Critical Incident Manual - Ministry of Education

Guidelines for Developing a Critical Incident Management Plan for a Safe School EnvironmentIncident: Gang Feud in the CommunityPotential OutcomesCaught in crossfire; being grazed by gunshots; violent assault on student or staff.Pre-plan ActionIf you observe less of their activity (especially when they are fighting) you are less likely tobe targeted for harm and labelled an “informer.”Ensure that students and staff know boundary lines of the community.Immediate Action• Run in the opposite direction.• Get flat if shots are being fired.• Try not to cross imaginary boundary lines.• If machetes or knives are in play run in the opposite direction or lie low.• If stones are being thrown, stoop.• Seek shelter.• If using a cell phone to inform the police, do so discretely. It is best to do so whenyou are not out of the area and secure.Follow-up Action• Determine what happened and who were the persons involved. This can be donethrough networking with the community development council and the police.• CIMT to assess how long the gang feud might continue.• Classes to be suspended until further notice if it is determined that the feud willcontinue for some time.• Release information to PTA representatives as well as the media after consultationwith the regional office, Ministry of Education, regarding the suspension of classes.• Use the media to inform the students when school will be reopened. Try to stick withone radio station so that the children will be aware of the station that they shouldlisten to.• Re-entry should only be made to the community when it is declared safe to do so.Ministry of Education 2007 / 56