School Emergency Response Planning

     The Crisis and Emergency Management Plan will provide basic guidelines and procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency or crisis incident. All school staff are to be familiar with the plan and their individual responsibilities in the event of an emergency.

     The management plan is required to be reviewed and revised annually or when significant changes to staff/student population or facilities occur.

What is a Crisis or Emergency?

●       A crisis is defined as an unstable or crucial situation that requires action to prevent or minimize a highly undesirable outcome.

●       An emergency is defined as a sudden need for action.

What does this Plan address?

This plan takes into consideration all phases of emergency and crisis management planning, including:

●       Mitigation

●       Prevention

●       Preparedness

●       Response

●       Recovery

Mitigation and Prevention:

     The St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) Department of Safety and Security is responsible for the development and implementation of system‐wide safety and security programs and initiatives that enhance the overall safety of all SMCPS school campuses and supporting office sites. Initiatives identified in this plan represent and outline a significant focus on prevention efforts and mitigation of circumstances contributing to any given crisis or emergency.

Preparedness:

     Preparation and execution of this plan is supported fully through the content of other documents, including the SMCPS’ Emergency Procedures Manual Quick Reference Chart and the St. Mary’s County Government’s Emergency Response Plan. The pertinent content of each of the referenced documents is included in this plan. Each of the referenced documents serve as the basis for the school’s preparedness phase of emergency and crisis management planning.

Response:

1.      This plan addresses appropriate responses for the following emergencies and crisis incident(s):

●       Anaphylactic Shock

●       Biological Hazardous Materials/Hazardous Material Spills

●       Bomb Threats/Bomb Found

●       Bus Transportation Accident

●       Children Left At/Returned to School

●       Danger of Suicide

●       Death of Student/Staff

●       Emergency Plans for Field Trips

●       Evacuation Procedures (Fire and Other Disasters)

●       Fallen Aircraft

●       Flooding

●       Gang Altercations

●       Gas Leaks

●       Intruder in Building with a Weapon

●       Pandemic Disease Response

●       Power Outage/Blackout

●       Radiological Emergency

●       Serious Injury

●       Severe Weather Assessment Protocol (winter storm)

●       Shooting/Stabbing

●       Technology Failure and Recovery

●       Threatening Person(s) Outside of Building

●       Tornado/Down Blasts                           

●       Weapons on Camp

Recovery:

     SMCPS has developed both recovery measures and continuity operations plans that are specific to the scope, type, and level of emergency as detailed in this plan. Localized plans make use of additional facilities to serve as “host schools” in the event of loss of the use of a single structure to more catastrophic loss involving widespread impact to the entire jurisdiction. SMCPS will follow the documented procedures included in the St. Mary’s County Emergency Operation Plan (to include all full and partial plan revisions) specifically the section entitled:

     Basic Plan Section “V. Continuity of Government”, providing for succession of authority and assigning of responsibility for all emergency support functions (ESF). SMCPS has a significant level of inventory pertaining to other or alternate available facilities, mass transportation, food service, and maintenance and operation of plant. A complete inventory of facilities and description of infrastructure and supporting services is included in the SMCPS Educational Facilities Master Plan. The SMCPS Educational Facilities Master Plan is published annually.