St Jude’s Catholic Primary School, Policy Statement

EVACUATION AND LOCKDOWN PROCEDURE

Reviewed: August 2017

Due for Review: Yearly

Emergency Evacuation Procedure

Evacuation
Invoked for fire, flood, bomb threat, hostage, storm and cyclone, earthquake, toxic emission, air
and transport accidents or explosion.

Evacuation is a controlled and organised movement to a safe area.

Our School oval is free of electricity and gas mains and becomes the area of least risk.
Safe Area: School Oval Back up Area: Grassed Area near School Hall.
See Appendix 1

Warning
Automated Emergency Evacuation Message (if fire alarms are going off)
Continuous/non-stop ringing of electric bell or continuous ringing of hand bell or messengers if
above inaccessible.
Announcement over PA or loud hailer.

Decision
Principal, Secretary or Assistant Principals will make the decision that an emergency situation has
arisen.

Movement Is Under Teacher Supervision

Students move under direction of the teacher in charge of the class at the time of the evacuation.
Class teachers to take class list on back of emergency evacuation folder and specialist teachers a
class list.
Roll call on arrival in safe area.
Children should be escorted from the classroom in a quick but orderly fashion not running.
Students and teachers exit from the safest and closest marked exit route/door. (Close the door
behind you)
Each teacher will report to Warden that all children are present or give names of children missing
If necessary two teachers will be amalgamated by the Warden to allow a teacher to be free to
check for missing children.
Teachers remain with children keeping them calm and together in the safe area.

Principal’s Responsibilities
Act as Warden
Collect First Aid Box.
If needed by Emergency Services, amalgamate two classes and hand role of Warden to an Assistant
Principal.

Teacher Assistant Responsibilities

Assist students to safe area with teacher if required.
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Yr 1-4 – check Wet Area, Multi Purpose Room including Maths store room and Uniform Shop,
Canteen, AV Room, Senior Art Store and Store Room (outside Yr 1).
(If no TA in Yrs 1-4 then these areas to be checked by a Specialist Teacher or class teacher after 2
classes have been amalgamated)

Secretary’s Responsibilities
Depending on circumstances – telephone Fire Brigade, Police, Ambulance or other Emergency
Services.
Check staff and student toilets, Sick Room, Admin Area and Library.
Collect First Aid Box if Principal unable to.

Classroom Damage and Injured Children

Where injuries are sustained, teachers will assist recovery from classrooms – after checking this is
safe to victim and self and placing remaining class members in the care of another teacher.

Earthquake
If no time warning, children to be instructed to crawl under desks and stay there.

Staff Without Class Responsibility

Check with Warden for duties such as :
Checking main school building if no TA’s in the area – Let Warden know when these areas
are clear.
Help with First Aid
Supervise a class to allow an Assistant Principal to act as Warden or an Assistant Warden
Act as Warden or Assistant Warden

Warden Check List

All children (Pre K- Yr 6), staff and visitors to the school in Safe Area
Canteen checked
Toilets checked – Staff and Students
Hall checked
Administration area checked
Storerooms checked
Library checked
Multi Purpose Room, Support Room and uniform shop checked
Emergency Services contacted
Injured dealt with
Delegate responsibilities to staff without a class
Refer to Crisis Management Policy

Teachers on DOTT
If safe to do so, collect Roll
Proceed to safe area where class is assembled

All Clear
Principal will announce over the PA system or with loud hailer.
Teachers to ensure an orderly movement back to class.

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Lockdown Procedure

Lockdown
Used when there is an immediate threat to the school eg school intruders. Lockdown minimises
access to the school and secures staff and students in rooms. As part of this procedure, everyone
must remain in the room until the situation has been declared safe by an authorised person eg
principal or police officer.

Lockdown Procedures
1. Lockdown signal/code is given –
‘Attention Staff: Just to advise you that Mr Lock has arrived” (All external doors should be locked.
A key will be kept in the hall so that doors can be locked)
‘Attention Staff: Just to advise you that Mr Lock has arrived and he has a delivery” (All doors
should be locked and all children moved into the multipurpose room/wet area. Kindy/PP students
should be moved away from doorways/windows). Should an intruder be identified, the staff
member who identifies the intruder should contact the principal or designated serious incident co-
ordinator who will determine if lockdown procedures should be initiated.

2. Principal or the designated serious incident co-ordinator calls 000.

3. Principal or the designated serious incident co-ordinator(s) are responsible for locking and
securing all exterior doors and entrances.

4. If safe to do so, the principal or designated serious incident co-ordinator will wait outside the
main entrance of the school to direct emergency services or will delegate another member of staff
to do this. Only authorised personnel should be allowed access to the school premises.

5. All outside activities should cease immediately. If appropriate the principal, designated serious
incident co-ordinator or supervising staff should direct students who are in the playground or
outside school fences (eg ovals), to immediately return to the nearest school building and
classroom or evacuate to a predetermined off-site location. NB: the canteen will need to be
informed via phone or through the principal or delegate.

6. Staff should follow prearranged and rehearsed instructions to secure doors. Staff should ensure
students remain calm and quiet. If students must move out of line of sight from doors or windows,
quietly move to the Multipurpose Room or the Wet Area

7. Staff should check corridors outside their classrooms for nearby students and direct any students
in the immediate vicinity into their classroom. Staff should not leave the classroom to get students.
The door should then be closed.

8. Staff should record the names of students who are in the room. Any missing and/or extra
students should be noted. If possible, staff should provide details to the principal or the designated
serious incident co-ordinator as requested. The internal phone system should be used for this (Year
3 has the closest phone to the door)

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9. Staff should maintain room security and should not open doors for anyone under any
circumstances. Students and staff should stay where they are until official notification is provided
by the principal or an identified police officer that the lockdown is over.
End of Lockdown signal/code is given:
‘Attention Staff: Just to advise you that Mr Lock has left the school grounds”

10. Where the lockdown lasts an extended period of time or extends beyond normal school hours,
the principal or designated serious incident co-ordinator should notify parents via local media and
with the assistance of local police.

Safety of everyone at the school, Students, Staff and Visitors is the most important aspect. If something
occurs that this policy does not cover then
USE COMMON SENSE
Safety FIRST!

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Appendix 1

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Appendix 2

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Appendix 3

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