# Presentation: 357645

## Prevention-Mitigation  Emergency Management for Schools  June 4-5, 2008 ~ San Francisco, California

**U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools**
- 400 Maryland Avenue, SW / Washington, DC 20202

**Billy Lassiter**
- North Carolina Center for the Prevention of School Violence
**Pegi McEvoy**
- Seattle Public Schools (Washington)

## Overview of Session

**Overview of Session**

- Discuss key messages, definitions and examples of Prevention-Mitigation phase
- Identify key components of Prevention-Mitigation:
- Collaboration
- Safety and security needs assessment
- Hazard analysis
- Next steps
- Practice Prevention-Mitigation techniques
- Questions?

**Notes:**
Billy

Collaboration- How to get the best information and cooperation....who should come to the table?  Do they come to your table, do you go to their table, or both?
Assessment – Of your strengths/challenges and readiness....”If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”....Stargeek.com (from the Internet gets serious”, 2003.  
Assessment of your plan compared to best practices, state and national guidelines and current research theory.  For Pennsylvania, this would be PEMA, School Operations Plan, current policies.....2004 a very active year for new emergency/safety policies...Internet safety, minors and mental health, gun free act, suicide prevention, 2001 bullying and updated drug and alcoh
Hazard Analysis – Region, District, School, Classroom or program specific

## Key Messages

**Key Messages**

- The Prevention-Mitigation phase is designed to assess and address the safety and integrity of facilities, security and culture and climate of schools
- Prevention-Mitigation builds on what schools are already doing
- Schools need to take an all-hazards approach when assessing risks and vulnerabilities
- Prevention-Mitigation is an ongoing process that is directly linked to the other three phases of emergency management
- Strong community partnerships and leadership support facilitates a more comprehensive
- 	Prevention-Mitigation strategy

**Notes:**
Billy

Creating a safe learning environment is not new to any school or district....students cannot learn unless they feel and are safe
Teachers cannot teach unless they feel safe

Many schools already have curricula and programs aimed at preventing students from initiating harmful behaviors
Many schools have in-service for staff to learn prevention and mitigation techniques

 There is continuity between the Prevention & Mitigation phase and other programs most schools are already implementing, such as:
 Life skills programs,
 Anti-bullying programs
 School-wide discipline efforts
 School climate/ PBIS – link between school safety and academic achievement
 Preventing Educator Sexual Misconduct......Understanding the Social Skilled Molester

This is part of the EM cycle that you have CONTROL over
Doing this phase well SETS UP FOR SUCCESS OR FAILURE in other phases

About far more than HARDENING your school

## Phases of Emergency Management

**Phases of Emergency Management**

**Notes:**
Billy

## What is the Prevention-Mitigation Phase?

**What is the Prevention-****Mitigation Phase?**

*Prevention* is the action(s) schools and districts take to decrease the likelihood that an event or crisis will occur
*Mitigation* is the action(s) schools and districts take to eliminate or reduce the loss of life and property damage related to an event(s) that cannot be prevented
***GOAL:****  Assess and address the safety and integrity of facilities, security and culture and climate of schools to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment*

**Notes:**
Billy
The prevention/mitigation section is the foundation for the entire planning process.  

Prevention & Mitigation must address both the physical building and grounds structure as well as the culture and climate of the school

This phase aims to prevent hazards and minimize threats so that healthy learning can continue
Prevention/Mitigation must address seasonal and cultural changes in the education environment.  Plans for demonstrations, prom season, spring and increased in suicidal ideation and completion.

Teachers/playground supervisors must know the 5 steps to effective limit setting.  
Proper hand washing techniques.

## Prevention Examples

**Prevention Examples**

- Communication procedures for staff, parents, students and the media
- Current efforts being implemented by the school:
- Wellness activities (mental health services, alcohol prevention, etc.)
- Bullying prevention programs
- Safety procedures such as hazardous weather drills
- Established and current policies that are related, but not limited, to:
- Food preparation
- Mail handling
- Building access
- Student accounting
- Assessments related to threat, physical infrastructure and culture and climate

**Notes:**
Billy
Here we want to ask for audience participation – ask them to give examples of things they are doing

This section relates more to the humans side

Weave in the connectivity piece – reference the USDE/Secret Service threat assessment process

Weave in strategies such as QPR, etc...
Communications that all students/staff need to react to need to be clear and concise (don’t use codes)
Assess your assessment and accountability system.  How many of your districts have specific safety standards that evaluated in each person’s performance appraisals?    How many describe the indicators used?  How many know?
Maryland: Emergency management for anaphylaxis care, 
West Virginia: crisis response teams, 
Penn: NIMS, EOP templates, training guidelines
Ohio: School Climate Guidelines #5 Addressing real and perceived threats to safety and security....uses incident command and includes prevention benchmarks on conflict management, bullying and harassment, discipline as teaching (not punishment)  not in strategic plan.

## Mitigation Examples

**Mitigation Examples**

- Bolting bookshelves to the wall
- Fencing hazardous areas
- Anchoring outdoor equipment that could become a flying projectile
- Applying Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles to school grounds and structures

**Notes:**
Pegi
Again ask for audience participation...
How can you mitigate against flooding, tornadoes, crime? 
How can students help in mitigation strategies?  Community service projects.....as a science project we have the 5th graders measure the bark on the playground under equipment....... And fluff it to keep it at minimum standards.  

What are some mitigation techniques for pandemic flu?  Identifying essential functions and developing business continuity plans.....for instance, who is the most important person in the district?  Payroll manager.  How do we make sure that we don’t create another (secondary) disaster by not having backups for the payroll and IT department.  How do we mitigate for our medically fragile students and the staff that provide their care....does anyone have staff that must suction students or have students on ventilators?  Do you have N95 masks as opposed to flat masks for these students.

What are some social/emotional mitigation techniques?  All resiliency building programs. All Stress Inoculation techniques. Psychological First Aid.

Introduce CPTED.

## What is Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)?

**What is Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)?**

- The three principles of the CPTED program are:
***Natural surveillance*** – the ability to easily see what is occurring in a particular setting
***Natural access control*** – the ability to restrict who enters or exits an environment
***Territoriality-maintenance ***– the ability to demonstrate ownership of and respect for property
- More information on CPTED is available at www.edfacilities.org/rl/cpted.cfm#10905

**Notes:**
Pegi
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design
A great time for schools to consider CPTED principles is when new construction, or new school buildings, is being planned

Natural Surveillance:
CPTED does not promote the “fortressing” of properties, quite the contrary. The ability to see what is going on in and around a property should be your first priority. Perpetrators of crime are attracted to areas and residences with low visibility. This can be counteracted in the following ways:
Lighting – street/parking lot lights should be well spaced and in working order, alleys and parking areas should also be lit. Lighting should also reflect the intended hours of operation, i.e. lighting of playfields or structures in local parks may actually encourage after hour criminal activities. Motion-sensing lights perform the double duty of providing light when needed and letting trespasser know that “they have been seen.” 
Landscaping – Generally uniformly shaped sites are safer than irregularly shaped sites because there are less hiding places. Plants should follow the 3-8 rule of thumb; hedges no higher than 3 feet, and tree canopies starting no lower than 8 feet or trees planted closer to buildings than 8 feet. This should is especially important around entryways and windows. 
Fencing – Fences should allow people to see in. Even if the fences are built for privacy, they should be of a design that is not too tall and has some visibility.  Watch out for fencing around garbage collection areas.
Windows – Windows that look out on streets and alleys are good natural surveillance, especially bay windows. These should not be blocked. Retirees, stay at home parents, and people working from home offices can provide good surveillance for the neighborhood during the day. 

Natural access control:
Access Control refers to schools and other public areas having distinct and legitimate points for entry and exits. However, this should also be balanced to avoid “user entrapment,” or not allowing for easy escape or police response to an area. Generally crime perpetrators will avoid areas that only allow them with one way to enter and exit, and that have high visibility and/or have a high volume of user traffic. This can be assured by:
Playground/Park designs with open, uninhibited access and a defined entry point. A good example is a playground with transparent fencing around the perimeter, and one large opening in the gate for entry. 
Schools with one legitimate entrance. Avoid recessed doorways. Doors that are clearly visible and well lit. doors with windows and peepholes.
A natural inclination is to place public restrooms away from centers of activity, but they can become dangerous if placed in an uninhabited area. Restrooms that are down a long hallway, or foyer entrances with closed doors, are far away from the entrance of a park, or are not visible from the roadway can become problem areas. 

Territoriality/Defensible space:
This explanation of the "broken window" theory was written by Henry G. Cisneros when he was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. It was published in a series of essays titled "Defensible Space: Deterring Crime and Building Community" - January 1995. 
James Q. Wilson and George Kelling developed the `broken windows' thesis.  The "broken window" theory suggests that neighborhood order strategies such as those listed below help to deter and reduce crime. 
Quick replacement of broken windows 
Prompt removal of abandoned vehicles 
Fast clean up of illegally dumped items, litter and spilled garbage 
Fresh paint and Quick paint out of graffiti (but not so quick that you haven’t secured evidence)
Finding (or building) better places for teens to gather than street corners 
Clean sidewalks and street gutters

Much like the “Broken Window” theory advocates the quick attending to nuisance crimes to show that a neighborhood is valued, territoriality means showing that your community “owns” your neighborhood. While this includes removing graffiti and keeping buildings and yards maintained, it also refers to small personal touches. Creating flower gardens or boxes, putting out seasonal decorations, or maintaining the plants in traffic circles seems simple, but sends a clear message that people in your neighborhood care and won’t tolerate crime in their area. 

## Good CPTED Examples

**Good CPTED Examples**

**Notes:**
Pegi
Office is placed at 45 degree angle so as to see entrance....this is only as good as the people who are using it

Playground is fenced in so property boundaries are clear...private and public spaces.....playgrounds are frequently next to community centers/areas.

## Prevention-Mitigation: Key Components

**Prevention-Mitigation: ****Key Components**

- Collaborate and build relationships with partners
- Conduct a safety and security needs assessment:
- Become familiar with available resources
- Understand the environment
- Analyze hazards
- Take next steps

**Notes:**
Pegi
Risk and vulnerability assessments can be used to determine which hazards and/or threats can be prevented or mitigated in your schools

This strategy can be used to prioritize identified risks.  What is more likely to happen – then spend your efforts there.

When I go into schools, I ask them to identify their 3 greatest risk/vulnerabilities in 3 arenas.....physical, social, emotional

## Building Relationships

**Building Relationships**

- Establishing teacher/student relationships
- Building trust among school staff, students and parents
- Finding ways for students to be “connected” to the school—during and after the school day
- Establishing a welcoming school climate and culture

**Notes:**
Billy
Strong relationships can help break the code of silence amongst students
What are some evidence based programs that increase bonding?

## Partner Collaboration Considerations

**Partner Collaboration Considerations**

- Invite community partners to be part of the planning process
- Work closely with emergency managers as mitigation of community hazards may be beyond the control of school officials
- Involve regional, local and school–based leaders

- Generate broad based support in the Prevention-Mitigation phase, this helps create “buy-in” for the entire emergency management process

**Notes:**
Billy
Prevention and mitigation are community activities so leadership and support are necessary to ensure that the right people are at the planning table

Leadership begins at the top

Schools and districts are likely to face an uphill battle if state and local governments are not supportive

Audience – ask for examples of their community partners

What would be some examples that are beyond the control of schools (natural disasters, environmental accidents)

## Safety and Security Needs Assessment: Available Resources

**Safety and Security Needs Assessment: Available Resources**

- Prior to conducting a safety and security needs assessment, schools and districts should gather current resources including, but not limited to:
- Previous assessments:
- City or county vulnerability assessments
- Facility assessments, e.g., Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
- Culture and climate assessments
- Relevant and recent data:
- School specific incident data
- School climate and culture data
- Community hazard profile

**Notes:**
Billy
Some data has already been collected, such as the community hazard profile, so schools should be familiar with available resources before using valuable staff time to collect information that already exists

## Safety and Security Needs Assessment: Understanding the Environment

**Safety and Security Needs Assessment: Understanding the Environment**

- Assessments should be comprehensive and address
- hazards or risks in the following settings:
- School-based
- Negative school climate perceptions
- Obstructed pathways, unsafe playground equipment
- District-wide
- Unclear or outdated school policies and procedures
- Surrounding neighborhood
- High crime rates
- Next to an intersection with heavy truck traffic
- Greater community
- Nearby nuclear power plant, located on a fault line

**Notes:**
Pegi 
Know the school building and your customers (kids/parents/staff)
 assess potential hazards....assess resources
 conduct regular safety audits of the physical plant
review climate data for staff and students
Review OJI information...e.g.   Our district found the greatest number of staff injuries was autistic children biting staff in elementary school.  The greatest loss of days was due to custodial back injuries.

Know the community
 Understand the unique challenges and opportunities associated with the geographical location (Rural, Urban, Sub-urban) of the school(s) for instance.......would you better or worse in a rural area if there is pandemic flu (more social isolation, but perhaps more farms with domestic chickens)
 work with the local emergency management team to assess surrounding hazards.
 schools and districts should be active partners in community-wide risk assessment and mitigation planning,,, you need them to come to your table, but schools also need to attend the community planning.  For instance, during the pandemic flu planning process, PHD were lookng for large walk-in refrigerators to use as temporary morgues.  They thought they could and should use kitchen walk ins....
 to facilitate collaboration, school districts may want to develop Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) that outline each agencies responsibility.  Use this as a tie in to Preparedness and Response

**Notes:**
Pegi

**Notes:**
Pegi

## Slide 17

**Notes:**
Pegi 
Across the street is an intermediate school – need to talk to community partners (church, gas station, etc.)

## Safety and Security Needs Assessment: Identify Hazards

**Safety and Security Needs Assessment: Identify Hazards**

- A comprehensive emergency management plan should
- address all-hazards, including, but not limited to:
*Natural *– Earthquakes, tornados, floods
*Technological *– Power outages, nearby nuclear plant
*Infrastructure *– Roads and bridges, utilities
*Nonstructural *– Portable room dividers, bookshelves, suspended ceilings and light fixtures
*Man-made *– Hazardous materials release, terrorism
*Biological* – Pandemic influenza, contaminated food
*Physical wellbeing *– Broken bones, suicide
*Student culture and climate *– Bullying, drugs, violent behavior

**Notes:**
Pegi
All hazards approach

We need to include more personal or human issues such as:
	violent behavior by students
	bullying
	drugs and alcohol

## Safety and Security Needs Assessment: Profile Hazards

**Safety and Security Needs Assessment: Profile Hazards**

- When developing a hazard profile, schools should
- Consider questions, such as:
*Frequency of occurrence* – How often is it likely to occur?
*Magnitude and potential intensity* – How bad can it get?
*Location *– Where is it likely to strike?
*Probable geographical extent* – How large an area will be affected?
*Duration* – How long could it last?
*Seasonal pattern* – What time of year it is more likely to occur?
*Speed of onset* – How fast will it occur?
*Availability of warnings* – How much warning time is there? Does a warning system exist?

**Notes:**
Pegi 
Need audience participation here  

Identify some hazards and then walk through the steps

Emphasize why it is important to prioritize your prevention/mitigation targets

Talk about why it is important that the Principal take the lead on this and not delegate it to other staff.

## Hazard Analysis: Determine Vulnerability and Risk

**Hazard Analysis: ****Determine Vulnerability and Risk**

*Vulnerability* is the susceptibility of life, property or environment
*Risk* is the probability of suffering loss or injury from the impact of a hazard:
- Creating a risk analysis matrix is one means of graphically representing risk

**Notes:**
Pegi

## Risk Matrix Example

**Risk Matrix Example**

| 
High |        |  | Hurricane
Tornado |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 
Medium |  | Flood | Violence |
| 
Low |  |  | Hazmat Spill |
|  | Low | Medium | High |

**Probability**

**Severity**

**Notes:**
Pegi 
This is just one risk analysis matrix. 

You may also want to consider:
Frequency (highly likely, likely, possible, unlikely)
magnitude (catastrophic, critical, limited, negligible)
warning (minimal, 6-12 hours, 12-24 hours, 24+ hours)

## Take Action

**Take Action**

- Some suggested Prevention-Mitigation action
- items and next steps:
- Connect with partners
- Review audits and data
- Assign or determine responsibility
- Encourage participation of all partners
- Assess problems
- Conduct an assessment with all partners
- Implement necessary changes

**Notes:**
Billy
When you return to your district, you may consider:
 Connecting with community emergency responders to identify local hazards
 Reviewing the last safety audit to examine school buildings and grounds as well as all relevant data
 Assigning or determining responsibility for overseeing Prevention & Mitigation strategies in your school or district
 Encouraging staff to provide input and feedback into the crisis planning process
 Assessing the major problems in your school and how the school addresses them.
 Conducting an assessment to determine how the school and district’s problems may impact vulnerability.

## Summary

**Summary**

- Prevention-Mitigation is a continual process
- Schools are already involved in creating safe learning environments—Prevention-Mitigation builds on these efforts
- Both physical facilities and social/emotional needs of students and staff must be considered prior to the occurrence of an incident or event
- Prevention-Mitigation involves establishing key community partnerships and assessing and addressing identified safety and security needs

**Notes:**
Billy

## Interactive Activity

**Interactive Activity**

**Notes:**
Pegi

## Slide 25

**Notes:**
Ladder unprotected and near stairs......falling hazard.  Uncovered fire alarm

## Slide 26

**Notes:**
Truck where kids are being delivered (visual barrier)..... Good news is, that they have a greeter!

## Slide 27

**Notes:**
Non-tempered glass in hallway..... Heavy things on top of bookcase.... Messy, doesn’t bode well for “school pride”

## Slide 28

**Notes:**
Walkers hazard..... These girls sent this to a local TV station and got a sidewalk put in.....yea students!

## Slide 29

**Notes:**
Unlocked bikes (theft), shrubs too close to windows and creating visual barriers

## Slide 30

**Notes:**
Good hiding areas!  Trees too close

## Slide 31

**Notes:**
Places for “bad storage” , kids hiding...  not a good lock!

## Slide 32

**Notes:**
Lots of glass by major egress (windstorms, etc).... Good plantings!

## Slide 33

**Notes:**
Brick denotes that door is frequently propped open..... Also brick can be used as a weapon

## Slide 34

**Notes:**
Results from the “harmless brick”.

## Slide 35

## Slide 36

## Slide 37

## Slide 38

**Notes:**
Great final picture to end up in an upbeat way....... The perfect hallway.....showing school pride and good visability.  

## THANK YOU!!!

*For More Information Contact:*
**Billy Lassiter: **
_**william.lassiter@ncmail.net **_
**Pegi McEvoy: **
_**pmcevoy@seattleschools.org**_
**REMS TA Center:** **1-866-540-7367 (REMS) **
_**info@remstacenter.org**_

**THANK YOU!!!**