Classroom Lockdowns: Why Every Classroom Needs to be More Prepared

Students at nine Los Angeles area high schools were kept in lockdown for as long as five hours recently as police conducted a massive manhunt in response to the shooting of a fellow officer near El Camino Real High School. The initial anxiety and fear of parents turned to anger over both the length of the lockdown and the perceived lack of communication and preparedness on the part of some schools. That anger sharpened further when it turned out that the crisis may have been the result of a hoax. The officer involved in the shooting reportedly later admitted to accidentally wounding himself and lying about a gunman.

Lockdowns are an alarmingly common occurrence in Los Angeles and in other school districts nationwide. Since the El Camino High School incident, several other lockdowns have occurred at Southern California schools including one at an elementary school in Echo Park after an armed man was spotted on campus.
Given the spate of school shootings that have grabbed headlines in recent years, it is hard to fault school administrators for issuing lockdown orders when threats arise. But there can be no excuse for schools that are ill-prepared to conduct emergency procedures in an orderly manner, one that minimizes risks and anxiety to students and staff, and makes the lockdown period as comfortable as possible.

Clearly, every school needs to have lockdown plans in place and practice them frequently. Lockdown plans should include procedures for a variety of emergency situations that can occur inside or outside of the school. Teachers need to know whether students are to be confined to the classroom or moved to a common area, whether doors and windows are to be locked or not, and how to communicate with school administrators, first responders and parents.

Simple procedures also need to be in place to provide students with a modicum of comfort while they wait for the "all clear" announcement. One very easy step to take is to provide every classroom with a lockdown kit as a supplement to its basic emergency and first aid supplies. A lockdown kit should include food and water for students. It should also include a portable toilet to provide students, who may not be able to leave the classroom for hours, with a relatively comfortable and sanitary means of going to the bathroom.

The value of having proper emergency supplies in place cannot be overvalued. Along with their practical application, they can help significantly in reducing stress and maintaining order during a most difficult situation. Students who feel that the situation is under control and that their teachers and prepared for the emergency are less likely to become panicked or distressed.

More information on classroom lockdowns and other emergency issues is available at the More Prepared website, www.moreprepared.com