By Sheldon Spackman

Red Deer Public Schools implementing new Emergency Response Plan

Sep 18, 2018 | 4:35 PM

Red Deer Public Schools is moving forward with the implementation of a new Crisis Management and Emergency Response Plan.

District officials say the Hour Zero School Emergency Protocols will be implemented in three phases during the 2018-2019 school year.

Superintendent Stu Henry says the changes are being made for increased safety and more consistency throughout the district in dealing with emergency situations.

“All of our schools had good plans for lockdowns, fire drills and hold and secure drills but we found that with each school, there was a subtle difference from building to building and we really wanted consistency in regards to our safety plan,” he explains. “So we’ve worked with Hour Zero, they’re a great company that does school emergency programs for emergency response and we’re just basically kind of universalizing everything going on at all our schools in regards to this area.”

Phase one of the Hour Zero School Emergency Protocols includes managing staff lists and completing training modules for school leaders. Training modules include lockdown, hold and secure, shelter-in-place, emergency evacuation, drop-cover-hold, quick reference guide and incident specific-active shooter.

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Phase two entails establishing site emergency response teams and activating staff accounts so training modules could be completed in the summer.

Phase three involves updating school evacuation centres and other site specific information, including site maps for preferred shelter-in-place and lockdown areas.

Henry says these efforts are resulting in a greater level of confidence in addressing emergencies.

“As the Superintendent that’s most responsible for these things, it does bring me a lot of confidence that we’re heading in the right direction,” adds Henry. “I think it does for families as well to hear that we have a plan for worst-case scenarios.”

Additional information regarding Hour Zero School Emergency Protocols in the Red Deer Public School District will be provided to parents in September and can also be found on the District website by clicking here.

by Sheldon Spackman

Red Deer Public Schools implementing new Emergency Response Plan

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