School District learned lessons in wake of January 7 incident

Emergency vehicles at Meridian Park on January 7
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

By Marianne Deal Stephens

During the March 2, 2015 School Board Meeting, Director of School Safety Don Dalziel and Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Chuck Goodwin discussed lessons learned in the wake of the January 7 lockdown incident.

After the event, staff participated in debriefing sessions or surveys and the community submitted hundreds of comments via phone or email.

The feedback and lessons learned fell into three categories: Communication, Procedures, and Systems.

Overview

On January 7 near Meridian Park Elementary School, a male with a firearm allegedly made a threat to "all schools". As police searched for the suspect, a lockdown was called for Meridian Park, Shoreline Children's Center, and Shorewood High School. When the suspect was not found, the lockdown / lockout was called for all Shoreline Schools based on the wording of the threat. Students riding buses at the time were re-routed to the Shoreline Center. No one was hurt; all students were safe and were reunited with their parents. 

Challenging Circumstances

The timing of the incident, right during morning transportation, brought many challenges. Buses from 13 schools plus parents converged on Shoreline Center. Throughout the incident, the center served as both the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and the Reunification Center, so staff filled multiple roles and coverage was thin on both tasks. 

Lessons Learned: Communication

 

Though communication went out quickly via multiple means, there were some problems. At times, the public knew information before the buildings did, and some information became distorted by the media, who reported that "all students" were at the Shoreline Center, when it was only those students who had been on buses when the lockdown was called. In some buildings, principals did not distribute information to staff when they received it. 

In order to improve communication, the district will anticipate who needs to know what when and will create emergency information templates that can be filled in efficiently when needed. The district administration will receive information before it goes public, and building procedures will be clarified so that all staff remain informed. Email and robo calls will be timely, consistent, and accurate. 

A new communication tool Safe Schools Alert allows community members to report incidents via text, email, the web, or phone.  

Lessons Learned: Procedures

Since staff ran both the Emergency Operations Command and reunification procedures, the EOC was not as well supported as it should have been. Coordination with modular buildings and Shoreline Center tenants like the Spartan Recreation Center and the Senior Center could have been better. Though the EOC synced successfully with the police, procedures with the Shoreline and Lake Forest Park Police will be reviewed. 

The terms "lockdown" and "lockout" have been used interchangeably, though they are distinct and based on the proximity of the threat.

Most schools were in lockout on January 7; this means that the perimeter of the buildings was secure, and business went on largely as usual inside.

A few schools were in lockdown, where each classroom was secured and quiet. In order to have clear messages, the difference between lockdown and lockout will be clarified. 

The district will further define incident command roles and responsibilities so that staff are not spread thin, and will clarify reunification procedures. 

Lessons Learned: Systems

There were some difficulties with parent-child reunification. The student information forms used in emergencies were designed for classroom groups, yet most students were with transportation groups. Some forms were not up to date, and staff fielded many phone calls giving verbal authorization for pickup. [Note to parents: Do not think of "Emergency Contact" only as next of kin. Grandma in Tacoma is not going to be much help, but your trusted neighbor will be.] 

The district will make the following systemic changes: 

• Refine and disseminate reunification plan 
• Revamp the Student Request Form
• Have "ready carts" stocked with supplies for reunification
• Dedicate two phone lines: one for parents calling in and one for the superintendent/ EOC to call out

Positive Outcomes

All students were safe. The incident tested district emergency preparedness more than a staged one-location drill could have. Based on lessons learned, the district will make adjustments and be ready for the next emergency if and when it occurs. 

Stay Connected and Be Informed

In an emergency, families can stay connected and be informed via recorded phone message 206-393-6111; the district website, Facebook.com/ShorelineSD; Twitter @ShorelineSD. 

Parents will receive alerts via emergency texts, FlashAlert Messenger, and robo calls.