Coping with a School Emergency

A practical guide for schools in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for developing an emergency plan.

NAME OF SCHOOL

Address of school

Telephone number of school

E-mail address of school

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Contents

Page No.

Introduction

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3

Emergencies in Schools Guidance

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4 - 7

Action Card – Evacuation

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8

Action Card – Invacuation

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9

Incident escalation and invocation of the Business Continuity Plan

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10 – 11

Incident Management Team Meeting Room

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12

Contacts List

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13 - 15

Grab Box Inventory

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16

Incident Log /

Appendix A.

Records of BCP Exercises /

Appendix B.

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Introduction

Parents trust schools to keep their children safe during the day. Thanks to the efforts of school staff and governors schools normally remain a safe haven for children. However, schools can become involved in a crisis at any time. It may be a natural disaster such as a flood or fire, an accident or death on site or on a school trip, or an industrial accident such as a chemical spillage that affects the school.

Thankfully serious incidents such as these are rare and will probably never happen in most schools but it is vital to prepare for all eventualities. Plans which deal with the consequences of very serious incidents will also help in dealing with the kind of smaller, routine (but nevertheless potentially distressing) emergencies that schools experience on a regular basis.

Good incident management can save lives. It can also prevent escalation, protect against litigation and enhance the school’s standing as a reliable and effective institution giving confidence to staff, pupils and parents.

Leicester City, Leicestershire and Rutland Children’s Services and Emergency Management units have joined together to provide this guide to help schools put in place a robust emergency plan.

Martin Southam

Health and Safety Manager (IIoC)

Leicester City Council

Telephone: (0116) 252 7709

Tony Edeson

Corporate Risk Manager

Leicester City Council

Telephone: (0116) 252 7465

Emergencies in Schools

Scope of a school incident management plan

A school incident plan should cover a range of potential emergencies that could occur, for example incidents that result in the school evacuating when it is in session and the building(s) not being immediately available for reoccupation, such as:

  • School fire, flood or explosion
  • Chemical or toxic substance release
  • The effects of disasters in the wider community

There may also be specific hazards or events that pose a particular risk to the school, such as proximity to an industrial site, river or major road, or cause significant disruption to school routine (e.g. death on site). The potential for an emergency to occur during a school trip will also need to be taken into consideration.

The plan should make an assessment of any specific risks affecting the school and explain in detail how an incident arising from the hazards will be dealt with.

The planning process

It is important to involve staff in the planning process to ensure that they support the plan and are able to implement it in the event of an emergency.

Schools should identify staff who are prepared to take on roles in an emergency. One member of staff should take responsibility for updating and reviewing the plan once it is in place.

It may be necessary to include extra appendices to the school emergency plan to cover any separate arrangements for other services using the site.

School support for external emergencies

Headteachers and school staff may become involved in the response to an emergency affecting the local area, even if the school itself is not affected directly, for example:

  • Accommodating pupils in an emergency situation where they are displaced from a school that has been forced to close immediately
  • Terrorist incidents affecting the local community
  • Epidemics
  • Severe weather, for example resulting in significant numbers of pupils not being collected at the end of the school session

In case of an emergency that affects the local community, it may be necessary to activate the emergency plan to provide support for pupils and staff who are affected by the incident.

Preparing the emergency plan

The plan should be kept short and simple but include information which may be required when the plan is activated.

The plan should identify who is authorised to activate it and how this will be done. (Usually the Headteacher/Principal and senior colleagues will do this and there will be a communication procedure to be followed).

If an incident occurs when the school is in session then the first priority is to safeguard pupils and staff and to alert the emergency services if necessary. After this the Local Authority Emergency Planning Team may need to be informed.

The headteacher or, in their absence, a pre-assigned nominee will take overall responsibility for the school’s response to the emergency. This person should be supported by a (usually small) school emergency management team (SEMT).

A place of safety must be identified for when the building needs to be evacuated. This might initially be the school grounds but there must also be a safe place to move to further away.

Should pupils need to be away from the school for a sustained period of time shelter must be a consideration. A “buddy” arrangement with a local school, a community centre, a church hall, etc. might meet this need. If a local park or other outdoor venue is used then arrangements to ensure it is secure must be a particular consideration.

It is vital to construct a list of contacts that will be of use in the event of an emergency. This must not only include key support agency/organisation contact details but also emergency contact details for all students, medical information, etc. This data should be kept in a ‘grab box’ or ‘grab boxes’ as appropriate. A suggestion is that grab boxes are provided to year heads. These will contain data specific to the pupils in their charge - for them to grab in the event of an emergency evacuation. Then, as directed, they can use the data they have to hand for dealing effectively with the emergency.

An early decision should be made about how to inform parents, bearing in mind the speed at which rumours circulate.

If an emergency happens at a school or the school is closed for any reason e.g. severe weather it is likely that concerned parents will try to telephone the school to get further information. This may hamper school staff dealing with the emergency itself. One possible way of dealing with this, for example in a situation requiring ‘invacuation’, is to set up the main school line with an answer machine that you can set to “message only” (callers cannot leave messages). Updating the message regularly with information on the emergency will ensure that parents/guardians are informed and reassured.

If the updates are not possible due to inability to access the answer machine on site or remotely (due to evacuation, etc), the message should point the listener to where updated information can be obtained, such as a local radio station(s) or the Local Authority helpline/webpage.

Other methods of informing parents/guardians could be:

  • Notices on the school website
  • E-mails or text messaging
  • Telephone
  • Notices on the school gate or fence
  • Person at the entrance to the school to explain issues
  • Telephone tree where each parent is contacted by telephone (more difficult in larger schools)
  • BBC local radio (follow the emergency school closure procedure)

In order to carry out the procedures outlined in your plan some awareness raising and training must be undertaken within the school. All staff who have a role in the plan must be aware of the full scope of the plan and their place within it. Staff who may not be specifically identified as a part of the response to an emergency should, nevertheless, be aware of the content of the plan - particularly the section on evacuation and shelter.

Identify:

How the school should be split into sections (e.g. years) so that managing an emergency situation is easier to control. Consideration must be given to the size of school and the easiest way of managing the numbers involved. Options include:

  • Year groups
  • Classes in pairs
  • Age groups
  • Etc.

Lead Teachers (and deputies) to be identified along with designated helpers for each group.

  • Group 1 – Lead Teacher ? – Deputy Lead ? – Helpers.
  • Group 2 – Lead Teacher ? – Deputy Lead ? – Helpers
  • Etc.

A school emergency communications contact to be identified. This person will deal with urgent communications with supporting agencies,the local authority etc. (not communicating with parents)

Identify the location of the grab boxes and ensure each group know where their boxes are located.

School security arrangements should be made that will ensure, so far as reasonably practicable that the school site will be secure whilst it has been evacuated.

Welfare arrangements for both pupils and staff must be considered, for example are theretoilet facilities, drinking water and feeding arrangements.

First aid arrangements must be clear. First aiders should be identified. The establishment of visible first aid points at the assembly site may be an appropriate solution.

The appended action cards provide a checklist to use in an emergency. It is important that all staff are aware of this checklist and one is to hand (e.g. near the telephone in the office).

Action Card - Evacuation

  1. Call emergency services if necessary police/fire/ambulance. Have the following information available if possible:
  • Casualties - Approximate numbers of dead, injured and uninjured
  • Hazards - Present and potential
  • Access - Best access routes for emergency vehicles, bottlenecks to avoid etc.
  • Location - The precise location of the incident
  • Emergency - Emergency services already on scene, and what others are required
  • Type - Type of Incident, including details of numbers of vehicles, buildings etc. involved
  • Start a log
  1. Pick up grab box(es)

See “Grab Box Inventory” appendix

  1. If necessary, call local emergency management section
  • How many pupils?
  • Is transport required?
  • Emergency centres?
  1. Collect registers
  2. Collect essential medicines (ensure these remain tightly controlled)
  3. At evacuation point take register
  4. Each lead teacher to take their part of the school to the emergency centre as designated (may be by transport, etc.) with the assistance of other teachers.
  5. Register to be completed as necessary and upon arrival at the centre
  6. Pupil parents/guardians to be contacted and informed of the location of the children
  7. As guardians arrive to collect children, register to indicate when collected
Action Card - Invacuation
  1. Ensure all pupils and staff are inside the building
  2. Close all outside doors and windows
  3. Shut off any air conditioning units which link to outside
  4. Registers should be taken to ensure all present
  5. Contact the Local Authority Emergency Planning Team
  6. Ensure Emergency Planning Team has a direct line to contact the school emergency communications contact.

Incident escalation and invocation of the Business Continuity Plan

Incident escalation process

It is vital that the School has a clear and simple method by which it can quickly recognise a business continuity threat and act accordingly. It is generally better to over-react to serious incidents and then stand down members of staff than to under-react.

The agreed escalation and invocation framework to be adopted and understood by all is set out in below.

  • Incident reported to the Principal
  • Principal takes decision as to whether the Business Continuity Plan needs to be invoked
  • Advise Risk Management and Insurance Services at LCC 0116 252 7465
  • Advise Chair (and/or Vice Chair) of Governors

The Principal (or deputy) has the authority to compel all other members of the Senior Leadership Team and other managers as relevant to meet as soon as is reasonable as the Incident Management Team to discuss an incident, or the threat of an incident, which could force the Business Continuity Plan to be invoked.

Critical Activities

Table 1, below, is a list of the critical activities carried out by the school and the maximum time we could run without performing them.

Table 2, below, is a list of the requirements you will have to consider to be able to re-instate a full Educational Service.

Table 1 – Critical Activities

Activity / Maximum Tolerable Disruption
External Exams, e.g. GCSEs / 0 hours
Payroll / 0 hours
Catering / 1 Day
Provision of ICT, including VLE & MI Systems / 2 Days
Teaching & Learning KS4 / 1 Week
Teaching & Learning KS5 / 1 Week
Teaching & Learning KS3 / 2 Weeks
Extra Curricular, e.g. sports teams / 2 Weeks
Lettings / 1 Month

Table 2 – Requirements to re-Instate Full Service

Requirement / Considerations
Building / Secure, appropriate and fully risk-assessed with all utilities connected and working. Full working catering facilities.
Transport to and from temporary accommodation / For staff and pupils, with appropriate staffing if necessary at an appropriate, safe place.
Toilet facilities / Suitable for the number and gender of staff and pupils
Office facilities / Appropriate for the number of staff and with appropriate furniture
Outside play area / Secure, appropriate and fully risk-assessed
Staff area / With tea / coffee making facilities etc.
Hall / Large enough to hold assemblies and carry out PE lessons
Tables / Enough for each class
Chairs / Enough for each pupil and member of staff and appropriate sizes
Telephones / With at least two lines
Boards / Preferably interactive for each class
Computers / Ideally at least one per class
Also for admin use
Internet access / Ideally in each class room and the office facilities
Access to SIMs / For all appropriate staff
Printers / Ideally enough to support the teaching and administration
Photocopiers / Black & white sufficient
School meals / Free, paid and staff
Milk provision / Free and paid
Fruit provision / Free to KS1 and Foundation Stage
Learning resources / Appropriate books, software etc.
Stationery / Appropriate and sufficient exercise books, paper, pens, pencils, rulers, erasers etc.

NB - These are requirements that you may have, some may not be applicable to your school and you may want to add others.

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Incident Management Team Meeting Room

First Choice / Second Choice (offsite option)
Nominated Meeting Rooms
Capacity
Computer Equipment Held in Room (PCs, lap tops, printers etc)
ICT Network Points in Room
Telephone Points in Room
Other Specialist Equipment Held if Necessary (e.g. Digital TV & Radio, fax)
Status of Meeting Room
(Red, Amber or Green)
Toilet Facilities available (Y/N)
Separate Room Available (for meeting parents, press etc)
Emergency Pack Available (see Appendix C for suggestions)

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Contacts List

(To be completed prior to emergency)

THE SCHOOL

Name
Address
Telephone No. / Fax. No.
Email
No. of classes
No. of children on roll / Age range of children
No of teachers / FTE
No. of teaching assistants / No. of support staff
No. of female staff / No. of male staff
No. of children having school meals / No. of children who have free school meals

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM

Role * / Name / Contact Number(s)
Headteacher/Principal
Deputy
Assistant Head(s)
Business Manager
Facilities Manager/BRO
ICT Technician
Chair of Governors
Schools Police Liaison
HR Manager

*These are suggested people who should be involved, some may not be applicable to your school and you may want to add others.

SERVICE PROVIDERS

Contact / Additional Information / No. needed
Local Authority Emergency Planning Team / 0116 252 5001
Local Authority Crisis Line / Office Hours / 0116 252 7790
Outside Office Hours / 0116 252 8899
Counselling
Data Protection
Education Psychology
Education Welfare
Electric
Finance
Fruit
Gas
ICT / EDISS
Insurance / Local Authority Supplied or: Company Name (If not LA Supplied) / 0116 252 7465 Company Number
Internet
Milk
Property / LA Property Department
School Meals / City Catering
School Nurse
Social Services
Stationery / ESPO
Supply Agencies
Taxis
Telephone
Washroom / PHS
Water

Grab Box Inventory

UP TO DATE:

  • A copy of the critical incident plan
  • Pupils on role
  • Contact details (above list - completed)
  • Staff contact details
  • Pupil emergency contact details
  • Pupil medication and other support information
  • Parent/guardian contact details
  • Plan of building (this would be helpful in a salvage effort), including location of gas, electric and water shut off points
  • Inventory list
  • Any financial and banking information unique to your school i.e. not controlled through the LA

EQUIPMENT:

  • Pupil medication
  • First aid kit
  • Computer back up disks/USB memory sticks,etc.
  • Spare keys and security codes
  • Torch and spare batteries
  • Hazard and cordon tape
  • Message pads and flip chart
  • Clipboard
  • Marker Pens (for Emergency Signage).
  • General; stationery (pens, paper etc).
  • Mobile telephone with credit available, plus charger.
  • Dust and toxic fume masks.
  • Disposable camera (for recording evidence for any insurance claim).
  • Whistles and High Visibility jackets.

Ensure you are able to repair or replace any equipment vital to your service delivery at short notice. If you are able to, consider storing spare parts off-site. Many of the above would be provided by the specialist functions within the Corporate Recovery team but may be useful for you to have these too, in case you are the first responders or the incident happens during normal working hours, to ensure availability before the corporate team are mobilised.

Any pack needs to be stored safely and securely off site (in another location and items in the pack should be checked regularly, be kept up to date and be working. Remember that cash or credit cards may be needed for emergency expenditure in the early stages of response to an incident.

This list is not exhaustive and there may be other documents or equipment that should be included for your area.

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Appendix A – Incident Log

Entry
No. / Date / Time / Description of action taken / decision made / Costs incurred / Completed by

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Appendix B – Records of BCP Exercises

Date / Description of Test Exercise / Parties Involved in Test

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