Emergency

Dear Parents/Guardians, Students, and Staff:

Re: Emergency Preparedness

Our school system is responding to the continued national warnings about potential terrorist threats by working to ensure two things: (1) schools have crisis plans in place, ready for quick and confident activation; and (2) school system resources are available to help with the mental health needs of children and adults during any time of crisis.

We assit principals and school staff in preparing for emergencies. This includes reviewing the crisis management procedures and coordinating these efforts with other local agencies. Depending on the nature of an emergency, we would respond and act at their direction.

The school department and all school facilities have Crisis Management Plans. The plans have been designed with the help of school security staff members, as well as local law enforcement, emergency management, and public health officials. Plans have been reviewed and updated. These plans include procedures to respond to critical incidents requiring school evacuations, such as fire, as wel as emergency lockdowns, hostage situations, etc.

The expectation is that schools will do the best they can with existing resources under whatever circumstances occur and that students, staff and parents will be supportive and flexible. We have been guided by and will continue to work with Chief Hicks, Chief MacCaffrie, and Hanscom officials. In any emergency situation, response strategies will depend on the nature and scope of the incident and prevailing conditions. Public safety officials will play a critical role in identifying the specific nature, cause, and extent of the emergency, as well as providing guidance to administrators on the response steps that must be implemented. In such cases, we will react at the direction of public safety and health officials.

Administrators will rely on previous crisis preparedness training, their school Crisis Plans, and their leadership and problem-solving skills in responding to a variety of emergency situations. Each emergency incident will involve a multitude of factors, and administrators need to be flexible and adaptable in developing and implementing response strategies. While there is no one set of response guidelines to deal with every possible emergency situation, administrators will use Crisis Plan procedures as the foundation of the initial response to any emergency situation, and do the best they can with the resources currently in schools.

Parents should know that access to schools during an incident might be restricted for a variety of reasons beyond our control. In such instances, parents should remain aware of public notices on radio, television, the Internet including the BPS Web Site about emergency procedures and updates. In any case, student and staff safety is our first priority. All procedures are designed for their protection.

If you have questions about your child’s school, I would encourage you to call the principal. Thanks for working together with us to ensure your child's safety.

Sincerely,

Maureen LaCroix, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Where can I find emergency messages?

The Bedford Public Schools broadcasts emergency messages using a number of media. General emergency messages and early and late school openings and closings can be found on the school systems public web home page as well as through the local media. Parents are encouraged to check the Bedford Public Schools’ web page and/or to listen to the radio or television. We will make every effort to get emergency messages to some of the following media outlets. It is critical that parents use these sources of information rather than tie up schools’ phone lines.

• www.bedford.k12.ma.us
• WBZ-TV/Channel 4
• WCVB-TV/Channel 5
• WRKO-TV/Channel 7
• WRKO-AM/680
• WBZ-AM/1030

What is a Shelter-in-Place?

Shelter-in-place is an emergency response tool to protect students in the event of potential exposure to a dangerous chemical in the atmosphere. If a dangerous chemical were released in the community and posed a threat to students during the school day, affected schools would be directed—most likely by public health or safety officials—to bring all students and staff members indoors; to shut down all heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system; and to close and secure all doors and windows. The neutral atmospheric pressure created by these actions would create a barrier and help keep chemical agents from leaking into the building.

What is a lockdown?

An emergency may prevent the safe evacuation of a school building and require steps to isolate students and faculty from danger by instituting a school lockdown. In an interior lockdown situation, all students are kept in classrooms or other designated locations that are away from the danger. Faculty members are responsible for accounting for students and ensuring that no one leaves the safe area. School personnel will also secure building entrances, ensuring that no unauthorized individuals leave or enter the building. Exterior lockdown procedures restricting the perimeter of the entire building may also be used to ensure the safety of students when an incident occurs in the community.

Why are you keeping children from their parents?

The schools do not intend to keep children from their parents if a crisis occurs during school hours or school activities. It is the school system’s intent to make sure that children are safe inside their schools until such a time that the threat has been reduced. Parents will be informed of the parent-student reunification center location via the school system emergency messaging system and local media.

What is a parent reunification site?

If public safety officials require that a school building be evacuated off site, students and staff members will be safely transported by bus to a designated parent-student reunification center. Parents will be informed of the reunification location via the school system emergency messaging system and local media. At the reunification center, students will be released to their parents upon presentation of proper identification.

Why can’t I be given the evacuation and parent reunification locations ahead of time?

The school department does not release this type of specific information, pursuant to the Massachusetts Freedom of Information Act. This law provides specific exclusions to the type of information that can be released. Also, during emergency situations, circumstances could arise that might forces changes to previously designated locations. Parents will be informed of parent-student reunification center locations via the local media and through school resources.

What if my child is riding a school bus at the time of a crisis?

School bus drivers will be in contact with the Business Office for instructions in the event that a crisis occurs while students are in transport. Bus drivers will be informed to use common sense and not travel toward the crisis location. Parents will be informed of the parent-student reunification center location via the school system emergency messaging system and local media.

Who can pick up my children?

Children will not be released to individuals who are not authorized on the student’s Emergency Card or who do not have written parent authorization.

The Emergency Card is completed by parents and guardians at the start of each school year. Parents and guardians are required to update the Emergency Card as needed throughout the school year. Given the current national circumstances, it is imperative that parents update Emergency Cards immediately.

Friends and neighbors may sign a child or children out with written permission from a parent or parents. Both (or all) parents have to give permission in writing for the sign out and pickup. Schools prefer to have written permission on the day that a child’s pickup will change, but schools will also keep written permission on file. School offices will keep the permission notes—usually they will attach them to the Emergency Card(s) of those involved. Schools will also ask for identification when the child is released to the one(s) mentioned in the permission note. It is advisable to communicate with the teacher as well, perhaps with a copy of the signed written note.

Content adapted from materials prepared by the Montgomery County Public Schools; Rockville, Maryland; 2003, http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/index.cfm