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Safety Tips from a Seasoned Administrator
√ In case of a gas leak, have the procedures for alerting the district and fire department posted on a colored note card by each phone in the building. Make sure to include phone numbers.
√ Make sure that you have some way to take student information with you in the case of a building evacuation. In the case of schools that have only online student information systems, have someone (and a back-up person) appointed to grab the Emergency Medical Cards as you are leaving the building.
√ If you have a comprehensive safety plan, have an outline of the important steps, or at least of the first responding steps, on colored paper and posted in strategic but nonpublic areas of the school.
√ Make sure that several key people have a copy of the comprehensive safety plan, know where it is, and can get their hands on it quickly. Review the locations with them throughout the year. You might be in a remote part of the building when an emergency occurs so access to your plan in many parts of the building is critical.
√ Most schools keep their remote doors locked. Make sure that your students are taught and retaught to not open the door to anyone. If they think someone should be let in, have them alert a staff member to decide if the door should be opened.
√ Have cell phones or some kind of communication system with the staff on duty on the playground or on bus duty. You can stay on top of injury, safety, and bus issues in a much more timely fashion.
√ Know how to report an “out fire” to your local authorities. Usually fire departments will give you the guidelines.
√ If you have a paper student information system, have a system to flag the cards for medical, custodial parent, etc., kinds of situations. Most online systems have that built in.
√ Make sure that all staff members also fill out emergency medical information. Have copies of that file available around the building, in secure places, so that you can quickly access the information. Make sure that appropriate office personnel know about existing conditions such as diabetes, heart problems, asthma, epilepsy, etc.
√ Make sure that someone has a consistent view of any unlocked doors in the school, so that visitors can be monitored.
