The district's system of emergency preparedness will ensure that:

• the health and safety of students, staff, and visitors are safeguarded and are considered of paramount importance,
• parents are informed about emergency readiness and about their appropriate responses to    emergency situations,
• staff members are trained in the maintenance and execution of emergency procedures,
• students are trained to respond sensibly to emergency situations
• there is no unnecessary disruption to the educational program.

Definition
“Emergency” is defined as any significant occurrence that disrupts the educational process and endangers the physical or emotional well-being of students and/or staff.  In addition to physical hazards, it may also include emotional situations which require the intervention of the school’s student support services as a crisis intervention team.

Responsibility
The Superintendent or his/her designee has the authority to respond to all school emergencies.  Any further delegation of authority shall be designated in the emergency plan for the district and for each individual building. 

The Superintendent shall work with the Safe Schools Committee to develop procedures to respond to all school emergencies.  These procedures shall be reviewed, revised and approved by the Safe Schools Committee on an annual basis.

Planning

• Plans for the prompt and safe evacuation of the schools and safe dispersal of students, staff and visitors from school property shall be developed and maintained.
• On an annual basis, the Superintendent shall recommend for approval to the Board of School Directors a membership list to comprise the Safe Schools Committee.  The committee’s primary mission will be to develop and maintain the district's emergency plans and procedures.  The committee members shall include administrative staff, representatives of the community, representatives of the local police and fire departments as designated by the township and may include a Board member.  The plans will be developed in cooperation with local agencies, such as the township, police department, fire department, civil defense, and director of emergency management.
• There will be on-going evaluation of the effectiveness of the emergency plan by the School Emergency Procedures Review Committee to make sure the district is prepared to respond to emergency situations.
• Plans will be made for sequestering students in a safe place other than the assigned school buildings.  Parents will be notified about the evacuation of students and appropriate parent responses.  A communication system, including ETV-1 if available, along with a back-up system, will be developed to alert the whole school community as necessary.
• Plans for bus evacuation drills conducted twice a year and monthly fire drills will be included in the plan.
• Arrangements will be made for an annual safety inspection of buildings and safety equipment by the township fire marshal, along with documentation of that inspection.
• The district will actively participate in the Upper Moreland Township’s Emergency Management Organization and be familiar with the township’s capabilities and action plans in order to dovetail efforts with their activities.
• Programs will be put in place to help ensure the safety of visitors. 

Training/ Communication

• There shall be regular training of staff members in the techniques of responding to emergencies.
• Students shall be trained in those aspects of emergency procedures which are needed in order to perform their safety responsibilities.
• Students and staff shall be instructed in the appropriate use of safety equipment
• Parents and community are to be informed about emergency readiness and about appropriate responses to an emergency situation.

Plan Guidelines
There shall be a comprehensive emergency plan for the district with specific attachments relative to each school setting. 

The minimum components of the plan will include:

• Mitigation--activities taken to eliminate or reduce the degree of risk to life and property from hazards, either prior to or following an emergency,
• Preparedness--activities, programs, and systems development prior to a disaster that are used to support and enhance mitigation of, response to, and recovery from emergencies,
• Response--activities designed to address the immediate and short-term effects of the emergency.
• Recovery--activities and programs designed to return the entity to an acceptable condition.