For the safety and general welfare of the school population, it is necessary that precautions and protective procedures for emergencies be adopted by Washington Parish School Board and adapted to meet the needs of various parish schools.
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A.
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Fire:
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1.
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In the event of fire in or near a building, the principal, or his/her representative, shall:
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a.
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Sound the fire alarm signal three (3) short blasts on the signal device or in case of a power failure use a hand-bell or freon horn;
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b.
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Instruct the secretary, or other personnel, to call the fire department;
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c.
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Supervise the evacuation of the building; and
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d.
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Notify the Superintendent.
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2.
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Each teacher and other staff member shall:
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a.
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Identify the alarm for students or others under their supervision;
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b.
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Supervise students during building evacuation (Rotate evacuation times so that each class will know exit to take);
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c.
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See that all windows and doors are properly adjusted if time permits;
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d.
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Carry the grade book and emergency shelter information (elementary and junior high) when leaving the building, if time permits;
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e.
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Keep all students in an orderly group until instructions are received from the principal.
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3.
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Fire Drills - one per month. The day of the week and the time of day of these drills should vary. Coordinate the drills with local fire departments and with their assistance as much as possible.
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4.
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Procedures for fire drills will be the same except for the deletion of items 1-b and 1-d above.
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B.
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Explosion or Bomb Threat:
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1.
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If an explosion occurs in or near the building, or if word is received that a bomb is in the building, the principal or his/her representative shall:
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a.
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Notify the police or sheriff's department immediately;
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b.
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Provide information to teachers as to actions to be taken;
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c.
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If necessary, evacuate the building using the same signal and procedures as in a fire drill; and
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d.
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Notify the Superintendent and/or assistant.
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C.
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Civil Disorder:
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1.
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If the principal observes, or is notified of civil disorder on, or near, the campus the principal or his/her representative shall:
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a.
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Notify the Superintendent immediately;
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b.
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Notify the police department or, in rural areas, the sheriff's office;
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c.
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Students should be kept inside the classroom until further instructions are received. If they are on the playgrounds, they should return to their classroom.
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d.
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Recess, lunch, or dismissal may be delayed in order to accomplish this. In fact, the entire daily schedule may be changed;
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2.
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No drills are required unless specified by the Superintendent.
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D.
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Enemy Attack (Nuclear):
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1.
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If it appears that an enemy attack, nuclear or other, is a possibility the Superintendent shall:
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a.
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Coordinate activities with the local director of Civil Defense;
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b.
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Issue instructions to principals on the dismissal or retention of students and other actions to be taken; and
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c.
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Notify the radio stations of information and instruction to parents.
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2.
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In the event that time does not permit warnings nor instructions from the Superintendent the principal shall:
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a.
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Issue instruction for all teachers to move students to the best shelter area as indicated on the supplement. Grade books and emergency information should be in the teacher's possession. Children should be seated on the floor with their backs to walls. Coats and jackets, if available, should be used to cover head, arms and legs from radiation burns and to reduce injuries from flying missiles of glass and other debris;
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b.
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Instruct custodial and food service personnel to attain emergency readiness. This should include providing first aid supplies, toilet supplies, blankets, battery‑powered radio, flashlights, canned goods, can openers, mops, brooms, garbage cans, etc.; and
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c.
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Maintain communications with the Superintendent's office if possible.
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3.
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Enemy attack drill shall be the same as item 2-a above, or dispersal of students, at the Superintendent's discretion.
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4.
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No drills are required unless specified by the Superintendent. Local Civil Defense Unit should participate in any nuclear attack drill.
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E.
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Weather:
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1.
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Weather warning definitions and actions for local school response:
In order that emergency procedures may be taken at the appropriate time, the following storm warnings used by the Weather Bureau are defined in order of severity. Local school instructions are given for each case. All monitor radios must be battery operated and tuned to local radio stations. All schools shall be provided with an AC and DC battery powered transistor radio by the School Board.
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a.
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Severe Weather Watch - means that weather conditions are such that a severe thunderstorm may develop. No teacher action is required. Principal tune to radio station. Monitor weather report during.
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b.
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Severe Weather Warning - means that a severe thunderstorm has developed and will probably affect those areas stated in the weather bulletin. No teacher action required. Principal should constantly monitor weather reports. Bring students from portable classrooms into class in main building.
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c.
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Tornado Watch - means that weather conditions are such that a tornado may develop. Teacher shall review drill procedure with class. Principal should monitor weather reports constantly. Students in portable classrooms should be moved to class space in main building.
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d.
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Tornado Warning - means that a tornado has been formed and sighted and may affect those areas stated in the weather bulletin. Proceed with tornado drill immediately. Remain in place until all clear sound. Students from portable classrooms should be in shelter area first. On leaving classrooms, windows should be opened in exterior wall and classroom partitions of classrooms.
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(1)
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If school is dismissed by the Superintendent, the radio stations, sheriff's department, and principals will be notified almost simultaneously. School will be dismissed at the discretion of the Superintendent during severe weather.
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(2)
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Bus drivers should be informed to listen to radio stations. If school is dismissed they should proceed to school promptly to pick up children. Home numbers and alternates must be listed with the principal.
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(3)
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Children whose parents work or may not be at home to care for their children should have an alternate place for them to go in case of school dismissal. Notes should be sent to parents each year notifying them of this policy. (Parents should tell children where to go in case of early dismissal.)
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2.
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Tornados vary in magnitude from low velocity winds which produce small forces on existing structures to high velocity winds which produce large forces and result in heavy damage to structures and other objects in their path. In general, most frame structures offer little resistance to the physical forces produced by a tornado, whereas steel framed and reinforced concrete structures may survive the resulting forces with minor damage.
A U.S. Department of Commerce bulletin states the major forces produced by a tornado phenomena are as follows:
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a.
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Wind Action - High velocity winds which rotate around a translating vertical axis produce dynamic forces on structures and other objects encountered. The magnitude of these forces are primarily dependent upon the wind velocity and the shape of the object encountered.
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b.
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Pressure Differential - The rotating mass of air within a tornado produces a significant reduction in the adjacent atmospheric pressure. The pressure reduction is greater at the center of the rotating air mass. When a tornado passes over or adjacent to a closed structure the outside pressure is reduced while the inside pressure, if the structure is not vented, remains at normal pressure. The trapped air inside the structure, in an effort to reach equilibrium, expands or attempts to expand, thereby producing outward or explosive forces on the structure. These forces may be reduced or eliminated, by providing sufficient apertures in both the outside and interior partition walls to allow free movement of the air into and out of the structure.
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c.
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Impact of Missiles - Usually a considerable amount of debris is suspended in the high velocity winds of a tornado. These objects act as missiles and produce damage to structures and other objects in their path.
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3.
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Severe weather warning, tornado watch, or tornado warning.
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a.
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Sound tornado alarm system.
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b.
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Bring students from portable classrooms into designated areas in main building first (then remainder of students).
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c.
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Seat students on the floor with their backs to the corridor walls. Coats and jackets when available should be used to cover heads, arms and legs so as to reduce injuries from flying missiles of glass and other debris. All windows and doors in both interior and exterior walls should be opened.
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d.
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Keep students in an orderly manner in sheltered area until you are told to return to your classroom by the principal or his/her representative.
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e.
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Have one drill each semester.
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4.
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Recommended Action for Parish Officials (Central Office) and School Principals. School Board Office shall contact all schools where there are severe weather reports during school hours.
(Emergency first aid should be administered, call ambulance service. School nurses and volunteer doctors should be called in as soon as possible. Every principal should have the ambulance service numbers and volunteer doctors' phone numbers available at all times.) Each school should have a first aid kit with supplies in it at all times.
These actions serve as a guide for actions for adverse weather conditions.
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a.
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Severe Weather Watch - Review severe weather plan of operation.
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b.
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Severe Weather Warning - Be prepared to relocate all students from portable classrooms into space in main buildings as designated or supplement.
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c.
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Tornado Watch - Review tornado plan and notify all principals of impending weather conditions. A radio report may serve as official notice.
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d.
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Tornado Warning - Open windows in exterior walls and corridor partitions of classrooms and relocate students to areas offering the greatest tornado resistance. (See your building)
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5.
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Hurricane:
There does not seem to be full agreement on how hurricanes are spawned. It is known that they begin in the lower Caribbean and generally they move westward, but direction does not follow predetermined patterns and, in fact, they are quite unpredictable. Movement is such, however, that warning can be given and if needed usually no lives will be lost. Even where lives are lost, it is because of drownings in low lying areas. The gale forces may extend out one hundred and fifty miles before the center of the storm.
The following guides should be reviewed for hurricane shelter alerts:
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a.
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Hurricane Watch - Alert your janitor to stand by to open building and be on duty until Red Cross designate assumes command. The principal may assume this responsibility himself/herself until such time as the Red Cross arrives. Candles and kerosene lamps should be available in case of power failures.
Notify lunchroom personnel to stand by. One or more workers may be used in case evacuees are housed more than twenty-four hours and food preparation must be done. Have persons responsible check storeroom for supplies and review hurricane menus.
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b.
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Hurricane Warning - Designated shelters should be opened with supervision by the principal and/or janitor. Lunchroom personnel should be advised of standby roles. If a center is used for evacuees, then food preparation should begin. A list of foods used should be kept. Red Cross has underwritten costs of coffee and other minor supplies in the past. Once the warning is given for the Parish, principal or his designate should open center immediately.
Buildings should also be opened somewhat to assure pressure equalization.
Centers should be kept open until all danger is past or until evacuees are gone.
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6.
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General
During the drill period, building occupants should be seated on the floor with their backs to corridor walls. Coats and jackets, when available, would be used to cover heads, arms and legs, so as to reduce the injuries from flying missiles of glass and other debris. All doors and windows in both exterior and interior walls should be opened.
The tornado resistant areas shown on the sketches of your building should be filled to a population density of one person for each square foot of floor space. This should allow sufficient space to provide room for a corridor throughout the shelter area. Since it is anticipated that shelter space will be occupied for only a short period of time, the population density may be increased when necessary if proper ventilation is present.
In Louisiana, tornados usually approach an area from the southwest and generally move in a northwesterly direction. However, in a local area, the path of the tornado may be erratic. Therefore, if a tornado is signed anywhere in an area, precautions should be implemented.
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