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I. |
INTRODUCTION
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A. |
The School Emergency Plan (SEP) for
protective actions to be taken in the event of an
emergency have been developed by the NC Division of
Emergency Management in conjunction with Bertie
County Emergency Management and the school system.
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B. |
There are numerous situations and
circumstances that may implement this portion of the
Emergency Operations Plan. The conditions may be:
1) severe weather; 2) man made events such as
chemical spills; and 3) a mass casualty event at the
school or other such event. Each condition requires
a specific response from local government. Local
government will activate the Emergency Operations
Center (EOC) as necessary when an event affects
schools or the school system.
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II. |
NOTIFICATION
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A. |
Should an event occur (i.e., weather,
chemical spill, etc.) which requires notification,
action will be taken based upon the conditions at
the time. If protective actions by the public and/or
schools are necessary, local government will
activate the primary notification system.
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B. |
School officials will
be notified by telephone of the emergency.
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C. |
If an emergency incident
occurs at the school, school officials will contact
the Bertie County Warning Point, via 911.
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D. |
Schools in Bertie County
are also supplied with a weather alert radio system
to warn of impending severe weather. This system can
also be used for other emergency events.
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E. |
Upon notification that
an incident has occurred, the school principal or
his/her designee shall activate its emergency
response plan to ensure the safety and welfare of
students and staff.
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F. |
Following receipt of
notification of an emergency, the principal (or
designee) will notify the superintendent of schools,
the school transportation system director, and the
EOC representative of their course of action. This
will ensure that resources are activated or put on
standby to implement the school plan.
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III. |
PROTECTIVE ACTION:
SHELTERING
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A. |
Protective actions
include sheltering and evacuation. All actions
shall be performed under the direction of the school
principal or his/her designee. When notified that
sheltering is necessary the following actions shall
be taken:
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- Notify students
and staff of existing emergency and instructions
to be followed by PA system.
- Ensure that all
outside activities have ceased and all have
returned to the buildings.
- Remain indoors
until notified that it is safe to leave the
building. DO NOT GO OUTSIDE. All students will
remain in classrooms under the supervision of a
teacher.
- Teachers and
staff members will close all doors and windows.
- Custodial staff
will turn off ventilation systems leading to the
outside (i.e., air conditioning, heat system,
fans).
- Remain in the
interior section of the building away from
exterior doors and windows for greatest
protection ( i.e., basement, interior rooms,
etc.)
- Food service
staff should cut off all fans, air conditioners,
forced air heating systems, and any other
ventilation system leading to the outside.
- Communicate with
superintendent of schools regarding protective
actions undertaken.
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IV. |
PROTECTIVE
ACTION:
EVACUATION
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A. |
Notification to
evacuate a school may occur depending upon the
severity of conditions during an emergency. Efforts
will be made to evacuate all schools within the
shortest possible time.
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B. |
Upon notice to
evacuate, the principal or designee will announce
the course of action that the school will take over
the PA system. Students will clear their desks,
lockers, and closets of personal items and report to
classrooms or homerooms. Teachers will take roll
call and account for all students.
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C. |
Each school will
be evacuated to the reception center identified for
that school. Teachers and other school staff will be
requested to drive personal vehicles to reception
center location and assist in accountability of
students, however, at least one (1) teacher or staff
member will be assigned to each bus leaving the
school. Students will be allowed to drive their
personal vehicles to the reception center location.
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D. |
Each school will
be assisted in traffic and crowd control by a law
enforcement officer from local or state
government. Buses will leave each school and proceed
to the reception center as a convoy. Each convoy
will be escorted and followed by a law enforcement
officer. They will also serve as the primary
communications link between the convoy and the EOC.
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E. |
After leaving the
school, all evacuees will proceed directly to the
appropriate reception center. Families will be
notified by annual correspondence as well as by EAS
message of the reception center location to which
their children have been
relocated. Parents/guardians should not attempt to
go to the school for pick up but should proceed to
the appropriate reception center location.
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V. |
IDENTIFICATION OF
STUDENTS
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A. |
Each student shall be
provided with a visible identification badge (either
self-adhesive or pinned to clothing with a safety
pin) prior to evacuation. The following information
will be on the badge:
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- School
- Student's name
- Address
- Name of
parent/guardian
- Home telephone
number
- Teacher's name
- Bus number of
evacuation
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B. |
The identification
badges will be prepared at the beginning of each
year and updated on a routine basis to ensure that
each student is provided with a means of
identification if evacuation should become
necessary. If utilized for evacuation for other than
a radiological emergency, new badges shall be made
for each student following use of the earlier
badges. It is vitally important that this
information be maintained and updated routinely
since some younger students may be confused and
unable to communicate their identity to reception
center officials. Identification badges will be kept
by the teacher and distributed in the event an
evacuation is ordered.
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VI. |
TRANSPORTATION
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A. |
Transportation
resources will be pre-established to expedite the
evacuation process. Transportation needs will be
reviewed at the beginning of each academic year to
ensure adequate resources. School buses will be the
primary means of transportation. In addition,
activity buses and other support vehicles may be
used. If additional transportation is necessary, it
may be provided through the EOC. Students driving
to schools will be permitted to drive their own
cars out of the area, but will be instructed by the
principal to report immediately to the assigned
reception center.
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B. |
The principal or
designee at each school will assign the order in
which buses will be loaded by classroom with at
least one (1) teacher or staff member assigned to
each bus. All buses will be loaded to maximum safe
capacity.
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C. |
Each school will have a
supply of information packages for bus drivers. Each
package will contain protective information and
directions to the appropriate reception center.
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VII. |
DIRECTION AND
CONTROL
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A. |
The Superintendent
of Schools is responsible for making the final
decisions regarding school operations, sheltering of
students and school staff and / or evacuation.
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B. |
The principal or
designee at each school will coordinate, through the
Superintendent's office, any evacuations required
and provide for the safety and security of all
students and staff.
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C. |
The Superintendent will coordinate school emergency
operations with the principal of each effected
school, the Emergency Operations Center and response
agencies following the principals of incident
command.
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* Plans,
specific to each school, are available from the
school principal or the Administrative Offices |
