KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After the tragedy in Florida Wednesday, many are looking to their local schools to see what emergency protocols are in place to protect students in an active shooter situation.
While many schools don’t release full procedures to the public, many offer important information to parents online or in handbooks at the beginning of the year.
Here’s a look at some area school district’s emergency procedures and information:
Kansas City, Mo. Public Schools
- Each school year, all employees are required to take an online training course for all emergency situations, including active shooters.
- For the safety of the students, KCPS does not publish emergency policies and procedures online.
- KCPS provided active shooter training drills to all district employees a few years ago.
Kansas City, Kan. Public Schools
- KCKPS use Standard Response Protocols (SRP), which are given out to all parentsin a handbook at the beginning of each year.
- The SRP uses four actions to be performed during incidents at the school ranging from fires to intruders and other threats.
- LOCKOUT – Secure the perimeter.
- LOCKDOWN – “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight.” Secure the individual rooms and keep students quiet and in place.
- EVACUATE – The students will move from their current location to a different location inside or outside of the building.
- SHELTER – A safety plan is in place for staff and students to find a safe location and remain quiet for protection.
- Information on possible threats to schools can be submitted anonymously by using the Kansas School Safety Information Hotline at 1-877-626-8203
- KCKPS has a year-round, full-service police department dedicated to the safety and security of the district’s schools.
- The school district’s Crisis Response Plan starts with a focus on prevention. Several programs from peer meditation to bullying prevention have been utilized to help prevent crisis situations.
- Drills for fire, weather, and 21 other emergencies are conducted each school year, with students in grades K-6 participating in two bus evacuation drills per year.
- School crisis response teams are trained regularly.
- Park Hill works with area police and fire departments, first responders, and mental health departments to update the Crisis Response Plan.
- Plans for evacuations, relocations, lockdowns and other safety measures are in place at each facility location.
- Every Liberty Public School facility has a comprehensive crisis and safety plan.
- The plans are designed with the help of local law enforcement.
- School district personnel practice drills on different emergencies on a regular basis.
- Professional security personnel are on duty daily to patrol all school buildings and grounds.
Shawnee Mission School District
- The school district uses a system-wide plan tailored to individual schools.
- A team of leaders from the school district attended specialized emergency training at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) training institute.
- Shawnee Mission’s emergency operations plan was developed using the standards and protocols developed by FEMA, with the help of local law enforcement and public health officials.
- Actions taken during any type of emergency situation depend a great deal on the specifics of the incident. School administrators have a variety of tools and strategies to use and have received training on how to work with each of these.
- Drills for different types of emergencies are practiced regularly.
- Belton schools do four drills per year with students.
- Each year, staff in each of the 11 district schools and buildings undergo one in-depth training session.
- Drills with students include timing evacuations to doors and windows, as well as parts of the ALICE protocol, depending on the age of the students.
- Six school resource officers are on staff and are involved in the drills and training.
- This year, Guardian Angel door barricade boxes were installed in every classroom and several other rooms throughout the district.
- The district uses a safety protocol program called ALICE – which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.
- The program does not dictate to staff and students how to react in crisis situations but gives options in addition to traditional lockdown protocol.
- The district provides training videos and more about ALICE on their website.
- Each school has its own specific crisis plan.
- Plans involve activation of the school’s Emergency Response Team, lockdown procedures, evacuation plans and temporary shelter information.
- Plans are reviewed and updated annually.
- Emergency drills are conducted on a regular basis.
- In the event of an emergency, the school will move students to the safest spot in and/or out of the building.
- Parents/guardians will be contacted as soon as possible.
Not seeing your school district’s information? Visit the school district’s website, or reach out to them directly.
