Critical Incident Manual - Ministry of Education

Guidelines for Developing a Critical Incident Management Plan for a Safe School EnvironmentIncident: Death or HomicidePotential OutcomesTraumatised and grieving school family and loved ones.Pre-plan Action• Ensure that CIMT members are trained in first aid. Other personnel can also betrained.• Ensure that all staff knows who is trained in first aid and CPR.• Have police brief staff on procedures to be followed in the case of death or homicide.Immediate Action• Assess the situation.• Call the police.• Activate the CIMT and the school nurse when it is safe to do so.• Do not move the body. Keep the area secure for the police.• Keep all students away.• Instruct office staff in how to answer calls.• Notify parents or guardians of victim and perpetrator.• Notify parents to pick up their children.• Engage the CIMT emergency procedures, including the handling of parents, thehandling of traffic, the handling of the media.• Prepare media release.• Prepare letter for parents.• Find witnesses; get as much information as possible. Keep them isolated.Follow-up Action• Return to normality as soon as possible.• Call a staff meeting.• Convene student assembly.• Provide grief counselling.• Prepare and send out letter to all parents.Ministry of Education 2008 / 85