Do you know the drill

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Long Branch Public Schools

“Where Children Matter Most”

DO YOU KNOW THE DRILL?

SCHOOL SECURITY DRILLS

Information from the

NJ Department of Education
Office of School Preparedness & Emergency Planning

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Why practice is important

• It’s been said that amateurs practice until they get it right,
while professionals practice until, they can’t get it wrong.

• “Foolish are the generals who ignore the daily intelligence
from the trenches.” —Anonymous

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NJ School Security Task Force

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Background & Overview

• Created by Governor Corzine on 10-04-06 to evaluate
security measures at NJ schools.

• The task force brought together state, county, and
local government as well as members of the
education and law enforcement communities.

• The task force focused its efforts on addressing
various facets of school safety and security.

• The task force has been reconstituted under Director
McKenna, Office of Homeland Security &
Preparedness.

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Key Accomplishments

• 2007-2009

• Revised the NJDOE School Security Manual.
• Launched the NJDOE School Security Website.
• Distributed Model Policies for Law Enforcement.
• Distributed “Companion” Model Policies for Educators.
• Updated the Uniform State MOA between Education & Law Enforcement
• Enhanced School Resource Officers (SRO) Training.
• Enhanced police academy/teacher training
• Created a school bus driver awareness training program

• 2010

• Security Drill legislation passed

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NJ Administrative Code

•6A:16-5.1

• School Safety & Security Plans
• www.state.nj.us/education/schools/security/regs/code.htm

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6A:16-5.1 School Safety Plans

• Each Local Education Agency (LEA) is required to have a
safety and security plan.

• Policies, procedures & mechanisms requirement, including
purposes – 5.1(a).

• Safety and Security Plans should be developed and
reviewed in consultation with key stakeholders – 5.1(b).

• Safety and Security Plans should be consistent with the
format and content established by the Domestic Security
Preparedness Task Force & the Commissioner of Ed. –
5.1(b)1

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Who should be involved in planning?

Public Health

Local School District Mental Health
Government Teachers
Staff Law
Public Safety Parents Enforcement
Students

Emergency
Management

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6A:16-5.1

• Annual review & update – 5.1(b)2
• Dissemination – 5.1(c)

• New employees need to receive within 60 days
• Annual in-service training for all district employees – 5.1(d)
• Training for all new employees – 5.1(d)1

• Within 60 days

• NJ QSAC: Operations Section

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History of the Drill Bill

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• 09/2007: A key recommendation in the K-12 School Security Task Force Final Report
• 06/16/2008: A3002, Sponsored by Assemblyman Scalera & Assemblywoman Lampitt,

was introduced, referred to Assembly Homeland Security & State Preparedness
Committee.
• 11/17/2008: Passed by the General Assembly (78-0-0)
• 11/24/2008: Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Education Committee.
• 12/10/2009: Passed Senate (39-0)
• 01/11/2010: Signed into law by Governor Corzine.
• Went into effect on November 1, 2010

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School Administrator Procedures

• Responding to Critical Incidents

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• All school administrator procedures should be developed
and revised as needed in consultation with local law
enforcement or the appropriate emergency responding
agency.

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• “Companion” document to the Model Policies for Law Enforcement – Attorney
General Directive 2007-1

• Establishes uniform procedures.
• Details responsibilities of the school administrator.
• Describes individual roles for school personnel and recommended actions.
• References specific sections of the School Safety and Security Manual: Best

Practices Guidelines (2nd Generation).
• Indicates shifts in incident command prior to, during and following an event.
• Disseminated on October 22, 2007.

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Model Procedures

• Public Information
• Bomb Threat
• Evacuation
• Lockdown
• Active Shooter

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NJ Statute 18A:41-1

• School Security Drills

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18A:41-1

• Every principal of a school of two (2) or more rooms, or of
a school of one (1) room, when located above the first
story of a building, shall have at least one fire drill and one
school security drill each month with the school hours,
including any summer months during which the school is
open for instruction programs.

• …to keep all doors and exits of their respective rooms
and buildings unlocked during the school hours, except
during an emergency lockdown or an emergency
lockdown drill.

• Emergency egress

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Why do we drill?

• Assure predictable response in the event of an actual
emergency.

• Identify problems/weaknesses in plans and
procedures.

• Staff and students practice and experience what is
expected of them during an emergency.

• Practice, Practice, Practice!

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Fire, School Security Drills

• Security drills, which are similar in duration to a fire drill,
will be used to practice school’s procedures for
responding to various emergencies.

• School Security Drill:

• Exercise, other than a fire drill, to practice procedures used to
respond to various school emergencies.

• School personnel and local emergency responders will
coordinate efforts to update plans for drilling, managing &
responding to school emergencies.

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Tabletop Activity

• Discussion between key stakeholders of simulated
emergency scenarios in an informal setting to assess
plans, policies & procedures.

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Full Scale Exercise

• A multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional activity involving actual
deployment of resources in a coordinated response as if a
real incident had occurred.

• Typically used to assess plans and procedures under
crisis conditions, and assess coordinated response under
crisis conditions.

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Lockdown Drill

• Addresses Active Shooter scenarios as well as others which would
require the following procedures to be instituted:

• Staff, faculty and students remain confined to a room or area within a
building with specific procedures to follow, such as:

• Locking doors, closing or opening windows and shades, and seeking cover.

• Lockdowns necessitate a law enforcement response and immediate
intervention.

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• Lockdown is implemented when a • Shelter in Place occupants are to
criminal element is believed to be remain within the building but may
on the premises. be moved to a different area due to
a dangerous event taking place
• Occupants of the building are outside of the building; for example
directed to remain confined to a the release of a chemical cloud from
room or area with specific a nearby plant.
procedures to follow; such as
locking doors, closing or opening • Depending on Circumstance
windows & shades, and seeking Teaching May Be Allowed To
cover. Continue!

• No Teaching or Business As
Usual During A Lockdown!

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Active Shooter

• An active shooter situation involves one (1) or more
individuals intent on causing physical harm who are
believed to be armed, has used, or has threatened to use
a weapon to inflict serious bodily injury or death on other
person(s) and/or continues to do so while having
unrestricted access to additional victims.

• Eminent danger

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Response to an Active Shooter

• In response to an active shooter, the building may be placed under
lockdown or an evacuation may be ordered.

• Please make sure that all LBPS administrators/principals/directors/managers have
up to date cell phone numbers of all staff members.

• All LBPS staff members are asked to have their cell phone with them at all times
and have them turn on and on vibrate!

• Administration/Police will use technology to reach you on your cell phone during an
emergency.

• Once a building is in lockdown the law enforcement incident
commander will determine whether to order a law enforcement-
supervised evacuation or leave it in lockdown mode.

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Evacuation Drill

• Address Bomb Threat scenarios as well as others which
would require the following procedures to be instituted:

• The need for all occupants of a school building to orderly
and safely evacuate.

• The need to evacuate to different assembly locations
depending on the situation.

• Emergency responders should be notified so that they are
aware of the situation and may take appropriate action.

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Fire Drill vs. Bomb Threat Evacuation

FIRE DRILL
• Windows & Doors are closed
• Closed & Locked doors minimize fire

spread
• Turn off lights when a room is exited

for a fire drill
Bomb Threat

• Staff should open windows & doors
• This will allow the blast pressure to

vent and minimize the damage
• Closed/Locked doors will make it

more difficult for the areas of the
school to be searched.

Note:
Refrain from pulling fire alarms to evacuate during a

bomb threat.

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Lockdown Drills vs. Evacuation Drills

• Lockdown:

• Can students remain safely in their current location without the
threat moving toward them?

• School administrators have a duty to protect and ensure that
students are not remaining in a threatening situation when their
safe removal is possible.

• Evacuation:

• Can students safely exit the building without moving toward the
threat?

• School officials will need to quickly assess whether or not student
evacuation can be accomplished safely.

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Required Drills

• Each of the following drills must be conducted a minimum
of two (2) times per year:

• Active Shooter
• Evacuation
• Bomb Threat
• Lockdown

• Schools are required to conduct a school security drill within the
first 15 days of the beginning of the school year.

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Additional Drill Suggestions

• Shelter-in-Place
• Reverse evacuation
• Evacuation to relocation site
• Tabletop activity
• Full Scale Exercise

• Two (2) of your eight (8) mandatory drills do not have to include students.

Also drill during “Inconvenient times”

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Initiation

• Fire alarm systems will only be used for the
purpose of a fire related evacuation.

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Unplanned Incidents

• Responses made necessary by the unplanned activation
of emergency procedures or by any other emergency
shall NOT be substituted for a required school security
drill.

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Training Requirements

• All full-time teaching staff members must be provided with
school security training that includes information relating
to school security drills.

• Training must be provided within one (1) year of the
effective date of this act, or within sixty (60) days of
employment, whichever date is later.

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Training Requirements per NJAC 6A:16-5.1

• Districts shall develop and provide in-service training to
recognize and respond to various security concerns.

• Programs developed by LBPS Public Safety Liaison Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

• Psychological Ramifications of Bullying, Social Media Use, & Cyberbullying
• Social Media in Schools, What is the threat?
• Critical Incident Response Procedures for School Administrators Module 1&2
• Critical Incident Response Procedures for School Administrators Module 3&4
• Critical Incident Response for Teachers 2013-2014
• Indicators of School Crime & Safety
• School Security Guards Situational Awareness Session 1
• School Security Guards Situational Awareness Session 2
• Workplace Violence Issues
• Situational Awareness for School Bus Drivers
• Safe School Site & Safety Inspections
• Identifying Deceptive Behavior for Safe School Officers
• Developed a bomb threat management guide
• Held six (6) in-service training sessions during the 2013-2014 session
• Created a School Security section on the district website: www.longbranch.k12.nj.us

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Preparing to Drill

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Focused Practice, Improves Your Skills

• “The power of one, if fearless and focused, is formidable,
but the power of many working together is better.”

• Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

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“Build-a-Drill”

• Schools need to exhibit a logical, natural progression, working toward the end
result of conducting the required emergency drills.

• Examples:

• Conduct a stakeholder meeting to confirm responsibilities of all entities.
• Check all communication systems relating to emergency notification.
• Educate/conduct drill with faculty and staff.
• Educate/conduct drill with faculty, staff and students.
• Conduct drill.

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Preparing for Emergency Drills Staff

• Train staff members on emergency procedures.
• Discuss the importance of emergency drills during staff meetings.
• Allow staff feedback on emergency drills and procedures.
• Assess the staff’s response to emergency drills.
• Include emergency procedures in information packets for substitutes and new

staff members.
• Involve the school’s support staff in all emergency drills: librarians, office staff,

custodians, bus drivers, frequent volunteers, cafeteria staff, etc.

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Preparing for Emergency Drills Students

• Staff should review the importance of emergency drills with students, as well
as their role during emergencies.

• Provide students with specific instructions for various emergencies along with
the reasons and conditions that would trigger a response.

• Allow student feedback concerning emergency drills.
• Provide emergency procedure information to all new students.
• Include provisions during emergencies for special needs students.

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Notification

• Schools will notify emergency responders at least forty-eight (48) hours prior
to holding a school security drill.

• Invite emergency responders and the District Public Safety Liaison Officer to
observe drills.
• Not mandatory, but recommended that they attend and observe at least
four (4) different drills.
• Request feedback.
• Enhances collaboration and cooperation.

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After the Drill

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Drill Evaluation

• Key personnel should review each drill after completion.
• Staff/Teachers
• Students
• Emergency Responders

• What went well, what needs improvement, how to improve.

• Include your findings in an after-action report (AAR). This report captures
observations of an exercise/drill and makes recommendations for
improvements.

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Record Keeping

• Districts are required to submit an annual “Statement of Assurance” to the
Monmouth County Superintendent of Schools by June 30th of each year.

• NJDOE provides the form which is required

• County offices will forward an “informational” copy to their respective county
prosecutor’s office.

• The “Security Drill Record Form” will be completed by all schools and
retained at the district level.

• NJDOE provides the form which is required

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Security Drill Record Form

• Date & time of drill
• Type of drill – specifically what was drilled.
• Duration of drill.
• Weather conditions during drill.
• Who participated in the drill:

• Students
• Faculty/Staff
• Law enforcement
• Fire

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School Security Drill Checklist

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School Security Drill Checklist

• Foundation of Drill

• Create a project timeline
• Identify planning team members:

• School personnel
• Law enforcement
• Fire officials
• Emergency responders
• Other(s)
• Assign responsibilities to planning team members.

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Design & Development of Drill Scenario

• Outline concepts & objectives of drill.

• Identify the type of drill
• Identify when the drill will take place.
• Identify who will participate in the drill.

• Draft purpose & scope of drill.

• Identify the specific items, procedures, protocols that will be drilled.

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Pre-Drill

• Review school safety and security procedures with ALL
school personnel & students:

• Faculty, staff, janitorial, maintenance, transportation, food & after
school personnel.

• Review emergency duties:

• Faculty/Staff
• Administrators
• Safe School Officers
• Public Information Officer/Spokesperson
• Other(s)

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Pre-Drill

• Notify parents of the schools drill plan. This can be done at the beginning of
each school year by outlining the different drills that will be held during the
school year.

• Review and test communication protocols:

• Communication between different groups (i.e. emergency responders, school personnel,
medical, fire,)

• Communication between school personnel.
• Communication with classes outside of the building.
• Communication from classes inside the building to the main office or Command Post.
• Communication with district/county office of education.
• Communication with parents/media.

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DRILL

• Use simple language to make emergency announcements (i.e. Lockdown,
Evacuation, Shelter-in-Place).

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) discourages using
codes and signals because it may confuse people. If codes are used make
sure substitute teachers are aware of them!

• Use clear statement to indicate actions that should be taken.

• Make sure it can be heard/communicated everywhere on the school campus.

• Have an “All Clear” procedure to terminate the action so everyone can
recognize the emergency situation has been resolved.