety is a broad topic, there are specific concerns relevant to schools including: electrical issues, obstacles to evacuation, blocked fire extinguishers and pull stations, fire doors that are propped open, the use of residential rather than commercial furniture, unsafe storage of flammables, and accounting for individuals after an evacuation.
Expand your awareness of fire code requirements and note potential fire safety concerns in your building. One of the content focuses this month is on the basics of fire safety, so you will want to apply this knowledge to the development of your habits. Just because something hasn’t been cited in a fire inspection doesn’t mean it’s not a problem.
Pay attention to seemingly minor issues, as they can have significant safety implications.
October is Fire Safety Month and Bus Safety Month. Fire safety and school bus safety are critical concerns in schools. The majority of school fires are intentionally set within the confines of the school day with the rate of injuries the highest of any non-residential structure fires. Bus safety concerns need to focus on pedestrians as there are 1.5 times more fatalities among pedestrians than bus passengers.
A lack of effective communication is frequently one of the major failure points in a crisis incident. The emergency operations plan should address specific strategies and expectations for communication with internal and external stakeholders.
In this self-assessment, examine the effectiveness of the supervision you observe. Is there enough supervision? Is it active and engaged?
Understanding and assessing what your staff knows versus what you assume they know is critical for preparedness.
It serves as a baseline to find out what our needs are. When leadership assumes that the people in the building know how to do certain things when they actually don’t, there will be delays, confusion, and potentially tragic outcomes in crisis response.
Strategic supervision involves analyzing the needs in the school and creating a plan for effective supervision in specific areas. Supervision should be visible, active, and engaged with students in hallways and common areas as well as being present in “unowned” areas such as less traveled stairwells, locker rooms etc.
Let’s take a look at the critical tools of the trade that you should have with you at all times: an ID badge, a radio or cell phone, and keys or fobs.
September is national Preparedness Month. Emergency preparedness incorporates planning, preparing, and practicing. While these steps are a critical consideration for preparedness within the school, a wider perspective is also needed. The impact of a community-based disaster on schools is profound even if the building itself is not directly affected
Communication systems such as radios, PAs and cell phones are often ineffectively used, have critical limitations, and are not always applicable or effective throughout the facility.
Complete the assessment twice - once during a typical day’s arrival and a second time during a scheduled dismissal time. Gather as much data as you can to answer the questions.
