Procedure 2.1.32 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Approved: April 6, 2010

Revised: October 21, 2025

1.0 Roles and Responsibilities

Clearly defined roles, responsibilities and expectations are critical in emergency situations. At a minimum, plans should include expectations of staff, students, parents and emergency responders.

Principal - The principal or designate is responsible for over-all planning, final content of the plan, scheduling of drills, training of students and overall safety of staff and students. The principal is also required to meet police, fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) so they are aware of the Emergency Preparedness Plan. In an actual incident (not a drill), the police are responsible for management of the threat and subsequent criminal investigation. The principal or designate shall provide full cooperation with police. The principal must dialogue annually with all local emergency responders to establish expectations and understanding of the school’s Emergency Preparedness Plan. Details such as response time, crowd control, evacuation sites, parent/guardian communication and staging area, etc. will be discussed at these meetings. The contact information for the Board Communication Officer will also be shared with local services.

Staff - School staff, and in particular administrators, have the overall responsibility for the training, safety and well-being of students. Staff members need to be familiar with the plan and be aware of their specific responsibilities in an emergency situation.

Students - Students have a responsibility to be familiar with the plan and to respond quickly to the direction of staff during a crisis situation. Any student with information or prior knowledge of an individual or a potential situation which may result in a violent incident is expected to come forward with that information as soon as possible. In the event of an evacuation, students must report to the evacuation site.

Police - Police are responsible to respond to and investigate violent and criminal incidents. During a violent incident, police will assume command and control of the response and investigation, but will work closely with school administration and other emergency services, throughout the process.

Parents/Guardians - Parents and guardians must be aware of the existence of this plan, and their role in the plan, and should reinforce with their children the student responsibilities to follow directions during a crisis and disclose any information they may have prior to or during a crisis situation. Parents/guardians should not report to the school or evacuation site, but await instructions, as per school plan.

Lockdown Practices: Such practices will be in addition to any fire drills or other related types of school evacuation procedures. The lockdown practice session will be logged, as a permanent record. All schools will hold two (2) lockdown practices in each school year. Schools are encouraged to hold one lockdown practice during transition time or non-instructional time. Students and staff should be given advance notice of these practices, to avoid panic.

Communication: The Emergency Preparedness Plan will be shared with parents on a yearly basis. During a lockdown situation, parents will be kept informed through such outlets and sites as local radio, the Board website (www.dsb1.ca), Twitter (@DSBOnNorthEast), the Board’s Official Facebook page (@dsb1.ca) and school messenger, where possible. The official spokesperson for District School Board Ontario North East is the Director of Education or designate, and the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. School board officials will do all they can during an emergency to notify parents, however, certain emergency situations may preclude this possibility. A parent staging area will be established off school property, where parents can go to learn the most up-to-date information about the situation. This site will be an area away from the immediate emergency or threat. Possible alternate sites are churches, halls and other schools. During a serious emergency, school administration or designate will be in constant communication with emergency personnel at the scene. Only authorized DSB1 personnel may speak to the media. Direct all calls from the media to the Board Communication Officer, at 705-288-6906.

Communication Officer: The Board Communication Officer will provide communication support to schools. The Communication Officer will also provide communications to the community outlining the details of the threat to school safety and other relevant details as they become available.

2.0 Building Requirements

Some emergency situations may prevent the safe evacuation of a school building and may require steps to isolate students and staff from danger by instituting a school lockdown. The school lockdown procedure includes specific plans to keep students, teachers and other school personnel safe in the event of a major incident or threat of violence within or in relation to the school.

Schools must include licensed child care centres, other tenants and community groups using school premises in the development and implementation of their Emergency Preparedness Plan.

Schools that are occupied by more than one Board must jointly develop and implement their plan and procedures. Good communication is paramount.

Building Identification: If there is more than one building or portable, all buildings must be individually labeled on the outside of the building for easy identification. All exterior doors shall be clearly identified such as A, B, C.

Floor Plans: Accurate floor plans are a key component of lockdown plans and are important both from a planning and response standpoint. Floor plans should be posted throughout the school, in every classroom and at every entry point to the school. In multi-level buildings, it is suggested that only the floor plans relevant to a specific level be posted on each level. All exits must be clearly identified.

Lockdown Procedures: Procedures will take into account site specific special needs, such as mechanisms to communicate messages to those who do not adequately hear verbal communications and to those who may not be readily mobile without assistance.

Emergency Preparedness Plan: Plan will be printed and posted in each classroom and common spaces throughout the school. All occasional staff to the school/site are to be made aware of the contents and location of such plans. The Emergency Codes and Procedures Plan for each classroom should ideally be written in a checklist format (See Appendix A).

3.0 Responsibilities During a Lockdown

Office Responsibilities:

For a lockdown, always call the Police at 911 immediately – this will ensure a line of communication is established with police;
Contact your Supervisory Officer immediately due to potential danger;
Lock all office doors, if safe to do so;
Lock all exterior doors, if safe to do so;
Lifting the Lockdown - In the event of a lockdown, once school officials receive word from emergency personnel that the danger has passed, the lock down would be lifted. Final word on lifting the lockdown will be given by the school administration and by emergency personnel only.

Staff Responsibilities:

Note: schools will modify/adjust based on type of emergency and school specific lockdown procedures.

Remain calm and reassure students that the emergency is under control;
If possible, direct students in hallways to seek shelter in the nearest safe area;
If possible, direct students in outdoor areas to immediately take cover wherever it is safe to do so (nearby house, culvert, evacuation site). If the threat is outdoors on school grounds, all outdoor activities will be cancelled and students must report to the evacuation site, if and when it is safe to do so.
Keep everyone facing away from the glass and doors where possible. Stay away from open or exposed situations;
Pull shades or drapes and turn off classroom lights (it is acceptable to leave on partial lighting); Cover the window on the door if there is one (have materials readily available);
Take attendance in each room and note any additional students who have entered their room;
Do not release anyone, except by the direction of the principal or designate or the police;
Do not allow students or staff to use restrooms or lockers;
Turn off all electronic devices, including radios, televisions and cell phones. However, if you have vital information or need to report a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. During emergency drills, emphasize with students and staff the importance of turning off all devices in an emergency situation;
Ensure that everyone lies on the floor if gunshots are heard;
Do not call the office for general information – you will be advised;
Prepare students for staying in a “lockdown” mode for an extensive period of time;
Only open the doors when an “all clear” or “release code” is given;
Ensure that lunchroom supervisors and monitors follow these procedures in the cafeteria or lunch room space if the lockdown occurs during the lunch hour;
If possible, report to previously designated areas (e.g. Main Office, Library) if they are support staff (including Head Caretaker or designate).

Student Responsibilities

Follow the directions of school staff and emergency personnel;
Remain calm and quiet;
Students in the halls should seek cover wherever it is safe to do so or immediately leave the building and proceed to the evacuation location. Students will not be admitted into a room once the door is locked. If outside the school, do not enter. Proceed to evacuation location.
Turn off all electronic devices including cell phones;
Relay any pertinent information to school staff.

Board Responsibilities

District School Board Ontario North East will:

Authorized Board staff will communicate with the media, in consultation with appropriate emergency response team members;
Arrange transportation;
Notify adjoining schools;
Notify maintenance;
Call the evacuation site to advise of pending evacuation;
Post updates online, as appropriate and available.

4.0 Emergency Alerts

Notification must take into consideration those within a site that may require alternate forms of communication. Building occupants are to be notified as follows: