A. General
Specific response plans which identify persons authorized to take immediate action, persons to be notified, sequential response actions, persons responsible for taking action, and resources necessary for response shall be prepared for various emergencies, e.g., civil disturbances, environmental disruptions, explosion, fire, medical concerns, and physical system failures. A copy of the plan shall be located in the office of each Building Administrator, building nurse, and building head custodian, as well as the office of the Superintendent, each central office administrator, the Transportation Supervisor, and the Director of Facilities.
Each staff member who has a responsibility in an emergency shall become familiar with that responsibility so as to expedite the appropriate response process.
The Superintendent is the District’s Chief Emergency Officer(CEO) and the district office conference room serves as the Emergency Command Post. The Instructional Communications Center and the Transportation Center serve as alternate Command Posts.
The Assistant Superintendent for Business Services will be responsible to insure that the Command Post and Alternate Command Posts are equipped with a radio(s) to receive messages from the Emergency Broadcast System and the National Weather Bureau. Each Command Post shall also be equipped with a telephone, bull horn, emergency lighting, emergency telephone numbers, list of hazardous materials, school district profile, building plans, local and regional maps.
When the Superintendent declares an emergency or the Superintendent is notified that an emergency/disaster exists, either by the County Emergency Director or other authority, he/she will begin implementing the emergency plan by activating the chain of communication as follows:
- Superintendent
- Assistant Superintendent for Business Services
- Assistant Superintendent for Personnel
- Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
- Assistant Superintendent for Special Services
They and the Building Administrators, Transportation Supervisor, Director of Facilities and Food Services Manager may be alerted to report to the Command Post for communication accessibility. The administrators or supervisors should notify the Superintendent as soon as possible if they are to be delayed. All administrators and supervisors will remain on alert until the emergency is determined to be over or until notified by the Superintendent.
The degree of the emergency and subsequent actions will be determined based upon information supplied by the Building Administrator, County Emergency Coordinator, Civil Defense Officials and other authorities. One or more of the following responses may be utilized: EARLY DISMISSAL, SCHOOL CANCELLATION, SHELTERING, HOLD IN PLACE, and EVACUATION.
The decision to close school remains exclusively with the Superintendent (Chief Emergency Officer). In case of absence or unavailability, the chain of command for emergency decisions is: Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Assistant Superintendent for Special Services, and Assistant Superintendent for Business Services. The Superintendent shall provide these administrators with a list of radio and television station telephone numbers for use in an emergency, formally known as “Fayetteville-Manlius Schools Operating Procedures”.
The Superintendent of Schools, during a local or state emergency, shall act as the chief communication liaison for all agencies within the district, and shall address all news media. The Superintendent will also be responsible for notifying the District Superintendent of the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (315-433-2602) as soon as possible whenever the emergency plan results in the closing of a school building within the district (exception: routine snow days).
In an emergency, all employees have a responsibility to protect and maintain the health, safety, and welfare of the district’s students. Staff members may be assigned to accompany and supervise students. Ordinary rules of work hours, work site, job descriptions and any other contractual provisions are subject to state, county, or school district directives. Transportation staff members are expected to report to work when alerted of an emergency. Staff members involved in the response shall continue their response actions until
The Superintendent shall provide written information by October 1 of each school year to all students and staff about emergency procedures.
The Superintendent shall provide for at least one sheltering drill and at least one early dismissal during each school year. Transportation and communication procedures shall be included in the tests. The sheltering drill may occur at any time during the school day. The early dismissal will begin fifteen minutes prior to the end of the regular school day. Parents shall be notified from the Superintendent’s Office at least one week prior to an early dismissal.
The Superintendent and or their designee shall review and revise, as necessary, the Plan at least once each year.
B. Buildings
Each Building Administrator is responsible to provide internal directions to all staff should any emergency or disaster occurs. Since the safety and health of the students and staff are of prime importance the Emergency Plan should be reviewed with the building staff. The following components should be building
specific and supplement the district Emergency Plan:
- Identification of key people, meeting points and assembly areas.
- Review of key people in each emergency and the proper sequence of action.
- Identification of sites of potential emergencies (inside and outside sources)
- Identification of resources available (equipment, manpower, etc.)
- Diagrams of all buildings/wings by floor.
- Identification of exit routes and shelter areas.
The Building Administrator is responsible for monitoring the conditions of any school facility, which may affect the welfare of students and staff. Each Building Administrator will be familiar with the necessary emergency procedures. In the event the safety of students and staff can no longer be ensured within the building, then appropriate evacuation procedures will begin.
C. Transportation
Whenever a decision has been made to evacuate or dismiss early, the Transportation Supervisor, Assistant Transportation Supervisor and/or dispatcher will notify all available drivers needed to report to the Transportation Center. This will usually take approximately 3/4 of an hour. Drivers reporting to the Transportation Center will be assigned a route. Normal bus driver assignments and routes may be suspended. The Director of Transportation will notify the school principals of the geographic area, which should be dismissed first.
Students who are outside the school district under district authorization (i.e., field trips, athletic events, BOCES) may not be returned to the school. They may be transported home or to a designated reception center as the emergency dictates.
All students will be evacuated by district buses only. No student will be allowed to drive any vehicle during the emergency evacuation.
The Transportation Supervisor will maintain a current list of regular and substitute bus drivers, an up-todate file of bus routes, student bus lists, and an updated copy of the emergency evacuation plan. Members of the transportation staff will be oriented to the emergency evacuation plan by the Director of Transportation.