School District No. 35

Responding to Emergencies in Schools

Health and safety are a priority in the Langley School District. Schools follow emergency procedures to ensure students, staff, and any visitors in our schools or sites are safe. 

At the start of every school year, administrators, teachers, and staff are trained on emergency procedures. Schools practice a set number of drills annually in preparation for unexpected situations. Below are staff emergency procedures followed as well as a list of drills completed in our schools. 

Lockdown

Used in response to an armed or dangerous assailant WITHIN the school.

• Gather people in your vicinity into a secure room – do this quickly
• Close and secure doors
• Turn off lights, be quiet, get down low/behind heavy furniture, get out of sight
• Silence all cell phones and ask that they be placed face down on floor
• Alert other occupants by any means available and/or call 911 – only if safe to do so OR Leave Safe. If no secure area is available and a safe exit is, then quickly leave the area/school. Report to the designated assembly area and await instructions.

Hold & Secure

Used if there is a security concern in the neighbourhood.

• Bring everyone into the school and remain inside
• Secure exterior doors and windows
• Close exterior window blinds/drapes (if available)
• No one may enter or exit the school during Hold & Secure

Evacuate

Used to move people out of the school when a hazard exists inside.

• Direct students and other staff to exit the school via the shortest safe route
• Report to and assemble outside at the designated assembly site

Shelter In Place

Used if an environmental hazard may impact the school.

• Bring everyone into the school and remain indoors
• Secure exterior doors and windows
• Close exterior window blinds/drapes (if available)
• Turn off all ventilation systems (if locally available/situation dependent)
• Staff designates will monitor access to the school via the main entrance
• Access may be denied if a risk exists that jeopardizes the safety of occupants

Room Clear

Used to move people away from a hazard contained in one room/area.

• Direct students to leave the room/area and report to designated area (Ex. Library)
• Summon assistance as needed and appropriate (Ex. call First Aid Attendant, Principal/Vice-Principal, 911)

Drop, Cover & Hold On

Used in the event of an earthquake, explosion, or any event that shakes the school.

• Quickly move away from obvious hazards
• DROP – low to the ground
• Cover – take Cover under a sturdy table, desks, furniture, or other large sturdy items
• HOLD ON – to the furniture you are under and stay there until the shaking stops

After the shaking stops, wait 60 seconds and then evacuate via the shortest safe route. Report to and assemble outside at the designated assembly site.

Fire drills are held in schools six times per year – three per semester. Actual alarms and false alarms also count towards the total number of drills. Earthquake drills are held twice per year, including in October for the province-wide Great B.C. Shakeout. Three lockdown drills are also held in schools each year, while hold and secure and shelter in place procedures are reviewed by everyone once per year.