APPENDIX A
TO AGENDA ITEM
6.3
CHILDREN & LEARNING DEPARTMENT
CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR SCHOOLS
LUTON BOROUGH COUNCIL February 2008
6.3/4 APPENDIX A
INDEX CRITICAL INCIDENTS IN SCHOOLS...... 8 INTRODUCTION...... 8 MAJOR INCIDENTS...... 8 SCHOOLS/COLLEGES IDENTIFIED AS EVACUATION CENTRES...... 9 ON SITE INCIDENTS ...... 9 EMERGENCY CONTACTS ...... 9 THE SCHOOL RESPONSE TO EMERGENCIES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS...... 10 BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING ...... 11 NOTIFICATION OF AN INCIDENT ...... 11 KEY HOLDER...... 11 MINOR EMERGENCIES ...... 11 SEVERE/ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS ...... 12 OUTBREAK OF INFECTIOUS AND NOTIFIABLE DISEASE ...... 12 FOOD POISONING ...... 12 CHEMICAL SPILLAGE ...... 13 INTRUDER ON SITE...... 13 ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION, ATTACK, OR SUSPICIOUS PERSON ...... 13 DEPARTMENTAL KEY PERSONNEL AND RESPONSIBILITIES...... 14 MEDIA COMMUNICATION ...... 15 SCHOOL INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM ...... 17 APPENDIX A – PRE-INCIDENT PREPARATION...... 20 APPENDIX B – BOMB THREATS AND/OR SUSPECT PACKAGES ...... 29 APPENDIX C - SECTION 9; EVACUATION AND SHELTER PLANNING ...... 33 APPENDIX D - INCIDENT CHECKLISTS...... 36 APPENDIX E ...... 42 APPENDIX F - AFTER THE EVENT ...... 47 APPENDIX G - LUTON EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE ...... 56 APPENDIX H - THE MEDIA - INITIAL CHECKLIST...... 57 APPENDIX I – TRAINING SCENARIOS...... 59 APPENDIX J - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...... 72
6.3/5 APPENDIX A
Contributors
This document has been developed & produced by the following officers: Hazel Bloor Health & Safety Advisor, Schools Mike Faithfull Business Continuity Manager Bob Marshall Civil Protection Manager Katherine Shieber Officer & Member Support Team Leader Mike Austins Head Teacher, Norton Road Primary School Anne Featherstone Head Teacher, Leagrave Primary School Georgie Brown Risk Manager, Beds County Council Hannah Newton Administration Officer, Civil Protection
6.3/6 APPENDIX A
I am pleased to provide Head Teachers with a copy of the Critical Incidents in Schools Plan.
This plan has been reviewed and produced in a revised format to include more information and practical training exercises for school staff in emergency response. It has been prepared in conjunction with the Council’s overall Emergency Procedures Protocol, which is currently under revision (Spring 2008). The document has been developed alongside the Bedfordshire County Council Critical Incidents in Schools Plan and wherever possible the two documents share response procedures and contents.
The prime objectives of the plan are to:
• Identify the sort of incident that would cause the School or the Department to operate outside its normal parameters • Stipulate departmental procedures and the chain of command to be adopted during a major incident • Identify key staff and to define their responsibilities during a major incident • List those schools within the Borough that could be used as evacuation centres • Identify additional resources that might be required during a major incident, and • Ensure that departmental contingency arrangements are compatible with those of other departments
The plan is being circulated to all schools and I should be grateful if you would ensure that you, and all your staff, are familiar with the procedures. The plan will be reviewed annually but if you have any comments or questions regarding the plan, please contact: Hazel Bloor, Schools Health & Safety Advisor, Telephone: 01582 548042, Email: [email protected] or the Civil Protection Unit, Telephone: 01582 546071, Email: [email protected] .
Corporate Director – Children & Learning.
6.3/7 APPENDIX A
CRITICAL INCIDENTS IN SCHOOLS
INTRODUCTION Incidents fall into two categories, major incidents and minor emergencies. Major incidents may occur off-site but nevertheless have an impact upon schools or occur on-site, or in the immediate vicinity of school premises. Although it is not envisaged that minor incidents occurring off-site will have a dramatic impact upon schools, it could involve evacuation of the school and plans need to be in place to cover this contingency.
MAJOR INCIDENTS A major incident is any abnormal event, occurring anywhere in or adjacent to Luton, or which by its nature, causes or has the potential to cause significant or extensive:
• Death or injury (physical and mental) • Damage to property • Contamination of the environment and/or • Disruption to the School’s normal functions • On a scale beyond the School’s capability to deliver its services under normal conditions
Although there are probably an infinite number of variations to a given type of critical incident or other event effecting normal running of the school. It will typically fall into one of the categories given below:
• Transport related accidents • Severe weather • Major pollution • Accidents that take place out of the Borough, but have an effect upon the Borough, and • Local incidents (e.g. major fires or civil unrest)
Any of the above occurring in the wider community could impact upon schools that could be used satisfactorily as media centres and/or evacuation centres. Notification of the requirement to use school premises as a centre will normally come from the Council’s Civil Protection Team to the Corporate Director’s office. In these circumstances Head Teachers and Chairs of Governors will be notified by either the Corporate Director, or a Head of Service from Unity House.
However, notification may come direct from the Police who may need to by-pass the normal Council alerting procedures and who, in exceptional circumstances, may have even opened up a school for use as an evacuation centre before advising the Council.
6.3/8 APPENDIX A
SCHOOLS/COLLEGES IDENTIFIED AS EVACUATION CENTRES The list of those schools and colleges identified as possible evacuation centres is shown below, together with their appropriate contact details.
SCHOOL ADDRESS TELEPHONE Ashcroft High Crawley Green Road, Luton, LU2 9AG 01582 436100 Barnfield Academy South Cutenhoe Road, Luton, LU1 3NH 01582 722333 Barnfield Academy West Emerald Road, Luton, LU4 0NE 01582 601221 Barnfield College New Bedford Road, Luton, LU2 7BF 01582 569500 Barnfield Rotheram Campus Rotheram Avenue, Luton, LU1 5PP 01582 484141 Cardinal Newman High Warden Hill Road, Luton, LU2 7AE 01582 597125 Challney High (Boys) Stoneygate Road, Luton, LU4 9TJ 01582 599921 Challney High (Girls) Stoneygate Road, Luton, LU4 9TJ 01582 571427 Denbigh High Alexandra Avenue, Luton, LU3 1HE 01582 736611 Icknield High Riddy Lane, Luton, LU3 2AH 01582 576561 Lea Manor High Northwell Drive, Luton, LU3 3TL 01582 652600 Lealands High Sundon Park Road, Luton, LU3 3AL 01582 611600 Putteridge High Putteridge Road, Luton, LU2 8HJ 01582 415791/2 Stopsley High St. Thomas’ Road, Luton, LU2 7UX 01582 870900
The Council’s responsibility for providing emergency accommodation for people made homeless as a consequence of a major incident lies with the Corporate Director of Housing & Community Living and the schools cited for possible use as evacuation centres have been included on that department’s list of emergency accommodation. However, it is clearly understood that the selection of a school will only be done with the knowledge and agreement of the Head Teacher and Chair of Governors of the school and the Corporate Director, or one of the Heads of Service.
ON SITE INCIDENTS Incidents may occur at individual schools, which could qualify as major incidents, but not involve the entire Council, for example a fire or a gas explosion. These will have serious implications for the school concerned and cause major disruptions to normal day-to-day school operations. There is therefore a need to pre-plan for such incidents. Schools need to develop an emergency response plan short, medium, and long term.
These Contingency plans will need to:
• Consider immediate management of communication, safety, and welfare of staff, pupils, and the wider community • Identify alternative educational facilities for extended periods of upheaval to school facilities • Identify alternative office accommodation to ensure an uninterrupted administrative operation • Operate secure practices to ensure, for example, that I.T. systems are not open to corruption, that data is backed up off site and that hard copies of data are maintained in damage resistant safes
EMERGENCY CONTACTS The schools first point of contact will be those persons identified on the emergency contact card (which should be kept by key staff on and off site) as issued by the Health and Safety Advisor. As 6.3/9 APPENDIX A soon as practicable notify the Chair of Governors, School Improvement Advisor and Corporate Director’s Office.
NAME POSITION TELEPHONE EMAIL ADDRESS [email protected] Debbie Jones Corporate Director 01582 548400 [email protected] [email protected] Anne Futcher Head of Access 01582 548006 [email protected] [email protected] Geoff Headley Head of School Improvement 01582 548007 [email protected] Head of Resources & [email protected] William Clapp 01582 548003 Performance Review [email protected]
This document aims to provide a framework for appropriate action to deal with difficult circumstances.
The main aim of this document is to provide guidance for schools and governors to:
• Prepare, develop and update their own Incident Management Plan in line with this guidance, and • Provide training scenarios and exercises to broaden staff knowledge of emergency procedures, and • Be aware of how to access the range of the Council’s and other support services
THE SCHOOL RESPONSE TO EMERGENCIES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS In recent years events that have affected schools within the UK include:
• A death of a child, parent or member of staff • Children killed or seriously injured in accidents on school trips • Suicides • Major fires • Health scares • Missing persons/abductions • Intruders to the school • Building collapse • Flooding or Power disruption
Different events will require different responses and actions. However, the generic responsibilities and actions for staff members to follow and the support services available to schools can help to ensure that whatever the incident the schools of Luton are prepared.
It is strongly recommended that each school nominates a Senior Member of Staff, in conjunction with the Governing Body, to be responsible for completing and maintaining the individual school emergency response plan. We further recommend a review is formally undertaken annually or following an incident. This will help to ensure that the plan is an effective working document and kept up to date.
All schools should identify ‘Incident Managers’ (normally the Head Teacher, another Senior Member of Staff and the Chair of Governors), one of whom would take the lead responsibility for liaison with the Emergency Services, Health & Safety Advisor and the Children & Learning Directorate at the Council in the event of a crisis. The names of these Incident Managers should be provided and regularly up-dated to the Health & Safety Advisor Telephone: 01582 548042 6.3/10 APPENDIX A
All staff and governors should be made aware of the names of the Incident Managers as part of routine dissemination of information in schools.
BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING In the event of an emergency all relevant staff should be notified as soon as reasonably practicable. It is recommended that, wherever possible, the school office is used as the central liaison point for all incidents. Alternative rooms may be utilised strictly for the management of the incident where necessary. The central liaison point should ideally have IT, telephone, and fax facilities. It is important to note that parents will be trying to contact the school as well as the Emergency Services; it may be worth considering using different contact numbers for incident management only.
The ‘incident’ may be more of an operational disruption than a physical event, so schools should proactively make ‘business continuity plans’ that are designed to maintain ‘critical’ functions. ‘Critical’ functions are those, which fulfil the fundamental purpose of the organisation. The problem with this, of course, is that the resources needed to perform those functions, namely people, buildings, equipment etc may not be available because of the incident. Therefore alternatives should be explored and questions such as “how can I do this if I don’t have the resource which I usually use”? “the resource” could be anything including, teaching staff, support staff, classroom(s), books, computers, telephones, and toilets.
In many respects, the focus of the plan is essentially the same as for responding to an emergency, but the underlying objective is to continue operation as a school and to deliver the most important of the services that the school normally delivers.
See the section headed ‘Current Preparedness Assessment’ later in this document for practical pointers towards the kinds of actions you should consider taking and the sort of information you might need to have to hand.
NOTIFICATION OF AN INCIDENT These procedures aim to ensure a speedy response in the event of a Critical Incident occurring in a Luton School, where the establishment’s normal resources are unable to cope and/or where urgent additional assistance is required. When this is the case, advice and help is available from the Local Authority.
KEY HOLDER The main key holder needs to be identified in the plan and will be the initial contact person in the event of fire, flood, theft and vandalism. The Head Teacher should therefore, ensure that the key holder is aware of the emergency procedures and telephone number.
If you have entered into a Buy Back Agreement with the Councils Capital and Asset Management Division, and require a contractor to attend, please call the dedicated HOTLINE 01582 546335. If you have NOT entered into a Buy Back Agreement, then you may still use the emergency assistance Hotline but this will be subject to payment of a fee.
MINOR EMERGENCIES Examples of minor incidents could be the loss of heating or a flood. If you have entered into the Councils Property Buy Back Agreement; these incidents should be reported as follows:
• To the Councils Property Repair Hotline Telephone: 01582 546335 during normal office hours or • To the Out of Hours Emergency Hotline Telephone: 01582 720703 for them to arrange repair.
6.3/11 APPENDIX A
• If you have NOT entered into a Buy Back Agreement, then you may still use the Emergency Assistance Hotline but this will be subject to payment of a fee. • Schools should also inform Hazel Bloor, Health and Safety Advisor, Telephone: 01582 548042.
Refer to above section “On Site Incidents” page 5 However, incidents such as severe weather, an outbreak of a contagious illness or food poisoning, for example require different procedures to be followed.
SEVERE/ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS The decision to close the school lies with the Head Teacher/Senior Member of staff and Chair of the Governing Body.
If there is no alternative to the school closing for the day, or if the school opening is to be delayed, please follow the procedure outlined below, prior to the start of the school day and as early as possible.
Head Teacher/Senior Member of staff should:
• Telephone Three Counties Radio - 01582 637444 • Telephone Chiltern Radio - 01582 676240 • Place notices outside school premises • Post notices on school website and Luton Learning Grid
In order for the radio stations to transmit your message you will need to provide them with the education emergency code word. All schools have been advised previously of this code. If any Head Teacher/Senior Member of staff is unsure of this code please contact: Katherine Shieber, Office & Member Support Team Leader, Telephone: 01582 548020, Email: [email protected] .
There may be other persons the school will need to contact; these would include visiting guests, peripatetic staff, transport contractors etc. Staff should be available at school to ensure that arrangements are made for pupils who have not heard the message to be sent home. Children, for whom suitable adult supervision is not available at home, should remain at school.
Before closing the school all of the above should have been considered.
OUTBREAK OF INFECTIOUS AND NOTIFIABLE DISEASE In the event of a pupil being diagnosed with an infectious disease such as meningitis, the school will usually be notified by the Health Protection Agency direct. The Head Teacher should notify the department’s Health and Safety Advisor, Telephone: 01582 548042 as soon as possible.
Any subsequent action will be led by the Health Service and assistance, if appropriate, will be provided from the Children and Learning Department.
FOOD POISONING Any suspicion that an outbreak of food poisoning is as a result of food or drink provided by the Catering Provider should be notified:
• Firstly to the Council’s Environmental & Consumer Services, Telephone: 01582 546173 • Secondly to the Catering Provider • Thirdly to the Health and Safety Advisor, Telephone: 01582 548042
6.3/12 APPENDIX A
CHEMICAL SPILLAGE Use of chemicals, cleaning materials and other potentially harmful substances are controlled by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, in the form of a COSHH assessment. Head Teachers should ensure that staff are aware of these assessments and that they are kept where they can be easily accessed at all times. Accidental spillages should be dealt with strictly in accordance with the COSHH assessment.
INTRUDER ON SITE The action taken will depend upon the circumstances and should be at the discretion of the Head Teacher who will make a judgement as to whether the Police should be contacted.
In any event, the Head Teacher should report the incident to the department’s Health & Safety Advisor.
ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION, ATTACK, OR SUSPICIOUS PERSON In the event of an incident at a school or in the vicinity of a school e.g. attempted abduction, attack, suspicious person, schools should follow the procedure as detailed below.
The following should be taken into account by the department and the school:
• The need to ensure the immediate safety and welfare of pupils and staff, including the possible need to seek medical attention • Evacuating the school building • Evacuating the school site • Sheltering in the school buildings, known as ‘lockdown’ • Relocating to a different location • Re-entering the school
All incidents should be reported to the Police, Telephone: 01582 401212, and contact Katherine Shieber, Telephone: 01582 548020, Email: [email protected] or Hazel Bloor, Telephone: 01582 548042, Email: [email protected] with details of the incident. This information will then be circulated via email to all other schools as soon as possible.
6.3/13 APPENDIX A
DEPARTMENTAL KEY PERSONNEL AND RESPONSIBILITIES Corporate Director – Debbie Jones Telephone: 01582 548400, Email: [email protected]
The Corporate Director has overall responsibility for an effective Departmental response during a major incident that affects the Children & Learning Department and will form part of the Council’s Incident Management Team should the incident require this to be established.
The Corporate Director will also be involved with the press and media briefings in conjunction with the Council’s Communications section and/or the Portfolio Holder.
Head of Resources & Performance Review (R&PR) – William Clapp Telephone: 01582 548003, Email: [email protected]
The Head of Resources & Performance Review (R&PR) is responsible for ensuring an effective departmental pre-planning for major incidents, in conjunction with the Council’s Civil Protection Team and the Corporate Director.
The Head of R&PR is responsible for managing departmental operations during the response to an incident and for authorising departmental expenditure involved with pre-planning and that incurred in responding to an incident. Full accounting records must be maintained on behalf of the department with a view to making a claim for compensation under the Government’s “Bellwin” scheme or any other source of emergency funding, including insurance claims.
Catering Manager - Ferri Fassihi Telephone: 01582 538211, Email: [email protected]
On being advised that a school will be opened for use as an evacuation centre, the Catering Manager will liaise with the Civil Protection Team and Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) who will in accordance with the Emergency Reception Centre Plan, be responsible for making all the necessary arrangements to ensure that adequate catering is provided for the expected number of evacuees.
Passenger Transport Unit Manager - Ken Toye Telephone: 01582 548096, Email: [email protected]
The Council’s Passenger Transport Unit Manager, Ken Toye will be responsible for arranging any transport requirements arising from the emergency.
Health & Safety Advisor - Hazel Bloor Telephone: 01582 548042, Email: [email protected]
The Health & Safety Advisor will be responsible for notifying the Health & Safety Executive and co- ordinating matters relating to the Health & Safety of staff and pupils.
Each school/Head Teacher has a wallet sized emergency card with appropriate details. Additional copies can be obtained from the Health and Safety Advisor, Telephone: 01582 548042.
Hazel is responsible for updating the plan and dealing with issues relating to the plan.
Civil Protection Manager – Robert Marshall Telephone: 01582 546071, Email: [email protected] Out of hours contact may be made using the Duty Emergency Planning Officer Group Pager-number: 07659 597239 6.3/14 APPENDIX A
The Civil Protection team will, if necessary initiate call-out of other agencies, and coordinate the Council’s response to the emergency.
MEDIA COMMUNICATION
In a crisis it is inevitable that the media will contact the school. This can be seen to be intrusive and uncaring by school staff, but it is a part of any journalist’s job. The scale of media interest will depend on the scale of the incident itself – it could range from two/three phone calls from local media to a number of national/international television crews turning up at the school gates, demanding interviews with the Head Teacher and parents.
The Communications Team from the Luton Borough Council can field media calls, and issue statements on behalf of the school, in liaison with the Head Teacher/Deputy/Chair of Governors.
If there is intense media interest, or if the school requests assistance for media handling, a press officer may go to the school to handle press queries on site (subject to buy back for the relevant service). See Appendix H for further information and checklists.
If the Head Teacher or Senior Staff Member of a school are approached by journalists seeking information about an incident concerning the school then refer them to the:
Communications Department, Luton Borough Council Telephone: 01582 546000, Out of Hours Telephone: 01582 547402
Should it be necessary to communicate with the media direct, it is recommended that you consult with the Communications Press Officer.
The Press Officer will be able to advise you on the most appropriate way of dealing with the media and give advice on particularly sensitive issues.
REMEMBER YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA
Calls from Parents
Anticipate answers to the following types of questions:
• Was my child there when it happened? • Is my child safe? • If injured, where are they, when can I see him/her? • How serious is the injury? • Will you help me get to the hospital?
Anticipate the possible questions, and prepare appropriate responses:
• Can you name the fatalities? • Can you name the teacher involved? • Have you done a name check of survivors? • Have you informed the parents? • Why was there only one adult with the group? 6.3/15 APPENDIX A
• Why was the Head Teacher not at the school when the incident occurred?
Support from the Borough Council in times of Emergency
In the event of an emergency situation at a school the safety of all is paramount. The school continues to have responsibility for ensuring that, as far as is reasonably practicable the education processes are re-established as soon as possible. The Council will provide full support to enable an emergency situation to be handled as efficiently as possible.
The Children & Learning Department in conjunction with other Luton Council Departments will make arrangements for the following, as necessary, in consultation with the school.
Communication with all relevant learning departments, individuals and groups:
• Emergency accommodation • Additional teaching resources • Additional staffing • Transport • Specialist advice • Dissemination of information to all those necessary, including parents, teachers and the media • The Luton Educational Psychology Service (see Appendix G)
The affected school is itself responsible for the recovery of all the education and school administration processes with assistance, where necessary, from the Children & Learning Department.
Please refer to individual schools business continuity plans.
6.3/16 APPENDIX A
SCHOOL INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM Thought needs to be given as to who the key people of an Incident response team would be for your school in the event of a critical incident. When establishing your team, the number of people included will be dependant on the size of your school.
Team members may include:
• Head Teacher/Deputy Head • Senior Management Team • Identified Incident Managers • Governors (where applicable) • Site Agent/Caretaker • School Secretary and Administration Staff • Reserves
The following table illustrates the roles and responsibilities of a school incident response team:
6.3/17 APPENDIX A School Incident Response Team What is a School Incident To determine appropriate level of response for an incident and to select necessary roles and actions to be carried out to restore Response Team? normality and safety to all as soon as possible. Possible Role Responsibilities Candidates • Consider need to alert other colleagues and external agencies • Contact external agencies as required • Establish an Incident Response Team and allocate roles • Collate all relevant information relating to the emergency/incident • Co-ordinate the incident response strategy, liaising with relevant agencies, e.g. emergency services, Luton Borough Council, School Governors etc Head Teacher/ Incident • Consider contacting parents and/or sending letters home with all Deputy Head/ Manager children Senior Staff • Monitor the emergency response Member • Provide regular staff team briefings • Authorise any additional expenditure • Consider media handling and any requests for assistance from the Communications Department • Maintain a log of key events and decisions, including expenses incurred • Assist Incident Manager • Co-ordinate and manage staff in the Incident Response Team Deputy Head/ Deputy Incident Monitor staff welfare and organise staff rotas if required Senior Staff Manager • • Maintain a log of key events and decisions, including expenses Member incurred • Contacts and Informs parents Senior Staff (firstly parents whose children may be involved) Member Parent Liaison • Provides key, constant point of contact School Governor/ Officer(s) • Arranges on-site co-ordination of parents (if required) Head Teacher • Maintains regular contact with parents where appropriate (Incident Manager) • Staff telephone lines • Help to collate information • Relay incoming and outgoing messages by telephone, email and fax School Office/ Admin • Provide admin support to the Incident Manager and Deputy Incident Teaching Manager Assistants • Maintain a master log of key events and decisions, including expenses incurred • Will act as ‘THE FACE’ of the school Senior Staff Member/ Communications • Acts as a point of contact for media enquiries School Governor/ Officer/ • Works with the Communications team to prepare media Head Teacher Media Handling statements/interviews • Assist with internal communications (Incident Manager) • Maintain Supervision Teachers • Ensure safety and security of pupils assisted by Teachers • Provide information and reassurance Teaching • Monitor pupils physical and psychological welfare Assistants • Ensure site security at all times Site Agent/ Facilities • Liaise with Property Contractors/Health & Safety Advisor Caretaker/ Manager Provide information about site facilities/layout as necessary • Site Manager • Assist with access/egress to the school • To represent the school at the Council’s Emergency Operations Centre (if activated) Senior Staff Liaison Officer • Communicate with school on a regular basis and receive Member/ updates/progress reports School Governor • Relay information to and from the Council 6.3/18 APPENDIX A
Staff nominated for an Incident Response Team role should be trained to an appropriate level.
Staff may also be issued with action cards that can be used as an aide memoir/checklist in the event that they are asked to undertake their nominated incident response role. Examples of Action Cards for the roles highlighted above can be found in Appendix E.
Contacts for all possible members of the School Incident Response Team should be recorded and regularly up-dated. An example of such a record can be found below.
Schools Critical Incident Team Members Contact Numbers
Name Role Home Mobile Work
6.3/19 APPENDIX A
APPENDIX A – PRE-INCIDENT PREPARATION
Identification of Possible Hazards
This section looks at highlighting the issues to any Critical Incident or Emergency that may occur within a school. Some of the following points should be considered in the response to an emergency by each individual school. The information within this section will give you some further considerations in developing your local contingency plans.
Consideration of potential hazards needs to be wide-ranging and the corresponding emergency management and response arrangements must be flexible. Listed below are the sort of major hazards, which could be considered. For each it is necessary to consider the scope of the threat, its effects and the counteracting measures. Of course, there may be many other types of emergencies, which the school would have to deal with (e.g. fire, bomb threat, loss of key staff).
Natural Events
The range of possibilities, perhaps precipitated by severe weather, is wide but needs to reflect that the school’s area of interest stretches to the community from which its pupils are drawn. The school itself may not be directly affected. Natural events could include:
• Flooding • Heavy snow • Severe winds • Heat wave
Accidents Involving Death or Injury
This could involve a road traffic accident during a school trip or even one associated with a school because of the involvement of several pupils or staff. Accidents involving death or injury:
• Transportation incident • Suicide • Death of pupil/sibling/parent/member of staff • Intruder to school premises
Serious Damage/Disruption to School Buildings
There are a number of possible threats, which may cause damage or disruption to school buildings.
• Utility failure • Fire • Bomb threat • Building collapse • Asbestos
Fire is one of the most common hazards to schools. It is for this reason that Emergency evacuation drills should be practiced at the beginning of each school term and again periodically throughout the year.
6.3/20 APPENDIX A
Emergency evacuation drills should be conducted in accordance with regulations and advice given by the Health and Safety Advisor.
Health Hazards
• Flu outbreak • Meningitis outbreak • Other contagious outbreaks
Industrial Incidents
• Affects upon school from a neighbouring business/facility • Accident with chemical used in science/technology departments • Major crime/vandalism
Vital Records/Business Continuity
Schools should establish policies for determining vital records, including:
• Personnel files • Student records • Coursework • Financial information • Insurance details • Facility plans/drawings
Schools should then consider methods of storing and preserving them, so in the event of an incident at the school, i.e. a fire or flood, these documents and records will be protected. For example:
• Backing up computer files • Duplicating records • Off site-storage • Storing this information in fire/water resistant cabinets • Storing information in different blocks at the school • In the event of such an incident arranging for a record salvage company to evacuate records to a facility for restoration
Warnings
Once these policies are in place schools should develop procedures for alerting staff and pupils of impending threats and hazards e.g. regular drills and tests should be carried out to ensure all at the school know what to do and when to do it.
6.3/21 APPENDIX A
Evacuation
In the event of an emergency situation each school should have procedures for:
• Evacuating the school building • Evacuating the school site • Sheltering in the school buildings, known as ‘lockdown’ • Relocating to a different location • Re-entering the school
Risk Assessment
Most incidents are of a nature that staff and students deal with them on a daily basis. There is however, a range of events, which, by their very nature, could strike at the heart of any educational establishment. These incidents may be those which the school cannot deal with by using their own internal resources, those incidents which need the assistance of outside organisations to support and assist in protecting pupils and returning the school to normality as soon as possible. Please refer to page 12 - Support from the Borough Council.
In order to assess the individual risks to your school please use the form at page 21 to produce an individual Risk Assessment. Some generic risks are listed, please add any additional risks you can identify, also consider what types of buildings and businesses are around your school, think of the wider environment your school is in as well as more localised risks.
NB: You may also refer to/use the Risk Assessment procedures as detailed in the Health and Safety manual or as below.
Scale of Risk
There is a need to quantify the scale of risk involved in each area of school activity. This will be based on consideration of both the likelihood of the risk event and the potential severity of the consequences.
Scale of Risk - Likelihood
The likelihood – or probability – that a threat may materialise to cause harm is one parameter in the assessment of risk. When a particular threat is identified, the obvious question to pose is “so how often do these things occur”? Statistics can only be the most approximate of guides to the frequency of occurrence of threats. Your school is NOT a statistic – it has its own unique properties in terms of location, security, ‘housekeeping’ measures, and so on – so something that may be statistically unlikely in one establishment may be a common occurrence in another.
Likelihood should therefore be assessed using reason and judgment taking all the prevailing circumstances into account. To make a reasoned assessment, ask “would a ‘Reasonably Prudent Person’ consider
You should be able to justify your assertion by pointing out the evidence to support it, but at the same time, take into account all the circumstances.
6.3/22 APPENDIX A
To illustrate this with a simple example: you might rate the probability of a school building being struck by lightning as “high” because, reasonably enough, you can explain that the school is a small cluster of buildings on an isolated site at or near the top of a hill – ideal conditions for a lightning strike.
However, compared to the probability of such a site being a target for theft or arson, being hit by lightning is actually quite UNlikely – especially if on inspection the perimeter fencing is found to be in poor condition.
Fitting those assessments into neatly labelled “high”, “medium” and “low” categories is necessarily subjective and it’s difficult to make it otherwise. Therefore, instead of seeing clear boundaries between the categories, they tend to merge into one another with the extremes being clear-ish but everything in between rather fuzzy!
As a starting point, you may find the following helpful:
Low - Most unlikely to occur – perhaps less frequently than once in 5 years High - Likely to occur – perhaps more than once every few months Medium - Somewhere in between!
This is all very imprecise, but in the real world that’s exactly how it is! The theory says that high probability risks should be addressed by preventive measures to make them less likely to occur. In a practical world, however, there are limits to the resources available to deal with risks, so a sensible assessment of both likelihood and severity is required to decide how best those resources may be deployed.
Scale of Risk - Severity
The other key parameter in risk assessment describes how bad the damage might be if the threat materialises. This parameter, severity, is a little easier to measure and articulate than that for likelihood.
Low
• Consequences are not severe, associated losses are small. • As individual occurrences, they would have a negligible effect on school activity • However, if ignored, then such risks could have a more significant cumulative effect. E.g. minor employee accidents, minor acts of vandalism.
Medium
• Risks which have a noticeable effect on school activity • Each one will cause a degree of disruption to school activity and impinge on the budget. • They are generally difficult to predict and are likely to happen infrequently. • More than one medium loss each year can have substantial consequences for the school E.g. a major fire, large-scale theft, systems failures, pollution incidents.
6.3/23 APPENDIX A
High
• Risks which can have a catastrophic effect on the school and its activities • This may result in significant financial loss, major service disruption, or have a significant impact on pupils/members of staff • Usually occur infrequently and are difficult to predict (an exception being regular flooding/severe winter weather in certain areas). E.g. total systems failure or major local emergency.
The table below is not an exhaustive list, each premises will have its own risk profile.
6.3/24 APPENDIX A
Risk Level/Severity Action Required to Risk Of…. High Med Low Mitigate Effect Accidents involving injury at school Accidents involving death at school Accidents involving injury away from school Accidents involving death away from school Fire (Accidental) Fire (Arson) Structural damage to buildings Contractor failure Flood (are you by a river) Severe weather Serious misbehaviour Loss of key staff Failure of essential services: water, gas, electricity, heating Health hazards from local businesses within 3km Health issues within school: contagious illnesses Flight paths over school Main roads next to school Intruder entering school Missing pupils Theft/vandalism Contaminated food/water
From the information you have identified above decide which risks and threats need to be considered further in your Critical Incident Planning arrangements.
6.3/25 APPENDIX A Current Preparedness Assessment
To ensure that your school is ready to respond to a critical incident it is a vital part of your school’s preparation that up to date information is always available on and off site and readily accessible. The tables below will give you some idea of the main issues to consider when formulating procedures and the types of information and records you will require for effective response.
Once you have identified which areas of risk are of concern, you must implement countermeasures, to minimise the impact and the likelihood of the threat occurring.
Contacts
In the event of an incident occurring at your school you may need to contact and inform many different people and organisations. The below table aims to identify the main groups of contacts you will need to consider.
Contacts Needs to Not Who is Information Required In Place be Done Relevant Responsible
Telephone numbers of all staff 24 hours
Contact numbers for all parents
Contact numbers for all school governors
Contact list of all people, groups, organisations who may visit or use the school who would need to be informed Contact list of people and groups used by the school, e.g. contractors, suppliers etc
Names and contacts of all key holders
Location of classroom, school keys, key holders, and access details
6.3/26 APPENDIX A Resources and Information
To ensure you can return to normality as soon as possible, or at least continue your normal functions as soon as possible you will need to have access to your key resources and information. Have you considered storing such information in fire resistant cabinets?
Resources and Information Needs to Not Who is Information Required In Place be Done Relevant Responsible Student information:
files, reports, exam results Medical information relating to pupils and staff both on site and on school outings/visits Backup disks of key accounts, records,
inventories, confidential information etc
School financial details
Copy of key policies etc
School Premises and Building Issues
If a critical incident were to occur that affects the school building itself, emergency services and other contractors may need to gain access to key parts of the school. By identifying key areas and locations of utility supplies and rooms where hazardous materials may be stored the incident can be handled quickly and safely.
School Premises and Building Issues Needs to Not Who is Information Required In Place be Done Relevant Responsible Premises and site plans Locations of gas, water, electric mains
(key services) Locations of chemical stores,
science/technology rooms Location of key salvage priorities, e.g. coursework storage, school administration Copy of asbestos log/water management (legionnaires) log and fire log Oil tanks/fuel stores Locations of fire doors, emergency exits
and emergency lighting
6.3/27 APPENDIX A
Current Procedures
By examining the current procedures and plans you have in place you will be able to identify what you are already prepared for and any additional arrangements that will need to be implemented.
Current Procedures Needs to Not Who is Information Required In Place be Done Relevant Responsible Fire Procedures:
Building evacuation plans Full site evacuation plans ‘Shelter’ procedures Procedures for educational visits Risk assessment for school site Security initiatives on site, i.e. fencing,
CCTV Procedures for school closure due to
severe weather, heating failure etc
6.3/28 APPENDIX A APPENDIX B – BOMB THREATS AND/OR SUSPECT PACKAGES
In most schools, the risk of receiving a bomb threat or suspect package is low.
However, with terrorist bombings and terrorist bomb threats being regular occurrences on the television news, educational establishments should have plans and procedures in place for dealing with such an incident. Such threats may be hoaxes, from truants, former pupils/students or ex- employee, who bear a grudge, or a stranger. However, if in doubt treat as a genuine threat.
It is important that the school’s bomb threat routine is co-ordinated and controlled by the Head Teacher. The Head Teacher/Senior Member of staff should take the decision whether to evacuate the school or not. In any event the Head Teacher should contact the police and ask for advice.
A bomb threat is more likely to be real if:
• A codeword is used that is known to the police • The police are aware of potential terrorist activity in the area • The threat is specific rather than general • The threat is credible
Even genuine threats are frequently inaccurate with regard to where and when a bomb might explode. Also, staff receiving a bomb threat may not always be those trained and prepared for it. Whilst it is not reasonable to expect them authoritatively to assess a threat's accuracy, truth or origin, listen to their impressions of the caller.
Be prepared for your staff to be temporarily in a state of shock at the threat, which will be the closest that many people ever come to acts of terrorism. Take account of this when establishing your procedures and base your preparation on enabling any member of staff to pass on a threat promptly, in as much detail as possible, to those tasked with deciding what action to take. Remember to distinguish between calls referring to your own building and those warning of a bomb elsewhere.
Any such hoax is a crime and, no matter how ridiculous or unconvincing, should be reported to the police.
The checklist and actions on the following pages are examples designed to help your staff to deal with a telephoned bomb threat effectively and to record the necessary information. This checklist could be printed off and fixed to a wall or by the telephone, out of public/pupil view for easy reference.
Action to be taken on receipt of a bomb threat:
• Switch on tape recorder (if connected) • Tell the caller which town/district you are answering from • Record (in writing) the exact wording of the threat
In the unlikely event of such an incident, the following procedures should be adopted:
6.3/29 APPENDIX A TELEPHONE BOMB THREAT - ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY PERSON RECEIVING THE CALL
• Do not cut off the caller • Obtain as much practical information as possible, carefully noting down what is said • Listen carefully for any helpful clues, such as background noises or accents • Immediately after the call is completed, use a separate phone to dial 999 and notify the Police y If you do not use the phone that the call was made to it may be possible to trace the call origin y However if another phone is not available no further delay should be caused • Then, immediately advise the Senior Manager of the situation • Both the person who received the call and the Senior Manager should remain available pending the arrival of the Police, who will then take control of the situation
DEALING WITH SUSPECT PACKAGES/ARTICLES
On discovery of a suspect package or article, the following procedures should be adopted:
• No one should move, touch, or otherwise tamper with it • Immediately contact the person responsible for building evacuation • Notify the Head Teacher of the situation (if he/she is not the person responsible for evacuating the building)
The person responsible for building evacuation should then carefully evaluate the situation and either:
• Take no further action if the suspect article can positively and safely be identified as posing no threat, or: • In the case of any serious doubt as to the potential threat, which exists, the Police should be contacted, and advice sought from them as to whether the building should be evacuated.
SEARCHING FOR SUSPECT PACKAGES/ARTICLES
Any search for a suspect package should look primarily at:
• Escape or evacuation routes • Other high risk areas: public access, areas occupied by people, control equipment, heater/boiler rooms
On finding a suspect package:
• Its location and description should be carefully noted. A diagram will be useful to the emergency services but you should not touch the article or packaging. The diagram should be prepared after leaving the evacuation area and whilst awaiting arrival of the emergency services • The area should then be evacuated in accordance with local procedures • In the case of a suspect package up to the size of a brief case, an area of 100 meters around the device should be cleared • In the case of a suspect package up to the size of a suit case, an area of 200 meters around the device should be cleared • In the case of a suspect vehicle an area of 400 meters should be cleared • The team should withdraw from the area • It is important that two-way radios and mobile phones are not used in the area adjacent to the package in this type of situation
In the event of building evacuation, the location of all chosen assembly points should take into account the risk of flying glass from any cause whatsoever. 6.3/30 APPENDIX A BOMB THREAT CHECKLIST
Name of person receiving threat: ……………………………..…Contact No: .………………………….
Exact wording of the threat: …………..…………………………………………………………….…
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Ask the following questions:
Where is the bomb right now? ......
When is it going to explode? ......
What does it look like? ......
What kind of bomb is it? ......
What will cause it to explode? ......
Did you place the bomb? ......
Why? ......
What is your name? ......
What is your address and telephone number? ......
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….….………...
Record time call end:……………………………… Length of call: ……….…….…….…………….…....
1471/Caller ID on Telephone? ......
Contact Police and/or Head Teacher.
Time and date of call: ..…..………….…………………………………….………………………………...
Signature: ..…………………………………………..……………………………………..……
Date: .…...…………………………………………………………………………………..
Print Name: ...………………………………………………….…………………………………..
PLEASE TURN OVER THE PAGE TO COMPLETE DETAILS ABOUT THE CALLER
6.3/31 APPENDIX A About the Caller
Male Female Adult Child Approx Age ………….
What sort of voice did the caller have?
Loud Soft High Pitched Deep Whispered Poorly Spoken Well Spoken Disguised Hoarse Lisp Slurred Nasal Stutter
What sort of accent did the caller have? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
How did the caller speak?
Fast Slow Average Clearly
What manner did the caller have?
Laughter Excited Calm Crying Angry Rational Irritated Irrational Muddled Normal
Did the caller sound familiar, like anyone you know? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Background sounds?
Street noises House noises Animal noises Railway Plane Motor Factory/Warehouse Office Music Crockery Static Voice Clear Other
If yes to any, give extra details ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
6.3/32 APPENDIX A
APPENDIX C - SECTION 9; EVACUATION AND SHELTER PLANNING Does your school have an emergency evacuation plan?
Is it the same as the emergency evacuation you use for fire drills?
The biggest dilemma facing anyone responsible for an evacuation is how to judge where the place of safety might be. If, for example, an evacuation route would take people past a suspect device, or past an area of damaged building, or through an area believed to be contaminated by hazardous materials, evacuation may be a risky course of action.
• Is it safer inside the building than it is outside? • Think of an armed intruder on site? • Hazardous substances in the air outside?
The purpose of evacuation is to move people from an area where they might be at risk to a place of lesser risk.
Evacuation may need to take place in response to:
• A fire • Building collapse • The discovery of a suspicious item • A bomb threat • An intruder to the site • Flooding
The decision to evacuate will normally be taken by the Head Teacher or other senior member of staff. Consideration should always be given to
• Access to emergency exits • Assembly points • What the incident is • Would it be safer to remain indoors and secure the school or to get everyone out?
Evacuation Plans
Evacuation Plans should be prepared, and, in the event of an incident, initiated by the Head Teacher or other senior member of staff. Depending on the nature of the incident and the circumstances of your building (its size, the number of exits and public access points) your Evacuation Plan may involve the following:
• Full evacuation of the school site • Full evacuation outside the building • Evacuation of part of the building • Full or partial evacuation to an internal safe area
6.3/33 APPENDIX A Evacuation Plan should contain details on the following:
• How the evacuation will be communicated to staff and pupils • Designated routes and exits • Designated members of staff to act as marshals during the evacuation • Once the evacuation is complete ensure all staff and pupils are accounted for • Pupils should be reassured and kept under supervision • Training procedures for staff with particular responsibilities, and drills for all staff and pupils • Details of assembly areas: i.e. playing fields, tennis courts, off site locations. In some cases it may be more appropriate to evacuate pupils to a ‘buddy school’ or nearby community building • Arrangements for key staff to attend a rendezvous with the police
Discuss your Evacuation Plan in advance with the police, other emergency services, the local authority, and neighbours. In response to an actual incident, ensure that you inform the police of what action you are taking.
Buddy Schools
Where appropriate, prior to an incident, arrangements could be made with a neighbouring school or community facility to take staff and pupils there during an evacuation of the school site, or if the school needs to be closed.
Such arrangements could be reciprocal, in that your ‘buddy school’ could use your school if they suffered a critical incident or needed to evacuate their premises.
Shelter Plans
Shelter plans should be prepared, and, in the event of an incident, initiated by the Head Teacher or other Senior Member of Staff. Such circumstances could include a chemical accident or threat from either an intruder on the school grounds or within the vicinity of the school. A recognisable signal is required to instigate shelter/lockdown procedures and must be clearly distinguishable from the fire alarm. Suitable signals include the use of a different ring pattern/tone for the school bell.
By ‘sheltering’ the pupils in the school instead of evacuating them another set of issues and concerns need to be considered:
6.3/34 APPENDIX A
Issue Considerations
How are you going to make sure that everyone in your building Activation – What method of knows that there is an emergency and that they shouldn’t go alarm can be used? outside?
Can you ‘lockdown’ your facility? Control of pupils/visitors/staff What do you do if someone turns up at the door and you’re in within the building? lockdown?
What stocks do you have on site? Are they locked up? Food and drink? What time are staff with keys or skills required on site? Any pupils/staff have special needs? Can you control the climate of your facility without using a system that draws air in from outside? Accommodation Do you have blankets or heaters? Could occupants sleep on site? When to notify? Would you be able to handle the high number of incoming calls? Notification to parents? What if area most at risk is where contact details and phones are kept?
How will you deal with the requirements that staff, pupils or Medication for pupils and staff visitors may have for drugs?
How long can ‘shelter’ within the school be sustained?
• Staff should ensure pupils are moved into classrooms or safe areas • Doors should be locked and windows and blinds closed • Pupils should be kept seated away from windows and doors. There may be circumstances when it is best to sit on the floor or under desks • No one should be allowed out of the classroom or safe area during the lockdown procedure • Pupils, should where possible be engaged in a quiet activity or game and should be kept calm • Non-Teaching staff should, where possible, assemble in a pre-designated room to form the Incident Response Team • If children are outside when the signal for lockdown is given, teachers and supervisors should consider taking them into the nearest hall or building that can be secured. If this is not possible, pupils may be asked to hide, disperse, or take cover if this will ensure their safety • The need to communicate with teachers in classrooms – if it is safe to do so ‘runners’ could be used for this task, or two-way radios • Devise a signal for giving the ‘all clear’
6.3/35 APPENDIX A APPENDIX D - INCIDENT CHECKLISTS
Any form of incident or emergency can be spilt into three main timeframes:
• Short-term • Medium-term • Long-term
All these time periods require varying types of response and consideration. Depending on the nature of the incident, the response and actions taken may return the school to normality within the short term. However, consideration must be given to the fact that the incident may last a long period of time. For this reason we include an immediate response checklist and short, medium and long term actions.
Immediate Response Checklist The immediate actions and considerations to be taken in the event of an Immediate Incident incident at a school in Luton Activity COMP WHO EVACUATION TIME 5 7 BY? Evacuation of Premises
Call Emergency Services
Roll call
Everyone safe and accounted for
Contact your property consultant Contact appropriate agencies as listed in “Departmental Key
Personnel and Responsibilities” pages 10 & 11 Liaise with emergency services incident officers at the scene
COMP WHO DETAILS OF CASUALTIES TIME 5 7 BY? Obtain information on names
Obtain information on injuries
Obtain information on current location of casualties
Obtain information on current location of relevant others
Obtain information as to whether next of kin have been informed
6.3/36 APPENDIX A
COMP WHO INJURY TIME 5 7 BY? Who is accompanying injured person(s) to hospital Provide accommodation which is restricted to next of kin, pupils and staff, as appropriate Provision of immediate transport, assistance, and counselling as appropriate Contact the Luton Borough Council Children & Learning Department if appropriate
COMP WHO INCIDENT IN SCHOOL TIME TIME 5 7 BY? Decide whether school will remain open
Decide whether to keep pupils in schools
Decide whether to send pupils home (all or some)
Arrange transport Ensure staff, parents and governors receive the facts and actions taken as soon as possible
COMP WHO INCIDENT OUT OF SCHOOL TIME TIME 5 7 BY? Decide how to contact parents
Consider announcements via the local radio stations
Consider announcements via local media Ensure staff, parents and governors receive the facts and actions taken as soon as possible
6.3/37 APPENDIX A Recovery Checklists
Actions for consideration by the school in the First 24 hours
Recovery Checklist: First 24 Hours The actions and considerations to be taken in the first 24 hours First 24 Hours or next day in the event of an incident at a school in Luton COMP WHO ACTION COMMENTS 5 7 BY? Activate standard emergency evacuation Ensure safety of pupils and staff procedures Ensure notification of the incident via emergency numbers: Activate School Incident Recovery Identify a suitable meeting area Team Delegate individual(s) to notify all staff Activate your procedure for Cascades, local media, informing parents Will be activated through contact with Establish media communication Luton Borough Council by use of normal contact or emergency number With Luton Borough Council by the Make Contact normal contact Emergency Number Contact school transport companies Information line numbers, can be Establish phone facilities supported by the Council Identify possible welfare support The Learning Directorate will arrange this needs for pupils and staff for you Review accommodation, catering needs for pupils arriving/remaining Needs? Areas to provide these needs? on site Agree with Luton Borough Council immediate resource needs Establish priorities for salvage and May include: animals, equipment, advise responding agencies and records, coursework, registers etc recovery team Make alternative arrangements for Neighbouring schools? examination groups Leisure facilities? Assess disruption to education process Identify items to be removed and an If safe, activate salvage procedures alternative storage area. Keep all staff up to date with incident progress Update governors, parent groups It might be helpful to use parent groups etc as an information focal point
6.3/38 APPENDIX A Actions for consideration by the school in 24 hours – 2 weeks
Recovery Checklist: 24 hours – 2 Weeks The actions and considerations to be taken in the event of an 24 Hours - 2 Weeks incident at a school in Luton COMP WHO ACTION COMMENTS 5 7 BY? Review previous actions
Identify most urgent issues Particularly key educational needs
Identify usable facilities on-site Review health & safety, fire prevention & safety on site Review welfare support for pupils and staff Establish alternate timetables
Establish additional teaching needs
Establish additional staff needs
Monitor examination arrangements Alternate accommodation? Reschedule? Update to school and local community Review services and deliveries to site Prepare inventory to furnish Desks, chairs, equipment alternative accommodation Where pupils and staff have opportunity Consider introduction of designated to talk through and express their emotions areas, groups, sessions and feelings regarding the incident Maintain updates to staff Maintain updates to governors and parents Advise other users of school about alternative arrangements
6.3/39 APPENDIX A Ongoing longer-term actions for consideration
On-Going Incident Checklist
Ongoing incident checklist The on-going actions and considerations to be taken in the event of an On-Going Issues incident at a school in Luton COMP WHO STAFF TIME 5 7 BY? Briefing sessions held regularly Plan for students returning to school, how will they be welcomed?
Ensure that they feel safe? Produce a written report of the incident and how it will affect the school, its staff and pupils Review education schedule and timetable implications
Review and issue new fire notices and procedures (if appropriate) Hold a fire a drill as soon as possible so pupils and staff know new exit routes, assembly points and procedures (if appropriate) Adapt school programmes and schedule if appropriate (e.g. school trips etc)
COMP WHO PREMISES TIME 5 7 BY? Obtain plans of the building and mark areas mainly affected
Walk through buildings to amend plans
Check for obstacles and hazards to pupils
Identify new routes, exits, entrances Check fire escape requirements and facilities (consult with Health and
Safety Advisor) Identify areas with restricted access
Review site security, health and safety, fire safety
COMP WHO PUPILS TIME 5 7 BY? Special assemblies, information provision and discussions
Issue new timetables (if necessary)
Issue up-dated site maps (if appropriate) Issue information up-date sheets to parents and children when appropriate
6.3/40 APPENDIX A Involve pupils in planning remembrances and memorials (if appropriate) COMP WHO PARENTS TIME 5 7 BY? Hold regular parents/teachers meetings
Send regular incident up-dates home with children
COMP WHO GENERAL TIME 5 7 BY? Provide/change answer phone message on school phone with special numbers for information and advice, and up-dates on attendance and arrangements Provide notices around the school regarding progress
COMP WHO FUTURE EVENTS TIME 5 7 BY? Consider whether these are still appropriate, or should be moved or reorganised
COMP WHO CONTRACTORS TIME 5 7 BY? Hold regular meetings
Establish Health and Safety, fire safety arrangements
Establish access for special vehicles (safety of pupils and staff in mind)
Install temporary facilities Agree working practices and times when noise must be kept to a minimum Provide contractors with information about critical timetable issues, e.g. examinations Establish a meeting programme with contractors, surveyors, LBC departments (any other appropriate others)
COMP WHO OUT OF HOURS USERS TIME 5 7 BY? Contact and keep informed, reorganise or cancel if needed
6.3/41 APPENDIX A
APPENDIX E
The following pages show an example of a set of School Incident Response Team Checklists.
Incident Response Team CHECKLIST The IRM is the Head teacher (or other senior staff member as Incident Response Manager (IRM) nominated) who leads the school response. They are responsible for decisions made and priorities to be handled. Initial Actions COMP REF TASK TIME 5 7 • Complete incident log and record times and activities of decisions, actions and calls • Determine whether the Incident Recovery Team needs to be IRM1 established • Determine who needs to be notified: if additional support and assistance is needed from Council or other agencies IRM2 • Arrange initial staff/team briefing • Take 10-15 minutes to establish an initial plan with other team IRM3 members, use the “Immediate Incident Checklist” as at page 32 IRM4 • Determine the current status of the incident • Confirm call out and ensure additional support are contacted where IRM5 required IRM6 • Consult with Communications staff to determine PR implications • Before agreeing any recovery actions, ensure that such actions are not being taken without due regard to long term effects IRM7 • The Incident Response Manager must endeavour to ensure that information on losses or evidence is not destroyed in the response activity
Ongoing Actions Split COMP REF TASK TIME 5 7 • Assess the requirements of the responding service teams and IRM8 Luton Borough Council • Continue to collate incident updates and all relevant information • Ensure that all decisions are communicated to relevant internal and IRM9 external parties IRM10 • Arrange further regular staff briefings as appropriate • Consult with Legal Representative on existing or potential legal actions IRM11 that may arise from the incident and the response • Assess whether any damage to the environment has occurred and IRM12 what remedial actions are required
6.3/42 APPENDIX A
Longer Term Actions COMP REF TASK TIME 5 7 • Consider the need for psychosocial support where trauma has or IRM13 may have occurred IRM14 • Give staff and pupils the opportunity to talk about their experiences IRM15 • Conduct a debrief meeting • Ensure there are procedures in place for referring staff and pupils to IRM16 relevant agencies for further support IRM17 • Maintain a record of continuing issues and actions • Advise any new staff of what has happened and potential effects so IRM18 that they can be aware
Incident Response Team CHECKLIST Deputy Incident Response The DIRM is a senior nominated member of staff responsible for Manager supporting the IRM in tasks and actions and for co-ordinating (DIRM) other staff members. Initial Actions COMP REF TASK TIME 5 7 • Complete incident log and record times, activities, decisions, actions and calls DIRM1 • Assist the Incident Response Manager in alerting colleagues, external agencies etc • Take 10-15 minutes to establish an initial plan with IRM, use the DIRM2 “Immediate Incident Checklist” at page 32 DIRM3 • Determine the current status of the incident
Ongoing Actions COMP REF TASK TIME 5 7 DIRM4 • Continue to collate incident updates and all relevant information • Ensure all staff are aware of each other’s incident response role and DIRM5 responsibilities DIRM6 • Assist the Incident Manager as required DIRM7 • Help to keep all staff regularly updated DIRM8 • Organise a staff roster and ensure that staff breaks are scheduled
6.3/43 APPENDIX A
Incident Response Team Checklist A senior member of staff or nominated other responsible for parent liaison, Parent Liaison Officers contact and informing. Initial Actions COMP REF TASK TIME 5 7 • Complete incident log and record times, activities, decisions, actions PLO1 and calls PLO2 • Attend staff/team briefing PLO3 • Take 10-15 minutes to establish an initial plan of action with IRM PLO4 • Determine the current status of the incident • Agree information to be disseminated to parents with Incident PLO5 Response Manager • Confirm contact details and be ready to act as first point of contact for PLO6 incoming enquiries • Where appropriate, obtain and offer further contact numbers for PLO7 support and additional information • Ensure that all incoming and outgoing calls are logged, include: y Name of caller y Time and date PLO8 y Message received/given y Response y Further action taken/required • Agree a meeting/greeting point on site for any parents and relatives PLO9 visiting the school PLO10 • Ensure that the names of all visitors are recorded • Make arrangements to ensure parents and visitors are not left alone PLO11 on site • Consider the need for additional support for visiting parents and PLO12 relatives, for example, tea and coffee • Parents of other children within the school should be informed of the PLO13 incident and that their child might be upset • Attend staff briefings and ensure that all information and briefings are PLO14 updated regularly
6.3/44 APPENDIX A
Incident Response Team Checklist Teaching assistants or school office staff assisting in collating information Administrators and recording main issues, actions and decisions taken. Supporting the Incident Response Team. Initial Actions COMP Ref Task Time 5 7 • Complete incident log and record times, activities, decisions, actions A1 and calls A2 • Attend initial staff/team briefing A3 • Take 10-15 minutes to establish an initial plan of action with IRM A4 • Determine the current status of the incident • Allocate telephone numbers for incoming calls, for: y Parents enquiries y Media enquiries A5 y External responding agencies y County Council/School Governors y Outgoing calls A6 • Ensure that all staff are aware of designated numbers A7 • Ensure that there is a stock of blank log sheets A8 • Collate relevant information e.g. parent/next of kin contact details • Log all incoming and outgoing calls and ensure that messages and notes are passed to the Incident Manager and relevant staff. Note: y Name of caller A9 y Time and date y Message received/given y Response y Further action taken/required A10 • Maintain a record of any costs incurred A11 • Assist in recording details of visitors to the site A12 • Assist the incident response team as requested
6.3/45 APPENDIX A
Incident Response Team Checklist Caretaker or site manager. Ensuring access and egress to school is Facilities Manager monitored. To provide information about the site as required and to liaise with property contractors. Initial Actions COMP Ref Task Time 5 7 • Complete incident log and record times, activities, decisions, actions FM1 and calls FM2 • Attend initial staff/team briefing FM3 • Take 10-15 minutes to establish an initial plan of action with IRM FM4 • Determine the current status of the incident • Check access and egress to the school for visiting support agencies, FM5 parents etc • Liaise with Incident Manager and Communications Officer (if present) FM6 to ensure the media re not being intrusive FM7 • Help arrange a specific area for media briefings • If required, collate plans of school premises and relevant information FM8 regarding utilities etc
Incident Response Team Checklist Senior member of staff or nominated other. Act as point of contact for Communications Officer media enquiries and to liaise with Communications Department. Initial Actions COMP Ref Task Time 5 7 • Complete incident log and record times, activities, decisions, actions CO1 and calls CO2 • Attend initial staff/team briefing CO3 • Take 10-15 minutes to establish an initial plan of action with IRM CO4 • Determine the current status of the incident • Liaise with Incident Manager to agree media strategy. Offer media CO5 support of the Communications Department to parents • Ensure all relevant parties have your contact details and that you are CO6 the first point of contact for all media enquiries • Prepare briefing notes and media statements in conjunction with the CO7 Communication Department and Incident Response Manager
6.3/46 APPENDIX A APPENDIX F - AFTER THE EVENT
Coping with Critical Incidents: Practical steps to take
Following a traumatic incident there will be action that needs to be taken immediately. Over time, further action and support will be needed to reduce longer term effects on the emotional well being and achievements of both pupils and staff.
Feeling shocked and numbed or feeling a strong urge to talk are normal reactions of those thrown into a major crisis. Try to ensure that adults and pupils are able to make contact with those they and you trust. Younger pupils particularly are best supported by people they know well i.e. their families and school staff. Outside agencies can provide support and advice to those directly involved with the pupils.
Short Term Action
Some of the immediate actions after an event will involve how to communicate the news of the incident to others. Steps you may wish to take, include:
• Organising the reunion of pupils and parents, if the incident has happened outside school • Considering which pupils need to be briefed, how and by whom • Contacting those on the list of outside support agencies, in particular the Educational Psychology Service or Chums Bereavement Service • Arranging a briefing meeting for all staff • Arranging a debriefing session for directly affected staff • Arranging a debriefing session for pupils, if appropriate • Checking that procedures for monitoring staff and pupils are in place • Activating strategies for allowing young people to express their feelings about the situation if they wish • Contacting families of those hurt or bereaved to express sympathy
Decisions to be made will include:
• Who will give the news and what should be said? • Provision of briefing notes to form tutors responsible for informing pupils: ensures the same message gets to everyone • Provision of counselling where appropriate, How? In what form? Who by? • Schools need to ensure that parents are informed of what assistance and support is available to them and their child
6.3/47 APPENDIX A Medium term action
Schools will want to maintain as normal a routine as possible. However, some changes may be inevitable.
Steps you might wish to take include:
• Ensuring a member of staff contacts pupils at home or in hospital • Making sensitive arrangements for a return to school • Arranging alternative teaching if necessary • Arranging support for affected staff • Arranging consultation so staff feel more able to support pupils • Clarifying procedures for referring pupils for individual help • Liaising with parents • Deciding about attendance at funerals, taking the wishes, cultural back ground and religious beliefs of parents into account • Planning memorials and/or a special assembly • Checking monitoring procedures are in place and being followed • Advice to parents • Return of affected siblings or relatives to school
Long term action
The effects of a traumatic incident can reverberate for years within the school and the local community and it is important to recognise this.
Steps you might wish to take include: • Introducing strategies to continue monitoring vulnerable pupils and staff • Consulting and deciding whether and how to mark anniversaries • Ensuring new staff are aware of the pupils affected and in what way • Ensuring that new staff know how to obtain further help if necessary • Recognising that legal processes, enquiries and news stories may bring back distressing memories and cause temporary upset in school • Meetings for pupils and parents seriously affected by the incident, to enable them to talk things through and to help one another should be considered and offered. Advice and assistance can and should be requested from the Educational Psychologists and CHUMS. In case of death/bereavement/loss
• Provide something tangible at the school for all: book of condolence, flowers, collection, display of art work for remembrance • Consider holding a staff meeting with support agencies to discuss appropriate strategies for incident response and those affected • Plan how to manage distress that may be caused by ongoing police/legal proceedings and media attention • Pupils may need help in discussing their thoughts and feelings: how will this be done? Through the form tutor? Outside organisation? • Should the school close for the day to allow people to attend the funeral? • Should the school arrange transport for pupils to attend the funeral? • Should pupils be encouraged or discouraged from attending the funeral? • Should there be a memorial service at the school? If so when?
Source: “Wise before the Event” W. Yule and A. Gold
6.3/48 APPENDIX A Those most likely to be affected by the incident
In addition to those directly affected or involved in the incident, children and adults who are most likely to suffer distress as a result of the incident include those who:
• Are uninjured, but were at greatest risk • Directly witnessed death/injury/violence of the incident • Are siblings of those directly involved • Those who blame themselves • Those who are being blamed by others • Are experiencing instability at home • Have learning difficulties • Have pre-existing behavioural difficulties • Have previously suffered bereavement or loss • Have witnessed a similar incident or event before
Informing Pupils
For all incidents it will need to be decided which pupils are to be briefed about the incident and by whom. Consideration will need to be given to:
• The nature of the incident • Which age groups are involved/affected? • Is a particular group of pupils likely to be more affected than another?
Where possible the first briefing should be given on the day when the incident occurred.
Pupils should be told truthfully about what has happened in a manner appropriate to their age and stage. This can be done individually, in small groups or in class groups, depending on the needs of the children. In some cases it may be appropriate to bring the school together as a whole.
Some suggestions for informing pupils are listed below. These suggestions are not exhaustive. Support agencies will be able to assist and support your school in informing and working with pupils following an incident.
• Begin by preparing the pupils for some difficult/sad news • Give simple, factual information using language and concepts appropriate to the age of the children, taking into account their backgrounds and culture • Tell facts only: do not speculate on causes or consequences • If questions cannot be answered this should be acknowledged • Address and deal with all rumours • Try to give expression to the emotions that individuals may be experiencing, like shock/ disbelief/anger/guilt. • Explain that strong and difficult feelings are a normal part of coming to terms with this sort of experience. • Say that it is ok to cry and let the children see you cry • Remember the deceased or injured by name, and perhaps by highlighting memorable and positive things about them • Explain what the school has in hand for coming to terms with what has happened
6.3/49 APPENDIX A For example, the below statement covers the above issues:
‘I have got some very sad news to tell you today that might upset you. There has been a serious illness called meningitis. Sometimes people with meningitis get better but sometimes people do not recover from it. Some of you will have known that xxxxxxxx in year 5 was suddenly taken ill last week. I have to tell you that XXXXX died in hospital yesterday.
Like me, many of you will find it hard to believe that this happened. It is obviously a very big shock for us all. XXXXX was such a happy girl who got on well with everybody. We will all miss her.
It is important for you to know that strong and perhaps difficult feelings are part of the normal process of coping with this sort of situation. It will help you to talk about what has happened and about your thoughts and feelings. Please do take the opportunity to talk to your family, friends, teachers, and adults in school. This is likely to be a difficult time for us as a school community and we should all try to support each other. Please come and talk with me if you have any questions or if you just want to talk.’
Briefing Staff
• A factual account of the incident (what, where, how, when, why) • What is happening/being done now • What will be done in the future days • Details of help and assistance that is available to all • Information about the press and advice, i.e. if approached by them go to a member of staff and tell them
Staff briefings should be undertaken on a daily basis at the beginning and end of each day. Staff should be updated of the situation, for example what exactly the situation is compared with press accounts and what messages and information needs to be communicated to the students and in what fashion.
However, some staff may not feel able to talk to children and pupils about the event. All staff must be given the choice of whether they feel able.
Decisions should be made on whether:
• The incident is to be discussed in school in a controlled way • How will this take place? • Will there be a main, group, briefing session in the first instance? • Will form tutors lead the form groups in discussion? • Should a senior member of staff produce lesson notes/briefing sheet?
If such lessons and discussions are appropriate, very clear aims and objectives should be identified. Advice for such sessions should and can be sought from the Council’s Educational Psychologists and other outside agencies.
6.3/50 APPENDIX A Some Suggestions Include
• Organising a special assembly/service to collectively acknowledge the incident, what has happened and how the school is coming to terms with it. Remember to consult with the families of the those affected • Give pupils permission individually and collectively to discuss what has happened and their reactions: do not discourage children from talking • Consider putting on special classes/sessions to give pupils information about the grieving process and to enable them to talk through their experiences • Plan appropriate support for staff to enable them to cope with children’s questions and discussion
Informing Parents and Governors
A senior member of staff/member of the Incident Response Team/Chair of Governors should ensure that parents and governors are kept up to date and regularly informed of the incident and what is happening. This could be done through:
• Letters home to parents at the end of every school day • Telephone • Meetings
Information on sources of help and support should be given to all parents and appropriate contact details of the school, and who to contact, should also be enclosed.
Home visits
Consideration should be given to staff visiting the homes of those pupils who have been seriously involved or affected by the incident. This should be either, the Head Teacher, Deputy Head or Head of Year/Form Tutor of the pupil, who is known by the affected family. Before any such visit is undertaken, staff involved should be appropriately briefed by the school and Educational Psychology department.
Such a visit could involve:
• Going over the details of the incident, what exactly happened and who was there • Discussion of support mechanisms available • What the school etc is doing about the incident • Make arrangements for someone from the school to visit the injured in hospital • Memorials and remembrance issues
6.3/51 APPENDIX A Funerals, Memorials and Remembrance
• Make arrangements to express support/sympathy to families, children and adults who have been hurt or bereaved • Consider sending cards and messages from children and staff to those affected • Consideration should be given to closing the school on the day of the funeral as a mark of respect • Consideration should be given to a senior member of staff attending the funeral to represent the school • Consideration should be given as to whether staff and pupils are allowed time off to attend the funeral
• Consider providing transport to take other pupils and staff to the funeral
• Floral tributes and donations at the school
• Consider an appropriate memorial, taking into account the wishes of the family and the age of the child/children affected, for example:
y A special garden area at the school y A tree y A seating area/bench y A painting y A sculpture y A photograph y A memorial ‘prize’ e.g. for younger children: have a memorial they can relate to, that they can see and touch, i.e. a fountain, for older children: a sporting or academic achievement trophy
• Future important dates should be noted and prepared for, e.g.:
y Birthdays y Christmas y Mothers day/fathers day y Anniversary of the event
• Discuss how to mark anniversaries and other important dates, for example:
y Commemorative service/assembly y A concert y A display y A sports event
• Ensure that all new staff to the school are informed about the incident, and the emotional needs of the children and staff affected and important dates to remember regarding the event
6.3/52 APPENDIX A Coping with Critical Incidents: Helping a Bereaved Person
The Grieving Process
Grief is a normal reaction to the death of a loved one. The grieving process may be short lived or last a long time. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to grieve, people do so in their own way. However in many cases grief moves through several stages. This not necessarily a linear process and difficulties can occur at any stage.
• Shock and Disbelief The first reaction to a death can be shock and disbelief. At this stage people may feel very little and go through the day automatically. They may also experience anxiety and panic.
• Denial This stage usually occurs in the first two weeks after a death. The bereaved person may behave as if nothing has happened and as if the dead person were still around.
• Growing Awareness During this stage the bereaved person gradually begins to realise what it means when someone they cared for has died. This growing awareness may trigger a number of emotions.
• Yearning The urge to search, to find a reason for the death, going over the circumstances of the death
• Anger With the person who has died for leaving, with someone who is blamed for the death and with themselves
• Depression Beginning to feel the despair, emptiness, and pain of the loss
• Guilt The bereaved person feels that they have been unkind or negligent to the person who has died, this may be real or imagined, the dead person may be idealised
• Anxiety Anxiety and even panic as the full realisation of the loss begins to come through
• Acceptance Eventually the bereaved person will adjust to a different way of living and remember the person who has died without it affecting them in the same way
6.3/53 APPENDIX A Children may cope with painful emotions in a variety of ways. They may:
• Be reluctant to return to school • Feel anxious about being separated from a parent or carer • Start to bully other children • Be aggressive towards other children • Be challenging to adults • Develop a fear of the dark • Have difficulty sleeping • Have nightmares • Fear that they themselves or those close to them will die • Be prone to infections • Develop a habit such as biting their nails • Complain of the same symptoms as those shown by the dead person • Idealise the dead person; develop their mannerisms • Regress to an earlier stage of development • Eat too much or too little • Find concentrating in class difficult
Planning for a Bereaved Child’s Return to School
Before telling others in the school what has happened, talk to the pupil’s family to find out what they feel is acceptable. However, while it is important to respect the family’s wishes, this may need to be negotiated, as information will usually come from another source anyway.
You can then tell the bereaved child’s classmates and if appropriate, the rest of the school. This may better be done in class groups rather than assembly. Get the information right before you tell the school.
Be honest and explain how the pupil may react, for example crying unexpectedly. Reassure close friend that they can help just by listening and being with their bereaved friend. Encourage them not to worry if their friend wants to be alone.
Make sure that all the adults working with the child are aware of the situation.
If the circumstances surrounding the death are difficult, for example it was violent; think through beforehand what you will say if you are asked direct questions.
Plan to provide the pupil with somewhere to go if they do wish to be alone at any time and also consider an appropriate adult to talk to the child if needs be.
Be aware of multi-cultural and multi-faith issues.
Supporting a Bereaved Child
Your instinctive reactions about what to say or do are almost certainly appropriate. Do not worry; it is very difficult to do any harm to children when trying to help them with their grief.
When the pupil comes back to school, acknowledge the loss but otherwise try to keep things as normal as possible. The structure and familiarity of school may be a respite and reassuring for the pupil.
6.3/54 APPENDIX A
Otherwise:
• Act as naturally as possible
• Ask the child what they want
• When answering questions be as clear as possible, phrases such as ‘passed on’ can be misleading as the child may think that the person will return
• If your school uses “Circle Time” take this opportunity to talk about grief and allow children to share their experiences
• Let children know it is normal and acceptable to cry and do not worry if you do so too
• Talk to the pupil about where they might go or to whom they might talk to if they feel very upset
• The bereaved pupil’s behaviour may change and some latitude may be allowed but make it clear that unacceptable behaviour, such as aggression towards others is still unacceptable
• Consider ways of remembering the person who has died, for example making a memory book
• Remember that a pupil’s grief may resurface on birthdays or anniversaries
• Be aware when difficulties may arise in the class, for example making mothers’ day cards when someone’s mother has died
If you feel that the pupil is not coping or experiencing more difficulty than you might expect dealing with their grief, talk to their family about additional help.
And finally:
• Remember teachers dealing with bereaved children may need support themselves. Share feelings with others
• Be aware that the bereavement of another may reawaken feelings in the supporter if they have previously been bereaved
• Talking and silence are equally acceptable
• The grieving process can take considerable time
6.3/55 APPENDIX A
APPENDIX G - LUTON EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE
Critical Incident Response Service
Critical incident response contributes to the psycho-social support provided by the Local Authority for schools after an unexpected critical incident.
In the aftermath of an incident that has a direct impact on the community of a school the service adheres to two key principles:
• That any support is negotiated with the establishment in a way that will empower staff, parents, children and young people to deal effectively with the stress of the event and to facilitate their natural coping strategies and • To ensure that support is provided in a manner that is appropriate to the severity of the incident and that it is available to all of those affected
The Local Authority has a responsibility to ensure that any children and young people and/or adults involved are able to take up the kind of support that from experience and research has proved the most effective in minimising the impact of traumatic events and preventing the possibility of future post traumatic stress.
In many situations a group debriefing or defusing is appropriate. Typically defusing occurs within about 8 hours of an event and debriefing within 72 hours.
The psychology service is experienced in using a Crisis Intervention model based on the Mitchell method. The intervention takes from 1–2.5 hours and involves a phased discussion, which includes understanding the event; thoughts about the event; understanding of the normal reactions and process of recovery and stress management.
When contacted by a school or local authority organisation, the psychology service will discuss the level and nature of appropriate support that will meet the needs of those involved in the incident. Where a number of children and young people or adults are affected it will normally be expected that some form of group intervention will be most beneficial.
The psychology service will discuss with the school the best way in which to set this up. Depending on the extent and nature of the event this may involve members of the educational psychology service working together with colleagues from the Authority.
6.3/56 APPENDIX A APPENDIX H - THE MEDIA - INITIAL CHECKLIST
The media can be very useful in communicating messages and key critical information to the public, for example, if a child has gone missing. It is therefore essential that you keep them on side and update them on a regular basis.
Below is a summary of the key points to help schools handle enquiries that may arise soon after the incident has occurred when the media may contact you before your support systems are in place.
Please ensure that all members of staff are aware of this checklist and with procedures for handling the media.
Whatever the incident, and particularly if it involves injury or death on a school trip, the likelihood is that information will be sketchy at best and possibly inaccurate.
In the immediate period following an incident, and prior to the arrival of a member of the LBC Communications Department:
• Be clear about which staff/governors are allowed/designated to talk to the press and who are not • If you can buy time, e.g. the head is not available, but will call back • Do not say ‘no comment’, if you need extra time and they want more information give them copies of school newsletters, leaflets: it is likely to be up-to-date and positive • Do not talk to a journalist by yourself, have a colleague there with you to take notes of what is said • Do not provide anything other than the facts • Do not give any names of those involved or suspected to be involved • Be sensitive about personal information • Do not apportion blame or admit liability to anyone, even in conversation • Give a prepared statement rather than an interview until support arrives • Establish who you are talking to and their organisation: keep records • Liaise with LBC Communications Department: They can assist and control media handling while school handles the incident • Do not indicate the possible cause: do not blame staff, the Council or third parties e.g. the driver of the other vehicle • Prepare key messages and stick to them: regardless of what you are asked • Refer to people FIRST: ‘All pupils have been evacuated to a safe area’ • Refer to property damage etc SECOND: the coach was travelling south before leaving the road and ending up in the farmer’s field • Stick to the facts: do not speculate about the cause of the incident, e.g. ‘The cause will be established once a full investigation has been completed’ • Immediately correct any misleading comments: For example: 'A witness has said that the coach driver fell asleep at the wheel’
6.3/57 APPENDIX A ‘Our concern at this stage is for the safety of the pupils and the other people involved. We know that the coach suffered damage and that other vehicles were involved. I do not have any information about what may have caused the accident and I would not wish to speculate’ • Praise the actions of the Emergency Services and others who are assisting and supporting you: e.g. the pupil who raised the alarm • Do not speak ‘off the record’: The media may be able to verify what you said and report it • Ask the interviewer what will be the first question: time to prepare your response • Stick to the key points: do not waffle or speculate • Stay Calm: keep eye contact
6.3/58 APPENDIX A APPENDIX I – TRAINING SCENARIOS
Case Studies
Learning from others
The information and tasks within this section are taken from ‘David G. Kibble: 1998: Safety and Disaster Management in Schools and Colleges, A Training Manual’
In this section you will find accounts and details of incidents that have occurred within the past few years in schools. Some of the details have been changed but the event remains true.
Following an overview of the incident, information is included on the response of the school:
• The immediate action taken at the time of the incident • Actions that followed after the initial emergency had been dealt with • Advice that the school would wish to pass on to other schools
Action: Ask yourselves • Where would you be able to obtain similar resources, both material and personnel, to those used by each school? • Note down and act upon any action points or learning outcomes for your establishment • Would you have done anything differently? Why?
Prevention and Preparation
Discuss in a group:
• What critical incidents may happen in your school? Think of scenarios that include pupils and teachers on or off site. • Does your school or college have anything in the way of plans for such incidents? What do such plans include? • Has your school developed procedures to try to prevent such disasters from occurring in the first place? What procedures are in place? How effective are these procedures?
The issues below are examples and exercises designed to stimulate discussions and test any existing plans and procedures you may have.
6.3/59 APPENDIX A Task
Take a look at these and discuss which measures your own establishment has adopted and which could be developed.
Preventative and precautionary measures
Some incidents can be prevented and others minimised by taking some simple precautionary measures. These can include:
• Ensuring staff are familiar with the school’s fire and emergency routine
• Ensuring they are familiar with the school’s security regulations and ensuring that persons not wearing a visitor’s badge are challenged and escorted to reception. Reception should only give badges to visitors once contact has been made with the appropriate member of staff
• Following the correct procedure with regards to school trips
• Ensuring that pupils sign in/out when they arrive late/need to leave school in the middle of a session
• Ensuring that staff are aware of children in their class or group with health problems and the ways in which these should be treated
• Ensuring that back-ups of important information are taken and are stored in a separate building. Back-ups on the main school computer network are taken every 24 hours: these are to be stored in the IT officer’s safe. Back-ups of the office computers are to be taken daily and stored similarly in a separate building. (These back-ups contain all worksheets etc. generated in the office). Departments and individuals are advised to hold back- ups/duplicates of important documents in a separate building. They should also hold lists of stock and equipment similarly in a separate building
• Ensuring staff never go off the campus alone to deal with a potentially violent situation
6.3/60 APPENDIX A
Flooding
Tuesday was to have been a training day following the Christmas holidays. The caretaker had been in school on the Monday and had checked the premises before locking up. On the Tuesday morning at 6 o’clock the caretaker found the school’s north wing flooded. The wing housed the modern languages department, four science laboratories and the music, food and textile technology departments. The flood had been caused by a fault in the central heating system and a thaw following freezing weather over the Christmas holidays.
Immediate Actions
• Caretaker to switch off electricity in north wing • Switch off school boiler and central heating system • Locate source of problem and attempt to rectify • Inform Head Teacher and School Administrator by phone • School Administrator informs Council’s Property Services Department
• Allow all staff in departments not affected to go home. Ask them to return tomorrow
• Brief colleagues in affected departments of the dangers and ask them not to switch on
electrical appliances or lighting
Follow up Actions
• Return central heating to non-affected areas as soon as possible
• Inform cleaning company of situation and ask for extra hours to clean up damaged areas.
Submit forms to LEA to bid for extra cleaning costs
• Arrange to hire water pumping equipment and industrial hot-air dryers
Take decision that year’s 7-9 will be asked to remain at home until position clear. Inform • local radio station and papers
• Arrange re-rooming of classes affected in years 10-13 for the following day • Prepare letter for parents • Inform school bus companies • Ask Heads of Departments to compile accurate inventory of damaged stock for insurance claim • Arrange for heating, ceiling and joinery contractors to effect repairs as soon as possible • Re-room classes on a daily basis • Arrange for return of year 9 on Thursday • Arrange for all electrical appliances and systems to be checked by electrical contractor before pupils allowed to return
Advice from the School
• Don’t forget electrical checks before pupils return to school • Ensure staff have duplicate worksheets and back-up disks at a separate location • Ensure accuracy of insurance claims • Keep parents and colleagues informed of progress
6.3/61 APPENDIX A
The Motorbike Accident
One Wednesday lunchtime two upper sixth students drove out of school on a motorbike to have lunch with a friend who had just returned from university. During afternoon lessons friends of the two students became concerned that they had not returned to school. When the first period ended two groups of students set out to re-trace their friends’ journey by different routes. Both arrived at an accident where the Police and Fire Service were involved. The motorbike had swerved and had hit an oncoming lorry while trying to avoid a car which had taken a corner on the wrong side of the road. The two students on the motorbike had been killed. The friends were brought back to school by the Police. The Head Teacher was off the premises at a meeting some 150 miles away and could not get back to school before 6pm. By then the school gates were crowded with local and national journalists and television crews.
Immediate Actions
• Contact the Head by mobile phone • Contact the Director of Education, request contact with the LBC’s Media Officer and counselling services • Inform the Chair of Governors • Make contact with the Police • Get together an emergency team of senior staff and other key personnel whose task is to plan for the next 24 hours • Advise the staff that there will be an emergency staff meeting at the end of the day and the following morning • Discuss with the Police arrangements for the visiting parents. Ask for a Police presence on the school gates • Check family details of those involved
• Make arrangements to gather together those most affected by the tragedy in an assembly
the following morning. Agree who will speak
• Prepare a printed statement for every form tutor to read out the next morning and a letter for
each pupil to take home
• Ensure that counselling support is available • Prepare and make the first media statement and offer regular press conferences in the following 24 hours
Follow up Actions
• Review the school calendar for the next few weeks and cancel events which seem inappropriate • Take the flowers which begin to arrive outside the school to the sixth form library • Establish a condolence book so visitors can leave a message when they bring flowers • Contact exam boards • Make arrangements for the handling of donations which will pour in • Talk through funeral arrangements with the parents and decide which staff and students should attend
6.3/62 APPENDIX A The Motorbike Accident
Continued
Advice from the school
• Regard the maintenance of normal patterns as helpful • Accept that tragic events will have an immediate media coverage and plan to work with the press rather than against them • Keep a log of events • Work to media deadlines. Offer them refreshments and press releases which may appear verbatim in the papers. Agree pooling arrangements so that, for example, only one cameraman comes into assembly • Be aware that the events will hit some students some while afterwards. Alert parents to this
Intruder with a firearm
The natural reaction of a teacher or staff member seeing an intruder with a firearm on the school premises would probably be to press the fire alarm. However, with a little thought and planning this staff member may realise that as a result, around 1000 targets would immediately present themselves to the intruder. It may be an idea for educational establishments to devise a signal system to indicate situations/emergencies where pupils should remain in their classrooms and which would alert staff to a life-threatening situation.
This sort of arrangement could be looked at ‘Evacuation vs. Shelter’ developing a ‘lockdown’ procedure for the school.
Task: Discuss
• How might a member of staff react to an intruder on the premises threatening a pupil or student with a knife?
• If the intruder had a gun: how might staff react then?
• Many staff may react by pressing the fire alarm: what would be the disadvantages of this course of action?
• What other systems or bells for raising the alarm could you use?
• What routine might a school establish or use to keep pupils in classrooms in the event of a dangerous intruder on the school site?
• After a critical incident such as this, a school is likely to have a large number of parents arriving:
y How might the school best deal with such a situation? y Should pupils be allowed home with or without their parents? y How might this be effectively organised?
6.3/63 APPENDIX A Fire Safety & Procedures
• What are the arrangements in the event of a fire in your own establishment? • What different types of fire extinguisher are there in your schools or college and what should each be used for?
• What procedures and rules might a school adopt to reduce the risk of fire? • Is it clear? Does it state who is in control of the situation? Does it cover all your staff
Fire Safety
• Combustible materials should be kept in a designated area and should not be allowed to accumulate under stairwells or stages.
• Corridors, stairways, entrances and exits should be kept clear
• Displays in corridors and classrooms should be well away from sources of direct heat.
• Rubbish should not be allowed to accumulate: use waste bins
• Stationary cupboard and rooms housing other combustible materials should be kept locked with NO SMOKING signs placed on the doors
• Boiler rooms should be kept clean and locked
• Electrical equipment must be properly used and regularly checked and serviced
• Some costumes used in drama productions are highly inflammable. They should never be placed next to any heat source
y Does your school keep up-to-date fire drill records? y Can your Science & Technology Staff operate fire extinguishers? y Do you have a written record/plan of where fire extinguishers/hose reels/fire blankets are kept on site?
6.3/64 APPENDIX A Health Issues
Lunchtime, Friday 14 December, term ends on the 20th December and your school’s Christmas performance is due to take place in the December. In recent days you have had high levels of absence as a result of a virulent gastric flu outbreak.
12.20 pm. Kirsty, aged 7, is reported by friends to be feeling ill. She is almost asleep on a beanbag in the class area. She is not speaking clearly and has a high temperature and is trembling and distressed. The school has phoned her mother, but no reply. She is known to work in the local pub and house cleaning around the area. The grandmother is also unobtainable and the school has no contacts for the father who is known not to live in the area.
Kirsty vomits twice. She is still only half awake, she cannot stand properly or hold her head up comfortably. Her form tutor is disturbed by her symptoms. Kirsty is now wrapped in a blanket on a couch.
1.10 pm. On direction from the GP, Kirsty is taken to hospital (2 miles away) by a teacher. Still no contact had been made with the family.
2.20 pm. The teacher phones the Head Teacher from the hospital to warn that Kirsty is seriously ill with suspected meningitis.
Kirsty is due to be picked up at the school at 3.30pm by her mum or grandmother, still no phone contact can be made
3.00 pm. Three Counties carries news items of a further meningitis incident affecting, a 7 year old girl in Luton.
3.20 pm. A Three Counties Radio reporter rings the school seeking confirmation that a pupil from the school has been taken ill with suspected meningitis.
3.30 pm. School ends
3.30 am. Saturday, Kirsty dies in hospital from bacterial meningitis
The Head Teacher and two staff meet at 9.30 am Saturday morning (any other agencies?) A call is received at 10.15 am. that Kirsty’s class teaching assistant has been taken to hospital with suspected meningitis.
4.00 pm. Sunday, the Head Teacher and teaching staff meet. Hospital reports state that the teaching assistant is stable but still very serious. No further cases have been suspected or confirmed but there is much anxiety with the local community.
What are the issues and actions for Monday and the rest of the forthcoming week?
6.3/65 APPENDIX A A Critical Incident Occurring out of School.
A Primary School in Otley, just outside Leeds, suffered the deaths of two classmates. The two girls had been having a birthday party barbeque with their parents by the local river and had ventured off on their own only to get into difficulties in the water. The bodies of the two friends were found by police divers the following morning.
One of the school’s responses was to make counselling facilities available to pupils the next day.
Task: Discuss
• What other responses/services would you look to provide and deliver?
• What would you do/say the next day at school?
• What issues of remembrance or memorial would you consider?
• Would you let staff and pupils attend the funerals?
• What other issues would you need to consider in this event?
Scenarios and issues for further discussion
• A member of staff has been seriously injured in a car crash over a weekend. It is unlikely that the colleague will be able to return to teaching due to the very serious nature of the injuries sustained in the accident. Decide how the school might respond
• The mother of a pupil in your school dies after a long illness. What advice would you give to the pupils form tutor?
6.3/66 APPENDIX A
After an incident
A group of sixth formers have been on an adventure week in Wales. Two boys have been killed as a result of an accident whilst potholing. It is a genuine accident and neither the boys nor the potholing instructors are to blame. The deaths were caused by falling rubble in a cave. Parents have been informed.
You are arriving at the school at 9pm following the accident, which took place in the late afternoon. A number of decisions need to be made.
• Who would you inform of the accident the next day and how would you go about it?
• What information would you wish to give to pupils and students? How would you do this? Should all pupils and students be expected to continue with normal lessons tomorrow? If not, what should happen?
• What sources of help might there be?
• Should members of the incident response team/senior staff at the school telephone the parents involved or should they visit them now?
Following this incident a few issues have been raised at a team meeting a few days later:
• Should all the parents of the students on the adventure week be brought together? If so how should this be done?
• A group of class mates who were close friends of the two boys killed are having problems coping at school. Can anything be done? If so what?
• Should a letter go out to all parents giving them further information and quelling rumour? Could the letter set out arrangements for the funerals, which have now been arranged for next Monday?
6.3/67 APPENDIX A Pupils with Health & Medical Needs
• Make a list of the pupils you know of who have special medical needs/disabilities/access requirements:
y What particular condition and need does each have? y Is specific treatment, medication, access or assistance required?
• What are the most common conditions and the needs that the pupils have and what treatment, medication, access or assistance is required?
• What information or training might staff value in order to better cope with pupils’ medical conditions and needs?
• How are such pupils and conditions currently managed at your school?
• What conditions may require medication during the course of a school or college day?
• How can you work with parents to ensure that pupils do not give themselves, or are given, an incorrect dose and that medication is kept safe?
• What would constitute a ‘health emergency’ for one of these pupils?
• What procedures do you have for recording such information?
• Should this information be recorded and kept in a safe place?
• Does your school need to develop a medical needs or disability policy?
• What provision should/could be made for such pupils in a critical incident at the school?
6.3/68 APPENDIX A
Bomb Threats
• How might a school tell whether a bomb threat is a hoax call?
• What action should the school take in the event of a hoax call?
• If the school is not sure whether the call is a hoax, what should it do?
• If a suspect device is found, what do you think the police/colleague finding the device should do?
• In the event of an evacuation of the school site the police may ask for assistance in a search of the premises. Which parts of the site/building do you think should be searched first?
6.3/69 APPENDIX A
Dealing with the media
Your school is having some structural works carried out to the first and second floors of the main building (new windows, brickwork repairs, etc). Scaffolding has been erected around the building.
8.45 am. A day during term time
There are extremely high winds and driving rain so many pupils have congregated in the main hall on the ground floor annex to the main building.
The scaffolding comes away from the building, pulling away part of the side of the building, and crashes through the annex roof and into the communal room. Pupils leave the building in panic and congregate on the school car park.
9.15 am.
It is discovered that there are still a number of pupils inside the building, but you can't be sure of the numbers. There have been five fatalities and ten pupils taken to hospital that you know of. The uninjured pupils have been put in the school library- they are extremely distressed, as many have witnessed their friends being injured.
9.20 am.
The local media arrive and you agree to give a press statement/conference at 10.00 a.m.
• Prepare a verbal press statement (no more than two minutes) • Be prepared to answer press questions (five minutes)
POINTS TO NOTE
• You have tried to contact parents of the injured pupils but have not managed to speak to all of them (out of date parent telephone numbers). • The Fire Service are still searching the debris in the building. • By 10.00 am. The national media are at your school.
YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO PREPARE FOR THE PRESS BRIEFING
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6.3/70 APPENDIX A SCRIPT FOR "THE PRESS"
The local school has been having some building works carried out. Scaffolding has been erected around the building. There are extremely high winds and driving rain.
You get a "tip off' that the scaffolding has collapsed and crashed through the school roof.
9.20 a.m.
You arrive at the school to be told that the Head Teacher will give a press statement at 10.00 a.m. This gives you time to do your research, which reveals:
• The Scaffolding Contractor has been the subject of litigation in the past for injuries caused to his workforce and members of the public, the latest being in 1998.
(The Head Teacher probably does not know this.)
• You know that there have been at least 5 fatalities and your reliable "sources" at the hospital reveal at least 12 pupils have been taken there.
(Check the numbers quoted by the Head Teacher to see if they 'match up' with yours, if not....)
• Staff in the school library (where the uninjured have been taken) have stopped you talking to the pupils.
(Ask why! Don't take no for an answer)
• You have spoken to some of the parents congregating at the school gates-they complain that they have been told nothing.
(Ask the Head Teacher if there is anything you can tell them. Are the parents going to be left out in this weather? Etc, Etc)
• You have seen the fire service still searching the building.
(When will the search finish? Why are they still searching? Etc)
Additional information (not substantiated): -
• Yesterday a teacher was slightly injured when a scaffolding clamp fell onto her shoulder
• The Managing Director of the scaffolding company, is the brother in law of the chair of the School Governors
YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES TO PREPARE FOR THE PRESS BRIEFING
6.3/71 APPENDIX A APPENDIX J - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Who dictates the policy on how long the school will be closed and alternative contacts that will be used?
A: A school should only be closed as a last resort. The governors of the school in conjunction with the Council will determine the duration of a school closure.
Q: Do we have a list of specific contractors who can provide immediate assistance, e.g. portacabins etc?
A: The Capital and Asset Management Division in conjunction with Procurement retain a Resource Database with different types of resources available, from generators to hygiene packs to portacabins to fencing. If you think you require any such resources in the event of a Critical Incident at your school please contact the Health and Safety Advisor and Capital and Asset Management.
Q: Is there immediate accommodation available for the staff/governors/disaster team etc?
A: In the event that your school becomes unavailable for use during the response to a Critical Incident you could use a ‘buddy arrangement’ with a neighbouring school. If this is not available the Children and Learning Directorate may be able to assist you in finding suitable alternative arrangements.
Q: Who pays for immediate clear up work?
A: The school pays for the immediate clear up work. Dependent on the incident such expenditures may be later claimed through insurance policies.
Q: What about disaster recovery material, should there be guidelines on minimum requirements that must be kept off site, i.e. staff/pupil details (e.g. Back-up materials)?
A: There is no required minimum for information to be kept off site. It is up to the individual school to make arrangements and decide upon what, if any material / copies of records are kept off site. It is recommended, however, that critical information is backed up, copied, kept off site, or kept in fire / flood proof cabinets.
Q: Will LBC provide immediate arrangements for pupils from 2nd day of a response?
A: Alternative arrangements for the accommodation and continued education of the pupils of an affected school will be provided as soon as is reasonably practicable through support with the LEA.
Q: Who is responsible for making the buildings safe, in the short term?
A: Upon notification of a property related incident at a school the Capital and Asset Management Division in conjunction with the Health and Safety Advisor will ensure the building is as safe as is practicably possible.
6.3/72 APPENDIX A Q: Should some kind of Risk Assessment be conducted on each school to ascertain risks - e.g. kids in playground, vandalism etc?
A: Health and Safety Risk Assessments should be carried out regularly. Risk Assessments should also be conducted for school trips and visits in accordance with the Education Visits Plan. It is also advisable to conduct a Risk Assessment for your school with regards to hazards and possible critical incidents that may occur. A Risk Assessment form for this purpose is included within the Critical Incident Document. For further information on H&S Risk Assessments please contact the Health and Safety Advisor for Children and Learning.
Q: Counselling for staff and pupils- is anything available immediately?
A: Yes. Both the Educational Psychology Service and CHUMS can assist in counselling for staff and pupils immediately following an incident. The Council also has links with a number of different organisations that can provide counselling. This assistance is available in the short, medium and long term phases of an incident.
Q: How do we keep the parents informed and keep it continuous? How and when?
A: There are a number of different ways you can keep parents informed of the situation, including, telephone, letter, meetings, and home visits. Information to parents should be continuous during and after the incident and as often as you see fit. The Children and Learning Department at LBC can assist you with this further if required.
Q: Can neighbouring schools assist in any ways?
A: Yes. You can arrange a ‘buddy system’ with neighbouring schools to assist each other in the event of a Critical Incident and evacuations. If you can think of any additional support and assistance that could be offered between you and a neighbouring school then discuss this with your neighbours to make arrangements.
Q: Who does the school need to inform?
A: Who you inform will depend on the nature, cause and effect of the incident. Details for contacts and who to notify in the event of a critical incident are located within the notification section of this document. If you are in any doubt of who to contact or feel additional people need to be contacted please contact the Children and Learning Department.
Q: Should contracts/policies be kept separate or scanned in for security purposes?
A: Yes. This is a very good idea. Again, not regulatory, but will aid in your response and will ensure that critical information is safely stored. Make sure your IT systems are backed up though! Copies of such documents can be kept off site or in a different block as long as they are secure and you have a record of who has them/where they are stored.
Q: Should there be a list of who can gain access into the school during a clear up operation for security purposes?
A: Yes. Either Council staff or contractors with appropriate identification. Normal school safety procedures should be adhered to at all times.
6.3/73 APPENDIX A Q: How is temporary accommodation etc arranged for a major incident?
A: Temporary accommodation in response to a major / critical incident depends on what facilities are required. Contact neighbouring schools for a ‘buddy system’ or the Children and Learning Department at LBC who may be able to assist you in finding alternate suitable accommodation.
Q: Should all schools have an inventory log to be kept off site, who would generate this? - School or LBC?
A: The school. It is an Audit requirement to have an inventory log of all equipment and resources. You will need such a list for insurance purposes. It is not a requirement to keep this log off site, although it is recommended that a copy is either kept off-site or in a secure fire resistant cabinet.
Q: Is a list of suppliers who could replace any items lost/stolen/damaged required?
A: Yes. This would be a good idea. Although not regulatory, such arrangements will assist you in your response and return to normality. A suggested form for recording key suppliers is included within this document. The Children and Learning Department at LBC will be able to assist you in this area, if required.
Q: Is a list of all school contractors required?
A: Yes. Although not regulatory it is advised that each school keeps a record of contractors, including contact details (24hrs) and services that can be provided. During a response you will not have time to look through directories etc!
Q: Do contingency arrangements need to be considered for teaching materials?
A: Yes. In the event of a fire or if you are unable to use your school for any period of time, critical resources will be needed to continue your primary function of teaching. Such contingency arrangements could include recording all your resources (insurance and replacement), identifying where/how you can replace items and/or making arrangements with your ‘buddy school’ to share resources. The Children and Learning Department at LBC may be able to assist you in such an event, if required.
Q: Should details of staff and key personnel be included in the Critical Incident Plan?
A: Yes. This is probably the most important part of your critical incident plan. Further information on the types of contacts to keep and blank forms for these records are included within the Critical Incidents Plan.
Q: What would happen if disaster occurred at a key stage in academic year, i.e. SATS, Mock exams, GCSE, A Levels?
A: The Council should be contacted immediately for assistance and support. The response to such an incident would be determined by the nature, extent and cause of the event.
Q: Should each key member of the response team have a specific list of tasks, e.g. teachers should have a list of their class pupils, contacts, special requirements etc?
A: Yes. this is somewhat dependent on the needs that your school has identified to be covered in the Critical Incident document. Such lists and tasks are a good idea and would make any response easier. Suggestions for the main actions and considerations for Incident Response Team members are included within this document. 6.3/74