Safety Procedures

Safety procedures help keep students safe in unpredictable circumstances. They are procedures that should be followed in the event of a fire, a bomb scare, a terrorist attack, a weather emergency such as a tornado, hurricane, flood, wildfire or earthquake. Safety procedures also include procedures for students and staff to follow if their school is under attack from outside or from within, or if there is a threat of an attack.

Creating Procedures

Superintendents, school boards and principals set safety procedures by determining which types of safety threats might be possible at their schools. Then, they consult local, state and national governments for a general procedure to use during specific emergencies. After that, they create the procedures. Step-by-step instructions are written down and are posted in hand books, on walls and in places where they can be accessed during an emergency.

Practicing Procedures

Each time a school sets a procedure that is designed to protect students and staff from unsafe situations, it should be practiced. Procedures need to be taught first to staff and teachers, so that they can be familiar with them. Then, students should be led through drills for each of the types of emergency procedures so that they can be prepared if the need should arise.