Securing our Schools

29 June 2011

A disturbing statistic from America is that 105 students and staff have been shot to death in its schools and universities over the last 10 years. Tens of thousands more have been injured a result of man-made or natural disasters. What can be done about it?

A guide called The School Security Handbook, although aimed at the American educational community, covers many universal principles. The book provides an easy to follow, easy to implement five step process for developing an emergency response plan that covers almost any eventuality. It covers the four phases of an emergency: mitigation and prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

The School Security Handbook will enable educational facilities to be prepared for all eventualities, have the appropriate contingencies in place for when they happen and return to normal as soon as possible afterwards.

While the threat of a terrorist attack on a school is remote, it cannot be ruled out and this subject is covered extensively in the handbook. The Handbook also discusses the appropriate measures to be taken to protect against and mitigate the effects of natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires.

There are also sections on planning for a wide range of potential emergencies ranging from a major school bus accident to a shooter on campus, and from suicide to sexual harassment. How you create and implement your emergency plan is critical in effective emergency response and successful plans, well executed and regularly practiced, do save lives.

The School Security Handbook is a desk reference to support the development of new plans or to bring existing security plans up to best practices standards.

The author, Don Philpott, is editor of International Homeland Security Journal and has been writing, reporting, and broadcasting on international security events, trouble spots, and major news stories for over forty years.

Published by Government Training Inc.