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Bomb threats have become an all-too
familiar occurrence in many public buildings, including
America’s schools. In some cases, the caller may
have specific knowledge about a bomb. In others, he
or she wants to cause anxiety or panic and disrupt daily
activities. In either situation, bomb threats must be
treated seriously and are punishable by law.
Through proper planning, schools
can prepare to handle bomb threats and reduce the spread
of panic. Whether or not a bomb actually exists, a state
of panic increases the potential for injury to students
and staff as well as significant property damage. By
being prepared to handle a bomb incident, schools can
reduce their vulnerability.
In partnership with the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, ED will release an interactive
CD-ROM to provide information and training to school
administrators, security officers, school resources
officers, teachers, and staff so that they can effectively
deal with bomb threats.
The CD-ROM will include recommendations
for designing a physical security plan to reduce the
likelihood of threats from bombs or other explosive
devices and strategies for handling bomb threats effectively
when they occur.
Release of the CD-ROM is anticipated
for later this year. For more information, visit ED's
emergency planning Web site at
www.ed.gov/admins/lead/
safety/emergencyplan/
index/html.
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Marleen Wong, L.C.S.W., serves as the director
of crisis counseling and intervention for the Los Angeles Unified
School District. She also is director of the school intervention
unit at the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress at UCLA and
at Duke University. Identified by the Wall Street Journal as one
of the “architects” of school safety programs, Ms. Wong
has developed school crisis teams, mental health recovery programs,
and training for school districts and law enforcement personnel
in the United States, Canada, and Asia. The Challenge recently had
the opportunity to interview Ms. Wong on the subject of school crisis
response and recovery.
The Challenge: Reports from
the U.S. Department of Education and others have shown that school
is one of the safest places for our nation’s children. So,
why is it important to have a crisis plan?
Ms. Wong: In a moment, in a heartbeat, everything
can change. Ask anyone who has survived the terrorist attacks of
9/11; the Oklahoma bombing; hurricanes Hugo, Andrew, or Iniki; the
Northridge Earthquake in California; or the floods in the Midwest.
A very bad time to begin organizing your team and planning for an
emergency response is when a crisis is at your door.
The Challenge: How would
you describe or define the terms “readiness, response, and
recovery?”
Ms. Wong: Readiness is the level at which a school
is prepared to respond to a crisis or an emergency. If a crisis
or disaster were to happen today, how prepared would the school
be to deal with it? Prevention and mitigation are part of a school’s
readiness. School safety audits should include an examination of
the school facilities and security measures, as well as an examination
of “people and programs,” that is, the culture and climate
of the school, how teachers and students interact, and how equitable
the opportunities are for student participation in school sponsored
activities. With strengths and weaknesses identified, constructive
steps can be taken to improve the safety and security of the school,
whether those steps involve making changes to the physical site
or creating new opportunities for students to connect with each
other or with faculty and staff.
Response is the sum total of the school’s resources
and skills to take decisive and effective action. Is a command structure
in place? Does every team member know his or her role and responsibilities?
Do the counselors, school psychologists, social workers, and nurses
possess the knowledge of appropriate triage, assessment, and intervention
protocols and practices for immediate, intermediate, and long-term
mental health needs of students and staff? Triage is the first step
in responding to a crisis situation at a school. Schools need to
be able to recognize those individuals who may be most at risk for
traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression. They also must be ready
to activate community mental health partners to provide for the
immediate, concrete needs of students, families, and staff for safety
and support.
Recovery is the process of restoring the social and
emotional equilibrium of the school community by promoting positive
coping skills and resilience in children and adults. The rate of
recovery will vary from person to person, depending upon factors
such as age, gender, degree of direct exposure to violence, death
or injury of a friend or family member, previous traumatic life
experiences, and pre-existing history of anxiety and depression.
The good news is that most children and adults do recover with the
support and assistance of caring education and mental health professionals.
The process of recovery is aided when students and staff can anticipate
the stages of recovery and prepare for the normal changes in behavior,
thinking, emotion, and spirit that occur over time.
<continued
on the next page: Readiness, Response, and Recovery>
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