District beefs up safety measures at local schools

Kimball Public Schools has implemented changes to the safety protocol and separated safety and crisis teams following a self-assessment last March.

At that time, one concern stood out. The school’s safety plan was not easily understood and potentially was not as safe as it could be, Kimball High School Principal, Eugene Hanks, and Mary Lynch Elementary Principal, Mike Mitchell, reported to the Board of Education at the Nov. 13 meeting.

Following a school inspection, retired Nebraska State Trooper, Chuck Elley, recommended that the district train students and staff on a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) and practice scenarios for each response.

Additionally, Elley suggested that the district better secure buildings and keep them locked during the day, include outlying buildings on the intercom system, place identifying numbers and letters on interior and exterior windows and doors, and separate the crisis team from the safety and security team.

Separating the two response teams was further recommended by well-known Crisis and Safety Consultant, Dr. John Dudley.

According to school guidance counselors, Chauncey Pedersen and Jim Reeves, the district’s Crisis Team deals with any particular crisis that may arise during the school year or summer months. Examples would be the death of a student, staff member, and natural disasters such as a tornado.

The Safety and Security Team deals with the safety of our buildings. It also brings awareness to safety and security of our school.

To date, Safety Response Posters have been placed in all classrooms and staff received training on SRP during in-service at the beginning of the school year.

Staff and students reviewed the SRP and a video on the first day of school and they have practiced drills for fire, tornado and lockdowns.

As part of the ongoing training, Officer Curtis Hofrock, the School Resource Officer in Sidney, presented SRP training and tips, which High School Principal Eugene Hanks said was very well-received.

More practice drills are planned throughout the year, and as the students and staff continue working on safety and security, the public should be aware of some key elements.

The SRP includes four responses – lockdown, lockout, evacuate and shelter.

Shelter is used in response to tornados, hazardous material concerns, earthquakes or tsunamis and evacuate is the response used for fire drills, though other potential situations may call for evacuation as well.

Pedersen and Reeves, who train for crisis and safety response, sent this information:

LOCKOUT VS. LOCKDOWN

The differentiation between Lockout and Lockdown is a critical element in SRP. A Lockout recovers all students from outside the building, secures the building perimeter and locks all outside doors. This would be implemented when there is a threat or hazard outside of the building. Criminal activity, dangerous events in the community, or even a vicious dog on the playground would be examples of a Lockout response. While the Lockout response encourages greater staff situational awareness, it allows for educational practices to continue with little classroom interruption or distraction.

Lockdown is a classroom-based protocol that requires locking the classroom door, turning off the lights and placing students out of sight of any corridor windows. Student action during Lockdown is to remain quiet. It does not mandate locking outside doors. There are several reasons for not locking perimeter doors during a Lockdown. Risk is increased to students or staff in exposed areas attempting to lock outside doors. Locking outside doors inhibits entry of first responders and increases risk as responders attempt to breach doors.

There may be situations where both Lockdown and Lockout need to be performed, but in this case they are identified individually. “Lockout! Secure the Perimeter. Lockdown! Locks, Lights, out of Sight.” would be announced on public address. We are in “Lockdown and Lockout” would be conveyed to emergency services or 911.

A lockdown drill has been practiced at Mary Lynch Elementary and the High School during the first quarter. Both buildings intend to do three more throughout the year as on-going training is done, also, throughout the year.