Plainfield schools adopt new 'universal' safety protocols for lockdown, evacuation

The Plainfield school district will introduce new “universal” crisis response protocols for the upcoming school year which officials said will provide clear, common instructions to students, staff, parents and first responders in the event of an incident.

The Standard Response Protocol adopted by the Board of Education in February consists of five specific actions: hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate and shelter, each with its own set of directives and corresponding icons all based on the “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s recommendations.

Superintendent Paul Brenton said the push toward a standard language protocol grew out of the district’s annual summer security audit and conversations with police and other local emergency agencies.

“We’ve had emergency protocols in place for 20 years that were based on recommendations by the FBI and (U.S. Secret Service) and they were updated annually,” Brenton said. “One of the big changes involves communication. Previously, it was recommended we keep our protocol language in-house and to not share it with parents or outside groups. This new protocol calls for sharing the language so parents can understand it and reinforce it at home."

I Love U Guys foundation

The “I Love U Guys” group was created in 2006 by Ellen and John-Michael Keyes soon after their daughter, Emily, was killed in a school shooting at Platte Canyon High School in Colorado. On that day she was killed, Emily sent two text messages, one to her mother stating, "I love u guys. K.” Her father received a similar message: "I love you guys."

Part of the foundation’s stated mission is to remove the communications barrier between schools and first responders during emergency operations though the development of a common vocabulary.

Protocol levels and terms: 'Lockdown' mode, 'evade or defend'

The new district protocol levels include “hold,” in which students are directed to stay in a classroom or area as staff locks doors and accounts for students. School business is to proceed as usual.

Under the “secure” call, students are trained to return to a school building while staff adopts an increased situational awareness stance. Outside doors are locked.

In a “lockdown” mode, students move out of sight, maintain silence and are barred from opening doors. Staff are tasked with getting students out of halls, locking doors, turning off lights and to prepare to “evade or defend.”

ChatGPT, algorithms & mapping: Plainfield High will be first CT school to offer AI course

An “evacuation” alert orders students to leave a location with only a phone in certain circumstances. Staff, with a roll sheet and “go bag” will lead children to a pre-determined evacuation location, account for their charges and report any injuries or issues.

A “shelter” code is called in the event of a hazmat incident or natural disaster.

Each protocol level comes with associated placards that will be placed in designated areas, including doors.

Keeping police and parents in the loop

Brenton said many of the protocol levels don’t mandate a police or fire department response.

“For instance, the ‘hold’ protocol may be needed if a student slips and we need the hallway cleared,” he said. “When police are called really depends on the type of incident.”

In addition to the town’s police department, the town is also served by four fire departments, any of which might be called out to a school in an emergency. If a situation is deemed serious enough, state police or neighboring police agencies could also be dispatched, along with medical personnel.

“Having a common vocabulary and protocols improves communication, and establish a greater predictability of action through the duration of an incident,” Brenton said.

Police Chief Mario Arriaga said he, along with the town's fire marshal and representatives of several fire departments, were given an overview of the protocol change proposals earlier this year.

Common terms keeps everyone on the same page

"We looked at the pros and cons and there weren't any cons I could see," he said. "(The protocol) clarifies the language and keeps everyone on the same page. In the past, there might be a notification of a 'soft lockdown' at one school, which could mean something else entirely at another building."

Arriaga said even if police are not needed to respond to an incident, he expects school officials will still notify his department of any issues that prompt an alert.

"For instance, if someone sees an unfamiliar person in the woods near a school, we might be able to tell them it's someone doing line-clearing and nothing escalates further," he said. "Our officers - and our dispatchers - will be trained on the new protocols so everyone is familiar with the new language and we can respond accordingly."

A 'brute-force' ambush: Plainfield officials look back at cyberattack and lessons learned

Brenton said a district group that recommended the new protocols explored several options before bringing the adopted version forward. He said roughly 30,000 schools, districts, departments, agencies, organizations and communities around the world have already adopted the “I Love U Guys” plan.

Brenton said details on the new protocol will be provided to parents before the new school year begins. A protocol sheet also seeks to offer guidance to parents on if they should travel to a school and under what circumstances they should text a child.

Brenton said some of the protocol levels are already familiar to students – just under a different name.

“We’ve had fire drills and tornado drills before and now that’s under the ‘evacuation’ title,” he said. “Teachers for years have been applying those concepts in age-appropriate ways to students. In our previous plan, language was modified slightly as you progressed into the lower grades.  This plan contains universal language and symbols associated with the language in all six buildings PK-12.”

John Penney can be reached at jpenney@norwichbulletin.com or at (860) 857-6965.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Plainfield school security protocols to be added: Lockdown, evacuation