School Safety Assessments
For over two decades CSI has been conducting school safety assessments and reviewing crisis response plans for schools, colleges and universities. CSI personnel will utilize our proprietary 100 plus page assessment document to assess items including but not limited to:
- Campus and Facility safety
- Organizational security
- Safety drills and training
- Policies and procedures
- CPTED Audits & CPTED Assessments
CSI school safety assessors will utilize digital cameras, recording devices and other equipment to document various aspects of the school district operations. Assessors will observe the campuses and facilities at various times throughout the day and into the evenings, returning to see conditions both at night and on weekends, when many campuses have school or other activities occurring.
CSI School Safety Assessments also include:
CSI staff will also examine the district in the context of applying the basic elements of school safety: policies and procedures, programs, partnerships, physical security, and personnel. Throughout the evaluation, assessors will note the discrepancies between written policies and actual procedures; examine various programs that are currently being utilized by the district or individual campuses; seek out partnership opportunities with school stakeholders; and note areas of physical security that are well established and maintained as well as those areas that may need minor improvements or major modifications. We’ll also help you with your CPTED audits and CPTED assessments.
School Safety Assessment Teams
- Campus and District Safety Teams
- Campus and District Safety Teams assist schools with planning and preparation for all-hazards events. These teams meet regularly throughout the year providing campus safety assessments and reviewing crisis response plans.
- Threat Assessment Teams
- This inter-disciplinary team is empowered to identify, analyze and respond to threats against students, district personnel and facilities.
- Campus Safety Teams
- Campus Safety Teams meet on regular intervals to conduct campus safety audits, review policies and procedures and oversee campus safety training.
- Crisis Response Teams
- Crisis Response Teams have specific duties and responsibilities during a school-based incident or crisis. These teams mobilize to assist students in lockdowns and evacuations.
Core Elements of CSI Assessments
- Plans
- Policies
- Practice
School safety is comprised of three primary elements: planning which includes all-hazards response plans; policies and procedures to keep the facility and its personnel safe and practice including realistic drills and practical training.
School Safety Assessments
- CSI Assessment Instruments review 100’s of safety and security areas including:
- Physical Security – entrances, exits, playgrounds,classrooms
- Building Design
- Traffic Flow
- Deterrence Technologies
- Detection Technologies
- Communications
- CPTED Assessments
- CPTED Audits
- Training
- Drills – Lockdowns, Shelter-in-Place, Evacuation
- Reunification Sites
A Lockdown procedure may be implemented when a situation occurs that may be an imminent hazard to health or is life threatening. It is intended to limit access and hazards by controlling and managing staff and students in order to increase safety and reduce possible victimization.
An evacuation is necessary when imminent danger requires a move to a safer location.
On-site evacuation is when persons are removed from school to a safe location on the premises or nearby property. The most common on-site evacuation is a fire drill where students are directed to leave the building and assemble at safe locations on or near the campus.
Off-site evacuation occurs when persons are removed from the school to a remote safe location such as a primary evacuation site or directly to the reunion site. An off-site evacuation usually requires transportation.
A Shelter-in-Place procedure may be implemented when a situation occurs that may be a hazard to health or is life threatening. It can be used when it is safer to keep the students inside the building rather than expose them to possible harm by allowing them to leave the building. Tornado warnings, wildfires or terrorist incidents may all trigger a shelter-in-place, securing the students while keeping the buildings open for entry only.
Let’s Work Together
At CSI, we value information and insight from our clients. Whether conducting an assessment, developing training, building a customized distance learning platform or providing technical assistance we work closely with our professional partners to customize their initiatives to meet their specific goals and needs.