Lockdown Lockout & Evacuation - PSD - Poudre School District

Lockdown
Lockout
& Evacuation
Crisis Response Protocols in Poudre School District
Mitigation &
Prevention
Preparedness
Response
Recovery
Response
Crisis Response &
Management in PSD
Teachers’ Guide

Lockdown, Lockout
& Evacuation
Crisis Response Protocols in
Poudre School District
Teachers’ Guide
Contents
Uniforms.............................................................1
Lockdown or Lockout?..................................1
Lockout...............................................................2
Assessing Your Safety.....................................3
Lockdown..........................................................6
Security Department
2407 LaPorte Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80521
970-490-3523
www.psdschools.org
Design & Layout by PSD Graphic Services 9/17/10

Uniforms
Video Question
Q: What are some of the different uniforms a police officer might
wear?
A: • Traditional Uniform
• School Resource Officer
• Bike Patrol
• Motorcycle Officer
• Colorado State Patrol
• Street Clothes (suit, business attire or jeans and shirt)
• Tactical Uniform (may or may not have markings)
Student Questions
Q: Can police uniforms be different colors?
A: Yes.
Q: What colors might you see as part of a uniform?
A: Dark blue, light blue, brown, green, yellow, regular clothes.
Lockdown or Lockout?
Video Question
Q: What is the difference between a lockdown and a lockout?
A: Whether or not the threat is inside the building.
• Lockdown: threat is close to or inside the building—stay
inside the classroom and follow lockdown procedures or
consider self-evacuation options.
• Lockout: threat is outside—get inside the building and lock
exterior doors.
Lockdown, Lockout & Evacuation Teacher’s Guide Page 1

Staff Questions
Q: Who can initiate a lockdown?
A: Anyone seeing the potential school violence situation:
• Student, by reporting to a staff member.
• Staff, by reporting to the main office and by calling 911.
• School receives the call from authorities and should initiate
the lockdown within the school. This should occur without
having to go through a chain of command.
Lockout
Video Questions
Q: When might a lockout occur?
A: When there is a security concern in the community near your
school.
Q: What is your role during a lockout?
A: • Get inside the school
• Continue learning
Staff Questions
Q: Who can initiate a lockout?
A: • Student, by reporting to a staff member.
• Staff, by reporting to the main office.
• School receives the call from police and should initiate the
lockout within the school. This should occur without having
to go through a chain of command.
Page 2
Lockdown, Lockout & Evacuation Teacher’s Guide

Q: Who is responsible for locking exterior doors during a lockout?
A: This is a school by-school decision and should be discussed
and reviewed frequently.
Q: Which exterior doors at your building are always unlocked?
A: This is a school specific answer, however, most doors should
already be locked.
Q: How many doors are unlocked?
A: This is a school specific answer.
Q: Who has keys to lock the doors?
A: This is a school specific answer.
Q: How are students and staff outside notified?
A: • Intercom system with outdoor speakers
• Staff with radios. Staff outside of the building with students
should have a radio at all times.
Q: If you don’t have the ability to call on radio or intercom, what
are your other options?
A: Send a messenger to run to students and staff, and have them
come inside.
Q: When would a lockdown and lockout be called for at the
same time?
A: If there is a security concern outside of your school, but on or
near school property.
Assessing Your Safety
Video Questions
Q: What are your safety options?
A: • Locks, lights, out of sight.
Lockdown, Lockout & Evacuation Teacher’s Guide Page 3

• Move away from the noise/threat.
• Stay behind a locked door.
• Hide: where would you hide—closets, bathrooms, under
desks.
• Evacuate: go home, to a recreational center, business, or
other safe place. Other considerations: Can you get there on
foot? Should you try to get into your car?
Q: What should you do once you are in a safe location?
A: Once you are safely away from your school…
• Call parents or guardians
• Call the district
Q: What is the phone number to let the school know you are
safe?
A: 970-490-3333
Student Questions
Q: What should you do if you see or hear a potential school violence
situation?
A: Take appropriate safety measures and report what you see to
a staff member if you’re able to do so.
Q: When assessing your safety, what should you consider?
A: • Location of the threat. Do you know where the threat is?
• Closest exit. Can you see the exit? Is it away from the threat?
• Closest classroom. It may not be your regular classroom.
Q: What should you do if you are in a common area (e.g., lunch
room, library, auditorium)?
A: Same answers as above. Consider the location of the threat and
the closest exits/classrooms.
Page 4
Lockdown, Lockout & Evacuation Teacher’s Guide

Q: Where is the closest safe place to your school?
A: • Another school • Friends house
• Nearby business
• Recreational center
• Your house
• Family member’s house
Q: Is it okay for students or staff to fight back?
A: Note to the teacher: the only acceptable answer to this question
is:
• This is a personal decision you will have to make based on
the actual circumstances.
• This is not a yes or no answer, it is a decision that can be
made by a student in that situation.
Staff Questions
Q: Is staff allowed to self-evacuate?
A: • Yes. Especially if they don’t typically work in a classroom setting.
However, look at all the factors—is the exit close and
away from the threat?
• If you can do it safely, assist students in evacuation.
Q: If you self-evacuate, where will you go?
A: Staff members should have a predetermined evacuation site
that is known to administration and police (recreational center,
church, or business.)
Q: Once you get to your predetermined evacuation site, what
should you do?
A: Call 911 or the Customer Support Center at 490-3333, and
notify the dispatcher of your location. Wait there and gather
all interior and exterior school keys to give to police.
Lockdown, Lockout & Evacuation Teacher’s Guide Page 5

Q: Do you have predetermined evacuation sites?
A: • If you have pre-planned evacuation sites, make sure all staff
know what and where those are.
Page 6
• If you do not, you should establish them soon, and communicate
your school-wide decision with all staff regularly.
LockDown
Video Questions
Q: What is the safest location in your classroom?
A: • Things to consider: SAFE ZONE—out of sight to threat, location
of threat (outside or inside).
• Have you already determined the SAFE ZONE in all of the
classrooms you use?
Q: What should you do if you are in a classroom without a
teacher?
A: • Locks, Lights, Out of Sight
• If you don’t know where the threat is, and you are behind a
locked door, this may be your safest option.
• If the door isn’t locked, close the door and hide. Find the
best possible hiding place (closet, behind a desk, cabinet).
• You may try to evacuate if the threat is not in your immediate
vicinity.
Q: What should you do if you hear a fire alarm during a lockdown?
A: Stay in the classroom unless you see fire or if smoke is filling
your classroom. If you must evacuate due to a fire or smoke
in the hallway and this exit may not be your best option, consider
using an alternate door, window, or any other exterior
exit.
Lockdown, Lockout & Evacuation Teacher’s Guide

Student Question
Q: What is your role during a lockdown?
A: • Move to a safe area (SAFE ZONE) of classroom.
• Be quiet. If you have a cell phone, change the ring to silent.
Staff Questions
Q: What is your role during a lockdown?
A: • Locks, Lights, Out-Of-Sight!
• Take written attendance, note who you are missing and
anyone extra with you.
Q: Is it okay for students to send text messages?
A: Yes, but only if it is to police or parents.
• Students need to change their ringtones to silent.
• Do not send messages to other people within the building
because this can possibly be detected and draw unwanted
attention.
Q: Is it okay to get students out of the hallway?
A: Yes, if you can do so without compromising the safety of the
students in your classroom.
Q: When should you open your classroom door?
A: NEVER!
Video Questions
Q: What should you do if somebody knocks on your door and
says they are the police?
A: Nothing. Remain quiet. Do NOT answer the door! Officers or
school administrators will have a key to get in your room.
Lockdown, Lockout & Evacuation Teacher’s Guide Page 7

Q: What can you take with you when you evacuate?
A: Anything that will fit in your pockets and is readily available
(keys, cell phone). Realize you will not have time to get these
things if they are not already in your pockets.
Q: Why is it important to hold up your hands when you
evacuate?
A: It allows police officers to see your hands.
Student Questions
Q: What is your role during an evacuation?
A: Follow police instructions.
Q: Can a lockdown be ended with an announcement?
A: No, all doors will be unlocked by police or school
administrators.
Staff Questions
Q: What is your role during the release and evacuation process?
A: • Follow police instructions.
• Take attendance to make sure you still have everyone who
was with you while you were locked down in the building
• If anyone in your group has injuries—display your red card
• Report or any missing or extra students by displaying your
red card.
• If all is normal display your green card.
Page 8
Lockdown, Lockout & Evacuation Teacher’s Guide

Educate...
Every Child, Every Day
Vision
Poudre School District
exists to support and
inspire every child to
think, to learn, to care,
and to graduate prepared
to be successful in a
changing world.
Security Department
2407 LaPorte Avenue
Fort Collins, CO 80521
970-490-3523
www.psdschools.org