INNISFAIL - The adoption of the Hour Zero emergency management program across the Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) this school year is enhancing safety and security of students and other school community members, says superintendent Kurt Sacher.
It will also ensure that all school staff in all schools will be using the same terms and phrases when communicating with emergency responders.
The Hour Zero school safety program will help school staff deal with emergency situations and ensure coordination with other agencies such as police and EMS, he said.
“Schools are one of the safest places to be in any community,” Sacher said. “It the case of an emergency, our first priority is the safety of our students and staff.”
The 11,100-student CESD is headquartered in Innisfail and includes schools across the district.
The Hour Zero program issued by school divisions across Canada and elsewhere.
“Under the program, when a school is faced with an emergency, the incident commander, usually the school principal, will assess the situation and implement the appropriate emergency protocol.”
The program outlines several different emergency protocols: lock-down; hold and secure; shelter-in-place; and evacuation.
• Lock-down is used when there is a threat or potential threat of violence to students and/or staff inside the school. During a lock-down, all doors within the school are locked. No one is permitted in or out of any area once it has been locked. Only law enforcement is permitted access to the building during a lock-down, and no one is allowed in or out of a locked room, under any circumstance, until the incident commander issues the ‘All Clear’.
• Hold and secure is used when there is a threat or potential threat of violence to students and/or staff outside the school. During a hold and secure, all entrance doors to the school are locked, with no one permitted in or out of the building.
• Shelter-in-place is used when there is no threat of violence but directing and controlling movement inside the school is prudent. A shelter-in-place may be called for any of the following reasons: an environmental emergency, severe weather, student or staff requiring first aid/medical/focused attention. During shelter-in-place students and staff retreat to classrooms/safe zones to seek shelter or simply clear the hallways, allowing for both privacy of a student requiring attention and unrestricted access for emergency responders.
• Evacuation is used where there is possible danger inside the school (no threat of violence) and it is safer to be outside the school than inside, such as a fire or gas leak.
The program includes detailed controlled student release procedures, including the establishment of parent-child reunion areas.
“When appropriate, parents will be notified of the reunion area’s location. The location may not be at the school and the location will depend on the specifics of the emergency,” the program states.
“Students will only be released to an individual designated as the legal guardian or emergency contact on the student emergency forum, which is completed at time of school registration. Valid identifications required to pick up the parent’s child and the parent will be required to sign for the release of the child.”
Suzanne Thibault is the newly-appointed CESD safety coordinator, a position that includes overseeing the implementing of the Hour Zero emergency management program.
“An advantage of Hour Zero is consistency across the division,” she said in a release from CESD. “Also, it will give us the ability to speak the same language as emergency responders like police, paramedics and fire departments.
“It also gives us access to enhanced protocols that, when used, will ensure a clear and seamless response to emergencies in our schools.”
CESDA staff have been going through training on the new program.
Superintendent Sacher said, “Thanks to our Chinook’s Edge staff for going through the training this fall. Their attention to the Hour Zero program and protocols is greatly appreciated.
“By working together we can ensure our schools are safe places for everyone.”
The complete Hour Zero protocols, as well an instructional video, can be found on the division’s website.