ADDING PLANS FOR LOCKDOWN, DENYING ENTRY AND CLOSING INTO SCHOOL AND HIGHER ED EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLANS

When the safety of students, staff and visitors has been compromised as a result of a hazards or threats facing an education agency, it might be necessary to close, deny entry to and/or lockdown a school building or entire campus. Policies and procedures related to lockdown, denying entry, and impromptu school closures can be outlined in a Lockdown Annex as a part of an education agency’s emergency operations plan (EOP). Planning for lockdowns must consider various levels of implementation, depending upon the severity or the intensity of the possible event as well as its location, as each locality has unique needs and resources to address situations such as a lockdown. Education agencies are encouraged to work closely with emergency management planning team members and community partners (e.g., law enforcement) to identify practices and procedures that can be customized to buildings throughout the educational campus. Planning teams and community partners can discuss the variety of possible circumstances that might require a lockdown or the need to deny entry or close, and decide on the best combinations of responses based on the event.