| NNPS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND SUPPORT
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is emergency preparedness?
All NNPS schools
have plans in place that guide staff in responding to an emergency.
In general, each plan involves designating a crisis management team;
developing evacuation, shelter-in-place, and lockdown procedures;
designating one or more appropriate evacuation sites; provisions
for training personnel and updating the plan; and resources for
help before, during and after an event. All NNPS school plans are
reviewed annually.
2. What safety precautions are in place?
The safety
of our students is of utmost important. In light of recent threats
to our national security, schools are taking the following precautions:
- All schools have a staff member at the front door to check
in visitors.
- Exterior doors with the exception of the front door remain
closed and locked.
- Student travel for field trips is being approved on a
day-to-day basis.
- Security officers will be assigned to those schools without
officers on staff.
- Teachers are continuing with regular classroom lessons.
Viewing television coverage of world events is being restricted.
- Outdoor activities and extracurricular activities will
continue but will be reviewed on a daily basis.
3. How can I stay informed?
There are a number
of ways for parents to stay informed. Emergency messages are posted
on the NNPS Information line at 283-7810, the Daily Press 1-line
at 928-1111, Category 7737, the NNPS website at http://www.nnschools.org
and cable Channel 47. Emergency messages are also transmitted to
local radio and television stations.
If a school cannot be safely
evacuated, school officials may choose to protect students and faculty
by instituting a school lockdown. In a lockdown, all students are
kept in classrooms or other designated locations. School personnel
will also secure building entrances to make sure that no unauthorized
individuals leave or enter the building. Students are monitored
closely by staff to ensure that no one leaves the safe area. Parents
are permitted access to the building and to their children if it
is safe for them to do so.
5. In the event of a terrorist attack or other
emergency situation, will schools be locked down?
The specifics
of the situation, the safety of students and staff, the level of
threat, and the advice of local, state, and federal agencies will
guide the school division's decision whether to institute a lockdown.
6. What is shelter-in-place?
Shelter-in-place is
a short-term measure (measured in minutes or hours, not days) that
uses a facility and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate
people from a hazardous outdoor environment. If an accident or attack
created contaminated air in the nearby area, everyone would be brought
indoors, including those in trailers. Staff would close all windows
and doors and shut down the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
system. This would create a neutral pressure in the building, meaning
the contaminated air would not be drawn into the building. No stockpiling
of water and food is needed for shelter-in-place. In the event that
a situation required such stockpiling, the division would take direction
from federal emergency management officials.
7. How long will I be separated from my child?
A shelter-in-place situation is a short-term event. If the air outside
the school is safe for parents to breathe, it is safe for their
children to breathe. The idea of a shelter-in-place is to keep children
safe until it is safe for them to be released to parents or transported
home by bus.
8. What if a child is exposed to a biological or
chemical contaminant?
In the event of an exposure--and the child
is showing obvious symptoms of such--staff members on hand would
conduct basic decontamination. School staff members would separate
the child from other children and bathe him or her as thoroughly
as possible with soap and water. If possible, school personnel would
make sure that the child showered and would provide alternative
clothing. The exposed clothing would be put in plastic bags, and
the bags would be sealed. Removing a contaminated person's clothing
effectively removes in excess of 80 percent of contaminants.
9. How will I know when it is safe to pick my child
up?
NNPS desires to keep children safe inside their schools until
the threat has been reduced. In an emergency, school may be the
safest place for children to be. Parents may pick up their children
unless public safety officials have declared a shelter-in-place
response, or there is some other reason why access to the facility
is restricted. During any emergency, school personnel will maintain
as safe and normal environment for children within the school as
is possible. Please note that school is not automatically canceled
in emergency situations.
10. What if a school is evacuated?
If public safety
officials require that a school building be evacuated, students
and staff members will be safely transported by bus to a designated
site. Parents will be informed of the location via the local media,
the web site, and Channel 47.
At the site, students will be released to their parents upon presentation
of proper identification.
11. Why can't I be given the location ahead of
time?
During emergency situations, circumstances could arise that
might force changes to previously designated locations. Parents
will be informed of the location where they can meet students via
the local media and through school resources.
12. What if my child is riding a school bus at
the time of a crisis?
Bus drivers will be informed to use common
sense and not travel toward the crisis location. If for some reason,
children cannot be brought to school, the driver will be directed
to take them to a designated safe area. Parents will be informed
of the location via school resources and local media. All buses
are equipped with radios.
13. Who can pick up my children?
Children will
be released to individuals authorized on the student's emergency
care card or who have written parent authorization. Parents may
also call with this information. All adults picking up a child other
than the parent will be asked to show identification. The emergency
card is completed by parents and guardians at the start of each
school year. Parents and guardians are encouraged to update the
emergency card as needed throughout the school year.
14. What about my child's medication?
If your
child takes medication regularly at school and would need that same
medication, the nurse will evaluate that need. If the medication
your child takes at home is so critical that missing a dose endangers
his or her health, the parent should contact the school nurse about
possibly keeping medication at school.
15. Are students allowed to have cell phones at
school?
High school students are allowed to keep cell phones in
their cars. In the event of an emergency requiring a lockdown, students
would be unable to use their phones to communicate with parents.
It is important to recognize that in an emergency situation, cell
phone circuits may become overloaded, interfering with public safety's
ability to communicate.
16. Can I contact my child during an emergency?
Parents are asked not to call the school in emergency situations
so phone lines can remain accessible for handling the specific situation.
Parents will be kept informed via the NNPS Information Line at 283-7810,
local television and radio stations, the NNPS website,
and cable Channel 47.
17. What will schools do if there's a smallpox
outbreak?
NNPS is working with the health department on the communitywide
response for mass vaccination.
18. How will my children know what to do in the
event of a terrorist attack?
Inform your children that, if a crisis
occurs while they are in school, their teacher will provide them
with appropriate instructions. Parents are also encouraged to prepare
a family disaster plan and practice it so that everyone will remember
what to do if a disaster does occur. Everyone in the household,
including children, should play a part in the family's response
and recovery efforts. Teach your children how to recognize danger
signals. Make sure your children know what smoke detectors, fire
alarms, and local community warning systems (horns, sirens) sound
like.
19. Will children be allowed to view events via
live television or radio reports?
In the event of a terrorist attack
or other crisis, television viewing of coverage will be restricted.
School staff will be urged to keep instruction a priority during
the school day.
20. How are extracurricular activities handled?
The impact of any critical situation on extracurricular activities--both
divisionwide and at individual schools--will depend on the specifics
of the situation. There may be circumstances that could require
the cancellation of field trips to certain areas. If the situation
warrants, all extracurricular activities may be canceled. All school
buses are equipped with radio communications with the transportation
office. If students are travelling to an event and must be recalled,
buses would be directed to return to the school or a designated
safe area.
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