Scottsbluff Schools and our community clearly prioritize the safety and well-being of children above all else. Crisis teams, emergency plans and school safety drills are just some of the priorities that have been long been established in our district to help ensure that everyone knows exactly how to respond to an emergency or crisis. A priority for our administrators and other interested staff has been to update our practices and make sure that all staff is comfortable, confident and prepared. Since 2011 Scottsbluff Public Schools has continuously conducted training for its Teachers, Administration and other staff members on the Standard Response Protocol.
The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is based not on individual scenarios but on the response to any given scenario. SRP demands a specific vocabulary but also allows for great flexibility. The premise is simple - there are four specific actions that can be performed during an incident.
Hold is followed by the Directive: "In Your Classroom or Area" and is the protocol to clear the hallways and remain in the classroom until the "All Clear" is announced with business taking place as usual
Secure is followed by the Directive: "Get inside. Lock Outside Doors" and is the protocol used to safeguard students and staff within the building.
Lockdown is followed by "Locks, Lights, Out of Sight" and is the protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep students quiet and in place.
Evacuate is always followed by a location, and is used to move students and staff from one location to a different location in or out of the building.
Shelter is always followed by a type and a method and is the protocol for group and self protection.
These specific actions can act as both a verb and a noun. If the action is Lockdown, it would be announced on public address as "Lockdown! Locks, Lights, Out of Sight." Communication to local Law Enforcement Agency would then be "We are under Lockdown." Each response has specific student and staff action. The Evacuate response is always followed by a location: "Evacuate to the Bus Zone." Responses can also be chained. " Evacuate to Hallway. Shelter for Tornado. Drop, Cover and Hold."
The SRP is now in place in literally thousands of schools around the country and over the last year or two is becoming the standard in school safety training. It is fully endorsed by the Scottsbluff Police Department and has recently been adopted by the New York City Department of Education to be implemented with all of their 1.1 million students in an additional 1700 schools. For more information visit the I Love U Guys Foundation Website at http://iluvuguys.org.