Rules of the School Board of Palm Beach County, Florida
Title 6Gx50
Chapter 2. General Administration
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Policy 2.38Crisis Response Planning for All-Hazards Events

  1. Purpose. The Board recognizes its obligation to students, employees and the community to be prepared to deal with various crises or emergencies involving the school community as they arise, ensuring to the greatest extent possible the safety of District students, employees and visitors. As such the School District coordinates with the county and other agencies in preparing for and responding to states of emergency or disaster affecting the larger community. However, the purpose of this policy is to provide guidance to each district school in drafting crisis response plans to coordinate protective actions prior to, during and after a wide range of emergency or potential crisis situations.

  2. Scope. This policy applies to all employees and students of the Palm Beach County School District.

  3. Policy Statement. The School District shall implement a crisis response program that will enable the district and school administrators, teachers, students, and parents to respond to catastrophic events, emergencies or crises in a manner that maximizes safety and minimizes disruptions.

    1. Each school shall be supplied detailed instructions for emergency procedures contained within the crisis response manual entitled Prepared for Action - Responding Effectively to Crisis in Your Schools, a resource compatible with the National Incident Management System (NIMS) core set of concepts, principles, terms and processes applicable to all crises and hazards.

    2. Each district school will prepare a written school crisis response plan consistent with Prepared for Action - Responding Effectively to Crisis in Your Schools.

    3. The District Crisis Response Coordinator shall be responsible for sharing and disseminating the manual as described herein to district schools and department heads for the preparation of the school's or department crisis response plans and assisting the school and department with the development of such plans.

  4. Responsibility for District Schools during Crisis or Emergency. In the event that a crisis or disaster has prompted a state of emergency, and the Palm Beach County area has been alerted by an official announcement, it shall be the responsibility of the school principal, assisted by school personnel, to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to prepare for the pending event. All District employees shall take precautions necessary to ensure the protection of life and the mitigation of property damage.

  5. Crisis or Emergency Events for Response Plan. All principals and Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT) members must be familiar with the hazards outlined below and form effective strategies for the implementation of the crisis response plan. The following is a list of incidents or hazards to be included in the schools' crisis response plans. Each section includes instructions and guidelines for preparedness, response and recovery.

    1. Hostile Takeover/Hostages

    2. Bomb Threat

    3. Battery

    4. Sexual Battery

    5. Intruder

    6. Gang Activity/Altercation

    7. Racial/Ethnic Slurs and Tension; Hate Crimes

    8. Criminal Mischief/Vandalism

    9. Possession of Drugs

    10. Student Under the Influence of Alcohol/Mood Modifier

    11. Drive-By Shootings

    12. Out-of-Control Students

    13. Student Fight

    14. Auto Burglary In Progress

    15. Bullet, Suspicious Object, or Other Unusual and Dangerous Object Found

    16. Weapon Found in Unattended Book Bag, Locker or Desk

    17. Firearm, Displayed

    18. Firearm, Concealed

    19. Firearm, Discharged

    20. Other Weapons, Displayed

    21. Other Weapons, Concealed

    22. Large/Explosion

    23. Small Fire

    24. Hazardous Material Release

    25. Utility Failure (Power/Telephone/ Water)

    26. Air Conditioner Failure (HVAC)

    27. Asbestos Release

    28. Gas Leak

    29. Doors That Won't Lock/Re-Keying Doors

    30. Structural Failure/Building Collapse

    31. Train Derailment On or Near Campus

    32. Airplane Crash On or Near Campus

    33. Rainy Day/Inclement Weather Dismissal

    34. Tornado or Severe Storms

    35. Hurricane

    36. Flooding

    37. Wildfire

    38. Earthquake

    39. Evacuation

    40. Use of School as Shelter

    41. Multiple Student Walkout

    42. Missing Student

    43. Runaway Student

    44. Unauthorized Removal of a Student

    45. Student Kidnapping

    46. Suspected Child Abuse

    47. Observed Verbal Threats to a Child

    48. Observed Physical Abuse to a Child

    49. Parent Refuses to Leave Building

    50. Non-Custodial Parent Request for Information

    51. Non-Custodial Parent Request to See and/or Call Student at School

    52. Parent Demanding Access to a Classroom

    53. Missing School Employee

    54. Food-borne Illness or Drinking Water Contamination

    55. Accident With Serious Injuries

    56. School Bus Accident With Injuries

    57. Neck/Spinal Injury

    58. Death or Homicide

    59. Syringe Possession

    60. Drug Overdose

    61. Suicide Threat, Verbal or Written

    62. Suicidal Act

    63. Traffic Control on Campus

    64. Altercation During Special Event or Extracurricular Activity

    65. Parades

    66. Law Enforcement Activity Near Schools

  6. Preparation of Crisis Response Plan for Each School. Each school calendar year the school site principal or his/her designee shall prepare a written Crisis Response Plan in accordance with the format prescribed in the manual entitled Prepared for Action - Responding Effectively to Crisis in Your School. In addition, the principal is to submit said Crisis Response Plan by email to the District Crisis Plan Coordinator prior to the second week students are in school for that school calendar year. Updated editions are to be submitted as needed during the school year.

  7. School Crisis Intervention Team and Training. Each school site will establish and maintain a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) of no less than ten (10) staff members. At least half of the CIT members are to be trained in VITAL (Violence Intervention Techniques and Language). All CIT members are to receive annual training to carry out the school's crisis response plan.

  8. School Emergency Drills.  The school site Principal shall conduct District Emergency Code Drills as follows:

    1. Prior to October 31 of each year - a Code Red (Lockdown-No movement) drill and either a Code Blue (Evacuation or Shelter In Place) or Code White (Bomb Threat - Evacuation or Shelter in Place. Do not adjust lights or electric. No use of radios or cell phones.) drill shall be conducted and documented via People Soft within forty-eight (48) hours of the completed drill(s).

    2. During January - a Code Red (Lockdown-No movement) drill and either a Code Blue (Evacuation or Shelter In Place) or Code White (Bomb Threat - Evacuation or Shelter in Place. Do not adjust lights or electric. No use of radios or cell phones.) drill (whichever was not previously conducted) shall be conducted and documented via People Soft within forty-eight (48) hours of the completed drill(s).

  9. Inspection of School Site after Hazard.

    1. When the "All clear" signal is officially announced after an all-hazards event, and when deemed safe to do so, the principal and custodians shall respond immediately to the school for which they are responsible, and conduct an assessment of any damage incurred. It is most important that at least one custodian accompany the principal or his/her representative. A thorough inspection of the premises should be made with particular attention given to the following conditions:

      1. Availability of water.

      2. Availability of electricity.

      3. Availability of phone service.

      4. Flooding or damage in the general area of the school.

      5. Flooding or damage on the school grounds.

      6. Number of classrooms and other areas (by name) that are unusable.

      7. Estimated earliest date that classes can be resumed.

    2. Immediately on ascertaining the damage, the principal or his/her representative, shall report to Facilities Services (561-969-5840) and all other departments as appropriate. Guidelines and instructions can be found in the "Recovery" section for each type of hazard.

  10. Utilization of Psychological and Other Services in Aftermath of Crisis. Each school shall utilize the services as provided in " An Administrative Guide: Standard Operating Procedure for the Utilization of Psychological & Supplemental Education Services In the Aftermath of a School Crisis" (2011), attached and incorporated hereto, for the management of the aftermath related to certain crises associated with the death or homicide of District students or staff.

  11. Participation of Other District Departments.  All District department heads shall review the description of hazards listed in paragraph 3 for their role, if applicable, in supporting school center and District services during a crisis, emergency or hazard. These hazards can be found in the section of the manual, Prepared for Action - Responding Effectively to Crisis in Your Schools, titled Critical Incidents - Procedures and Actions. Specific instructions can be found in the section entitled District Personnel: Key Duties. For those hazards applicable to a specific department, both instructional and non-instructional department heads shall prepare a plan of action to provide support to the school centers during the preparation, response and recovery phases of all hazards which impact educational services in the Palm Beach County School District. Said plans shall be submitted to the Crisis Response Coordinator on or before September 1 of each year.

  12. Emergency School Closures. The closure of any District school due to an emergency shall be governed by Board Policy 2.3815 (Emergency Closures).

STATUTORY AUTHORITY:Fla. Stat. §§ 1001.41; 1001.42
LAWS IMPLEMENTED:Fla. Stat. §§ 1006.07(4)(b), 1001.42
HISTORY:2/18/72; 7/21/82; 8/3/2011