LUSD Safety Committee Newsletter
January 2019
About the Safety Committee:
What's new...
Lockdown and Evacuation
Fire Drill
The LUSD Safety Committee has opted not to operate in denial regarding documented cases of school shooters using the fire alarm as a tactic to cause unimaginable harm. The committee has spent valuable time discussing how we can realistically change our fire drill procedures to best ensure the safety of all our students and staff.
As a result of these discussions, the Safety Committee made the decision that the site administrator will announce the fire drill over the PA system before sounding the alarm.
Additionally, with the help of the maintenance department, site administrators are being trained on how to read the fire alarm panel to determine the location and device activated
in the event of an actual fire alarm.
Mountain Lion Sighting reported
Each site has developed procedures specific to their campus's needs and location. This may look like "rainy day recess" "fields and blacktops closed for the remainder of the day" and "moving in large groups to lunch and back."
In the event a Mountain Lion is seen on campus during school hours, a lockdown will be issued.
Locking classroom doors
It is also recommended that the teacher answers all knocks and opens the door. Although it is a bit inconvenient, it is small change that could make a big difference.
Thank you for making this commitment!
**Admin/Maintenance/ Law Enforcement have keys to all sites**
More about Emergency Procedures:
As mentioned above, the Safety Committee has completed the update to LUSD's Emergency Procedures. It is recommended that staff review these procedures often, at minimum, once a quarter. It is important that we prepare ourselves and our students, even if only mentally, for emergency incidents. During these times, our bodies naturally go into what is called the "Fight or Flight" response for survival. Adrenaline immediately spikes, causing fine motor skills to become limited, shaking hands while trying to dial the small numbers 9-1-1, vision and hearing distortion, impaired cognitive skills and rush of blood flow from the extremities to the core causing numbness and impairment in limbs.
There are a million "what ifs," and we simply can't have the answer for every situation, but we can have a plan.
Run! Hide! Fight! This is not a sequence, rather options.
Like Fire Drills, school districts are required by law to practice once a year both evacuation and lockdown drills. In October, LUSD participated in the "Great American Shake Out" (earthquake drill), following the duck and cover portion of the drill, every building evacuated to their designated area.
Early in the month of January, LUSD will participate in an "intruder on campus" LOCKDOWN DRILL. The district safety coordinator or designee, will announce the drill over the district wide all call (PA) system before giving specific instructions. All staff and students are required to participate in the drill by locking their doors (already recommended), hiding under desks and away from windows and remaining quiet in a classroom with cell phones off (per school policy) until the "all clear" is given by the district safety coordinator/designee. In the event a student/staff/visitor is outside of the classroom at the time of the LOCKDOWN DRILL, they should listen to the location of the intruder/threat and Run to the nearest open classroom if available, (in a REAL lockdown they may RUN and/or HIDE off campus).
**This drill is scheduled during regular class time for all sites**
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation on this matter. It is extremely important staff is aware who does and does not belong on our campuses.