ANGRY PARENT Intruder Scenario

Today we are faced with the pre-eminent fact that, if civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together and work together in the same world, at peace.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt - last written words

The Scenario

3:03 P.M.

A female with a baseball bat was seen on the playground. Holding the bat extended in her left hand, shaking it above her head and screaming at students who had been dismissed for the day.

After hearing the yelling and viewing the women brandishing the ball bat the kindergarten teacher immediately called the office on the intercom and report the situation. After which the kindergarten teacher went outside and confronted the woman.

The kindergarten teacher was able to divert the women’s attention from the students to herself. She was also able to maintain a reasonably safe distance between herself and the assailant until the women flung the bat at the kindergarten teacher striking her in the leg and knocking her to the ground. Whereupon the woman retrieved the bat and headed to the front entrance of the school.

Additional Information:

• The School Resource Officer (SRO) is on campus
• The nurse is on campus, but in the opposite end of the building
• There are a number of children and 85% of the staff within the building
• Half of the students are outside
• Half on the south side of the building and half on the north side
• The principal is out of town at a training event
• The secretary is in the office

3:08 P.M.
Establish your management structure using the ICS (incident command system).
Draw your initial emergency organization, including the personnel assigned to each position (by title), in the space provided below. PD/Fire/EMT - report what you would do in the first 4 minutes.

1. What should be done first? Why?
2. What is your first concern in this situation?
3. What special concerns should you have?
4. What contingencies must you plan for?

3:10 P.M.
The police have been notified and are on their way.
The female with the baseball bat entered the school and struck a custodian in the head. The custodian is lying in front of the office, blocking the way into the office. The custodian is unconscious and bleeding profusely from the back of the head.
The female has now started toward the gymnasium area where there are about sixty children waiting for buses and BTB (After school program beyond the bell).

Continued planning:

• Does this information change your planning? If so/ how?
• Will you evacuate some or all of the school?
• For what contingencies will you consider now?
• What will you tell parents?
• How will you notify them?

3:15 P.M.
The police have arrived at the scene

• They have blocked exits to the entire school and are maintaining a secure perimeter
• Fire personnel and several emergency medical services crews were dispatched and are now on site.
• Police Officers are entering the building at this time

Continued planning:

1. Who will be allowed to enter the building?
2. What information will you provide to the police?
3. How will you work with the police throughout the remainder of this incident?
4. Who will manage media/parents and other roles now that the PD is on site?
5. What long-range contingencies will you consider now?

3:18 P.M.
The female has been apprehended and is being taken out of the building by the police.

• The media arrived within minutes after an all call was issued on an emergency frequency
• No children were hurt
• Several parents entered the building during the chaos
• The parents are upset and demanding to talk with the principal
• The Kindergarten teacher outside has serious leg injuries and is being attended to by rescue personnel
• The custodian is in critical condition and is going to be life-flighted to a the trauma center

Wrap up planning:

1. What can be done to assist the police in addressing the parent's concerns?
2. What will be divulged to the media?
3. What insights has participating in this exercise provided you about your school's or district's state of readiness for an emergency situation involving an intruder on campus?
4. What revisions would you recommend to your emergency plan as a result?

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Dr. Robert Sweetland's notes
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