In a serious emergency, school administrators may decide to lock down, shelter-in-place or evacuate. Practice drills are conducted on a regular basis to prepare for these types of emergencies.  Drills provide a valuable opportunity for students and staff to practice what to do in the event of an emergency at school.

Fire Drills/Evacuation
If it is unsafe for students, staff, and visitors to remain inside the building, they will evacuate to designated locations on campus or off-site. The most common evacuation is a fire drill.

Fire drills are held almost every month. All persons are required to leave the building during a fire drill.  Students exit the building and remain at a designated location where their teachers count them. Everyone will remain outside until the “all clear” message is given.

If students and staff need to leave school grounds, we will walk or go by bus to our designated off-site emergency locations.  If it is determined that students are going to be released from the off-site emergency site, students will only be released to parents or guardians who are listed on the emergency card and have proper I.D.

Severe Weather Drills
Severe weather is any weather condition that may cause injury to students and staff or damage to structures. Different types of weather call for different type of actions. Schools will go into shelter-in-place if the threat of severe weather is in the area.  Depending on the situation, students may be directed to move away from rooms on the perimeter of buildings and go to the designated inside safe locations, or to assume a protected body posture.  Severe weather drills are practiced once a year in the spring.

Reverse Evacuation Drills
The reverse evacuation drill is practiced in the event we need to move students back into our buildings because it is dangerous for them to remain outside. When conditions inside the building are safer than outside, the school administrator will call all students and staff back in using the nearest entrance.  No person is allowed to enter or leave the building during this event.

Intruder Drills
Intruder drills are practiced in the event there is an intruder or crisis occurring inside or outside the school building. An announcement is given that the building is going on an immediate lockdown. At that point, all students and staff present go to the nearest classroom and lock all doors.  Students and staff are trained with multi-option responses, which teach them a variety of ways to respond and escape.  Hiding in place and barricading doors, running to safety or defending themselves are all options, reviewed in conjunction with local authorities.

In the Event of a School Emergency

In the event of an emergency, parents should:

• DO check the CHSD webpage for updated information (http://www.camphillsd.k12.pa.us).
• DO listen and watch for Blackboard messages for updates and information.
• DO tune into local TV/radio stations for school news alerts.
• DO listen for information regarding reunification with your child.
• REFRAIN from going to your child’s school. This will create traffic congestion hampering the efforts of first responders.
• REFRAIN from calling your child or your child’s school. Excessive phone calls could be distracting and interfere with emergency communications.