A new SAFE program is being implemented in Prince Edward Island to help emergency responders and school officials keep students safe in potentially tragic situations.
The SAFE Plan (School Action for Emergencies) is modelled after the Peel Regional Police School Police Emergency Action Response Program, a computer database and proactive emergency preparedness plan developed after the tragic events at Columbine.
The RCMP Chief Information Officer Sector used a survey of Canadian school information to develop an up-to-date and readily available computer database of school blue prints, aerial photos, material inventories and emergency procedures.
The RCMP has created the SAFE Plan to establish standardized procedures for emergency response by law enforcement and other emergency service agencies.
To date, all 76 schools on Prince Edward Island have provided information for entry to the database, with an overall goal to have SAFE Plans completed in all schools in the coming months.
Honourable Gerard Greenan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development and Attorney General, commended the RCMP, police and school boards on their leadership and collaboration to increase the safety of students and staff in potentially tragic situations. “Unfortunately high risk incidents do occur in small communities and with the SAFE plans, we are now more prepared to respond quickly and effectively,” he said.
The SAFE Plan allows police officers to quickly coordinate an emergency response which will contribute to the safety of everyone involved. “Our ultimate goal is to help ensure the safety and security of our citizens,” said Chief Superintendent Randy Robar of the RCMP. “SAFE is an effective operational planning and support tool to use when responding to serious school incidents. I am very pleased that law enforcement and the educational system in Prince Edward Island have successfully partnered to adopt SAFE. It will provide law enforcement with site specific information on schools within their jurisdiction in the unfortunate event of a serious school incident,” says Chief Superintendent Randy Robar, Commanding Officer in Charge of the RCMP on Prince Edward Island.
The SAFE Plan will help standardize a national lock-down procedure.
BACKGROUNDER
SAFE (School Action for Emergencies)
September 2008
The SAFE Program
SAFE is an acronym for School Action for Emergencies. It is a national program that was developed by the RCMP following the shootings at Columbine and Dawson College. Through SAFE, schools and law enforcement agencies are working together to improve response to high-risk incidents in schools.
The RCMP and police have gathered key information on all Island schools and put it into a provincial database. This information may include aerial photos, floor plans and emergency procedures in the school. In the event of an incident, police have this information at their fingertips.
The three school boards are developing lockdown policies that outline procedures for their schools to follow in situations where students need to be kept safe inside the school.
PEI is the first province to implement the SAFE program in all schools.
Lockdown Exercises
A lockdown is an exercise to keep students safe inside a building. It is practiced regularly similar to a fire drill.
During a lockdown exercise, the doors are locked and no one is permitted to enter or leave the building. Students are asked to sit or lie quietly on the classroom floor in an area that is not in view of the window. Lights are turned off and windows are covered if it is safe to do so. Cell phones are also turned off in order to prevent cell phone towers from jamming. Procedures are in place for students who may be in an area outside the classroom such as the washroom, cafeteria or outdoor phys ed class.
A school would be locked down in any high-risk incident that could put students and staff in danger. This may be an incident that involves weapons, a hazardous chemical spill, severe weather warning, or an armed student or intruder on the property.
Established lockdown procedures enable emergency personnel to respond quickly and effectively in tragic situations because they have quick access to good information. Students, school staff and emergency responders test the plans regularly. As a result, students know what to do and parents know what to expect.
Parent Involvement
Parents should be aware of what their child is expected to do in a lockdown and how they can communicate with the child and the school. They should reinforce the student’s responsibility to prepare for emergencies in advance and follow directions during an emergency. Parents should pay attention to any anxiety a child feels about these exercises and report this to the principal, special education teacher or school counsellor.