What To Do During A School Lock Down

Monday, April 12, 2021

With an increase in school-based violence taking place nationally during recent years, it's crucial to know what can be done in the case of an emergency school lockdown. Because of this, school lockdown drills and active shooter drills are becoming a central component of school safety protocols. According to one recent survey, more than 20 states now require emergency drills dealing with lockdowns and 30 more states have even more comprehensive plans in place to deal with emergency situations of most every nature. This article addresses school safety regarding crucial school lockdown procedure for school staff, parents, and students as well.

School/Staff Strategies

One common problem triggered when a school has a fire drill or lockdown drill is that some people, including students, fail to take them seriously enough. It just seems like any other day with a pesky safety drill interruption. But time is of the essence in an emergency. Locking a classroom and going to a prearranged windowless place for hiding may be more difficult in an actual emergency; however, with planned escape routes and hiding places sufficiently rehearsed, lives will be saved in the case of a real lockdown.

Staying Safe

Equally crucial is silently keeping out of sight of threatening danger and drawing no attention to where a teacher's students are hiding until they can be rescued. Furthermore, if placing a phone call is impossible, having a predetermined code to text to a designated phone number proves to be a vital security measure during a lockdown situation. As a rule, having lockdown drills every four to six months is now mandatory for many schools. Moreover, school districts and school administrators would benefit greatly if they had the services of a professional security force working hand-in hand with the local police. Such a security firm could come to the school and evaluate that school's lockdown strategy well before a real disaster takes place. School shootings and other emergencies are too common. Knowing how to handle an emergency before it happens can help save lives.

Parent/Student Strategies

While it's good for a school to provide security measures, parents on the home front need to take the following precautions with their children. A survival backpack with a cell phone or texting device and other items could very easily offer a way to sustain a student and other students in a lockdown emergency. A good, reputable online survival website is one place to start for school emergency resources. Some typical items to include in a Classroom/Teacher kit are a cell phone, water pouches, wet wipes, an energy bar, some bandages, leather palm gloves, and a flashlight. Student emergency kits offer a couple of days of needed necessities that help make a lockdown situation a somewhat less stressful experience. Our Classroom Lockdown Kit contains items for sanitation as well. Lastly, a list of predetermined family gathering places and phone numbers of friends, relatives, and local hospitals adds a measure of safety to this scenario.

Getting Prepared

In today's unpredictable world, some peace of mind is still possible by planning ahead for many emergencies, especially for student safety. Consequently, a combined effort of precautionary measures by law enforcement officials, school authorities and staff members, and parents, acts as a three-strand cord of preparedness. To learn more about how to prepare for the worst, visit us at SOS Survival Products.