Page 24 - The Edge - BTS 2019

REUNITING KIDS WITH FAMILIES How long will it take bus drivers to get to the school? How
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 many buses do you have? Will you have to borrow some from
another district?
You should communicate with families before, during, and
“Use a secure facility,” Sorensen said. “Set up an area to after an emergency. You should consider how to inform families
house the students. Establish a separate place to release the about the reuni cation process in advance, and how to clearly
students to their parents.” describe their roles and responsibilities. e presenters said the
Sorensen touched on the line-of-sight issue. If parents are information could be provided at the start of the school year
waiting, you don’t want them to be able to see other parents in publications like a participant handbook, on the school’s
being reunited with their children, Sorensen cautioned. “It website, or during student/family orientations.
makes a stressful situation more stressful,” she said. Sorensen told of a school district that scheduled a training
In creating a plan, Sorensen recommended starting with night and only 10 parents showed up. “ at’s frustrating,” she
something simple, like a power outage and not a worst case said.” ey need to know where to go, what to bring, and what
scenario. “Don’t make it more di cult for yourself,” she said. to expect. Minimum requirements require you to train parents
In choosing an o -site location that is big enough, Foster- prior to an event.”
DeOro recommended a community center or a church. He also Foster-DeOro emphasized that in order to have an e ective
suggested having a primary and alternate site for each school drill, you need to have a plan. “You need a plan that you are
that needs to be evacuated. familiar with, and that your team has thoroughly discussed,”
Sorensen said people involved in a reuni cation plan could he said.
include school district sta . Among those at the receiving end Common mistakes include: Exercises are conducted
of the process could be a psychologist. Also, it must be decided without any de ned objectives; scenarios are too complex;
in advance who will communicate with parents to notify them inadequate time is allotted for exercise interaction; debriefs are
of the evacuation and deal with them when they arrive to pick not completed with teams or participants; safety of participants
up their children. Security people need to check on release is not addressed properly; the exercise is planned too quickly;
gates. community partners are not included in the planning or
“If you have a small district, you may not have signi cant the drill itself, and follow-up recommendations are never
sta ,” Sorensen said. “ ink outside the box.” implemented.
Foster-DeOro said you should have a dialog once a year Key community partners include police, re and health
with school employees to make sure they understand their care, Sorensen said. “Include the community partners in the
responsibilities. Districts should consider conducting one planning and preparation of the exercise,” she said. “Invite
parent/guardian student reuni cation drill each school year. neighboring districts to attend and serve as observers. Get their
Supplies, which need to be available at an o -site location, feedback. Put them to work. Prepare an after-action worksheet
should include student release forms, pens and clipboards, to capture all the lessons learned and corrections needed.”
extension cords and power strips, signage, cones, barricades, Foster-DeOro encouraged inviting others to observe a drill
duct tape, a loud speaker, batteries, radios, and vests identifying to see how your reuni cation plan works. “Don’t be afraid
school personnel. to fail,” he said. “You’re going to make mistakes. Others can
Pop-up tents for parents who might be waiting in 110-degree provide insight.”
temperatures should be considered, Sorensen said. Sorensen noted that e Trust has established an emergency
“Ask neighboring districts what they use,” Sorensen said. management program, which she heads, and can provide
“Higley has a great trailer, Scottsdale has a bus. See what others valuable services to member schools.
are doing and what they include.”
Communications and transportation can be vital. Kaylee Sorensen can be reached at: ksorensen@the-trust.org
Questions to consider: How are you going to notify bus Tom Foster-DeOro can be reached at: thomas.fosterdeoro@csd83.
drivers at 11 a.m.? How to transport all the students at once? org

“How far away is your off -site reunifi cation site? You want it far enough to avoid
fi rst responder traffi c, and close enough for parent familiarity. Is it large enough for

students and staff ? Is there room for parking, especially for parents? Are there enough
restrooms? Can it be secured? Are there securable gates? Is there fencing?”

— Kaylee Sorensen, Emergency Management Consultant with The Trust

24 THE EDGE | BACK TO SCHOOL 2019