As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff, I am writing to inform you about the upcoming annual drills that will be conducted in our K-12 school district. These drills include bus evacuations, fire drills, ALICE drills, and evacuation drills, all of which are vital in preparing our school community for emergency situations.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Section 363 of Chapter 159 of the Acts of 2000, as enacted by the State Legislature Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the superintendent of each school district shall, prior to the beginning of the school year, meet with the fire chief and police chief of the city, town or district to formulate a school specific “Multi-hazard evacuation plan” for each school under the superintendent’s supervision. Said multi hazard evacuation plan shall encompass, but not be limited to, evacuations for fires, hurricanes and other hazardous storms or disasters in which serious bodily injury might occur, shootings and other terrorist activities, and bomb threats. Said plan shall be designed for each school building after a review of each building. Said plan shall include, but not be limited to: 1. Establishment of a crisis response team 2. A designation as to who is in charge of said team and designated substitutes 3. A communication plan 4. Crisis procedures for safe entrance to and exit from the school by students, parents and employees 5. Policies for enforcing school discipline and maintaining a safe and orderly environment during the crisis
Our primary objective is to create a secure learning environment where everyone feels safe and supported. To achieve this goal, we place significant emphasis on emergency preparedness and response. By conducting these drills regularly, we equip our students and staff with the necessary skills and knowledge to react appropriately in case of an emergency.
The following are brief descriptions of the drills that will be conducted:
Bus Evacuation Drills: Bus evacuations are essential for familiarizing students with the proper procedures to exit a school bus safety and swiftly during an emergency. These drills are conducted in collaboration with our transportation department, ensuring that all students are prepared for such situations.
Fire Drills: Fire drills are conducted to familiarize students and staff with the appropriate actions to take in the event of a fire or smoke-related emergency. By practicing evacuation routes and gathering points, we aim to minimize panic and promote a calm and orderly response during an actual fire situation.
ALICE Drills: ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) drills focus on preparing our students and staff for active threat situations. These drills educate participants on various options for responding to a violent intruder and emphasize the importance of decision-making based on real-time information.
Evacuation Drills: Evacuation drills are designed to simulate scenarios where an entire school or specific area must be vacated quickly and efficiently. These drills help familiarize students and staff with evacuation routes, assembly points, and safety procedures during emergency evacuations.
Code Blue Drills: The school conducts medical and behavioral emergency response drills in coordination with school evacuation or fire drills. The first drill, which is announced in advance, occurs at the beginning of the school year. Other drills are conducted periodically during the school year.
To ensure the effectiveness of these drills, we collaborate closely with our local police and fire departments. Their expertise and guidance play a crucial role in creating realistic scenarios, evaluating our emergency protocols, and providing valuable feedback for improvement. We greatly appreciate their ongoing support and commitment to our school community’s safety.
Please note that these drills are not meant to cause unnecessary alarm or distress. Instead, they serve as an opportunity for students to practice and reinforce their emergency response skills. Additionally, these drills provide an opportunity for our teacher and staff to assess and refine our emergency protocol continually.
I kindly request your support and cooperation in preparing your child for these drills by discussing their importance and reinforcing the significance of following instructions from their teachers and school staff.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the upcoming drills or our emergency preparedness procedures, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s school administration or contact our Safety Coordinator Lesa Breault-Gulbicki @lbreaultgulbicki@nrsd.net . We value your feedback and appreciate your ongoing partnership.
Thank you for your unwavering support in keeping our school community safe.
