Pullman Public Schools

In 2007, the Washington State Legislature imposed new requirements for school safety planning, training, emergency drills and reporting. The requirements addressing school safety and security are found in Substitute Senate Bill 5097 (SSB 5097).

The legislation promotes the implementation of previous school safety efforts with new building drills and reporting obligations. Included in the legislation is the requirement of building principals to train and receive certification in the Incident Command System (ICS). Schools are required to use and update the school mapping system as well as expanding the types of required monthly emergency drills. Annual reporting by building through the mapping information system must take place each year and school districts are to develop and implement safe school plans. Districts are also directed to consider how their facilities may be used in communitywide emergencies and are encouraged to develop cooperative emergency exercises with local response agencies.

In developing the Safe School Plan for Pullman School District, many of the criteria set forth in the new legislative requirements had already been developed. Pullman School District does have a district crisis plan in place and each school has modified district crisis plans that identify safety issues pursuant to their location as well as relocation identification models and building safety crisis teams that work in conjunction with the district crisis team. These teams have been developed to work specifically on issues that deal with student and staff communication and mobilization in crisis situations including pre and post events that would activate their services.

The Administration of Pullman School District has been involved in the development of relationships between local and county police, fire and response teams that will provide aid in crisis situations. Pullman School District also works directly with the Pullman Police Department through the efforts of a full time Resource Officer provided by the City.

The Pullman School District Board of Director's and the Administration of the Pullman School District remain committed to the ongoing implementation and any necessary improving revisions of a structured comprehensive school safety plan.

Pullman School District Safe Schools Plan

The Pullman School District Plan:

• Includes school safety policies and procedures
• Addresses emergency mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery
• Includes provisions to assist and communicate with students and staff, including those with special needs and disabilities
• Use's training guidance as provided by Washington State Emergency Management Division in collaboration with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the school safety center advisory committee
• Requires that building principals be certified on the Incident Command System (ICS)
• Will take into account how school facilities may be used as community assets in the event of a community-wide emergency.
• Will set guidelines for requesting city or county law enforcement, local fire departments, emergency service providers, and county/municipal emergency management agencies to meet with school districts and participate in safety-related drills annually

Through the School Mapping System, the Administrative staff at Pullman School District will report and record the following to the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC):

• Review and update safe school plans in collaboration with local emergency response agencies
• Conduct an inventory of all hazardous materials
• Update current staffing and plans, including:
  • Identifying all staff members who are trained on the National Incident Management System (NIMS), trained on the Incident Command System (ICS), or are certified on the Incident Command System (ICS).
  • Identifying school transportation procedures for evacuation, to include bus staging areas, evacuation routes, communication systems, parent-student reunification sites, and secondary transportation agreements consistent with the school mapping information system.
  • Provide information to all staff on emergency notification and alert procedures as well as the use of emergency supplies.

Pullman School District will also work with local emergency management agencies to conduct:

• One tabletop exercise
• One functional exercise
• Two full-scale exercises within a four-year period

Pullman School District will in each building on an annual basis while students are present in the building:

• Conduct no less than one safety-related drill each mon
  • Conduct no less than one drill using the school mapping information system (can be re-concentration of one of the following drills)
  • Conduct no less than one drill for lockdowns
  • Conduct no less than one drill for shelter-in-place (move students to central location, i.e. gymnasium)
  • Conduct no less than six drills for fire evacuation in accordance with the state fire code
• Each school should consider drills for earthquakes, or other high-risk local events
• Each school shall document the date and time of drills

Pullman School District Safe School Plan adopted August 27, 2008.

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