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PREPARING FOR SECURITY THREATS challenging situations. Also, be certain to include first
responders. If staff members are able to drill successfully
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 and feel confident and comfortable with their responses,

the local fire department, the Arizona Department of they will likely be more effective during an actual emergency
Education (ADE), the Trust, and others. Having these situation.
individuals on campus is an excellent way to build important A specific area of emphasis for drilling involves non-
relationships. It also allows outside professionals to become classroom scenarios. Planning a drill during the sometimes
familiar with the specifics of a district, provide fresh chaotic outside-the-classroom periods can be extremely
viewpoints, and uncover novel security issues. challenging if the district has not done so before. The
Additionally, having a district-designated employee district should not, therefore, conduct these drills until it has
accompany each assessor is advised. This employee can adequately prepared for one. Preparation may take the form
provide access to facilities, and answer any questions of designating areas where students can lock down, selecting
assessors may have. A generous amount of time should be a nearby relocation point for those who self-evacuate, and
allowed for completion of the assessment, so that assessors conducting a tabletop with staff to talk through a sample
can adequately evaluate security issues. scenario.
Under state law, each school has a responsibility to create
Common Assessment Issues an emergency response plan that meets minimum state
Assessments can identify issues that districts may not requirements. Conducting an SVA is an effective precursor
have considered, or may have considered but not addressed. to drafting or updating the plan. And though the process may
For example, schools may want to implement multiple layers seem daunting, relying on first responders, ADE, Trust staff,
of security (e.g., fencing surrounding the school, locked and others can facilitate response planning, and ultimately
perimeter doors, locked classrooms, etc.). Each security layer help protect students and staff from threats.
creates a separate barrier, which can give school personnel
precious time in an emergency. Fencing can also serve double Contact Kaylee Sorensen (ksorensen@the-trust.org) for
duty by creating a single point of entry. This allows the front more information on SVAs and school district emergency
office to monitor anyone who comes on campus. The office, response plans.
too, should establish a visitor check-in process, and a process
for identifying and reporting strangers on campus.
Another issue commonly uncovered during an SVA is
that not all doors have functioning locks — or the locks
simply aren’t used. Keeping doors locked might seem an
It
inconvenience, but if a threat has breached other security It’s all about...’s all about...
barriers, a locked door is the next line of defense. In fact, The Students
a threat will typically move on from a locked door, buying
critical time for a security response. (The decision to keep Concord Builds Solutions That Enrich Our Communities
classroom doors locked during the school day should be
made by the school’s emergency response team.)
Finally, SVAs may also help identify inadequate planning
for threats that occur when students are not in the classroom.
Most violent situations occur at lunch, during passing
period, before/after school, and during other outside-the-
classroom times. When conducting an SVA, therefore, these
scenarios should be considered. For example, when students
are outside the classroom, is there an established lockdown
or self-evacuation procedure, depending on the location of
the threat? If not, it is helpful for staff and assessors to create
an appropriate plan.
Conducting Drills
After using the information from the SVA to implement
the best, most cost-effective security measures for the
district, special attention should be given to drills. Data
indicate that during a lockdown, 27 percent of staff have
never trained with first responders, and fully 75 percent fail
to execute their lockdown responsibilities. Clearly, drilling Mesa | Tucson | Statewide
is necessary. But repetitious drills cause desensitization. 480.962.8080 • www.concordinc.com
Consider starting with static drills and graduating to more

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