U.S. Department of Education Emergency Response and Crisis Management Initiative

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U.S. Department of EducationEmergency Response
and Crisis Management Initiative
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Upper Darby, Pennsylvania

• Located on the border of West Philadelphia
• 8 square miles with a population of approximately
  90,000
• 22 Schools (14 public 8 non-public)
• 18,000 students total
• 4,000 students in Upper Darby High School

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Upper Darby School District Safe Schools

• Long history of safe schools initiatives
• On-going training of administrators and staff
• Regular drills
• Collaboration among safe schools partners
• Several incidents highlighted our need to focus
  on special needs populations.

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Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM)
Special Needs Project Goal

• To increase the districts, schools, and
  partners capacity to effectively respond to
  students with special needs in an emergency or
  crisis, most notably special education students
  and students who do not speak English.

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• Autistic Support Program
• Students with autism have
• unique needs during drills
• and emergencies due
• to their disability.

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Professional Meeting

• Brainstorming session with principal and teachers
  
• about emergency preparedness and response led
• to the following outcomes
• Need for additional items in the Go-Kit.
• Identification of need for classroom teacher to
  remain with students with autism at all times.
• Need for evacuation site with separate area for
  Autistic Support Program.

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Classroom Go-Kits

• Teachers in the Autistic Support Program created
• Go-Kits that include the following items
• Headsets
• Sensory toys
• Snacks
• Picture Time Line

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Drill Planning Meeting

• Lockdown and evacuation drill with bus
  transportation planned.
• Participants
• -School Crisis Team Members
• -Upper Darby School District Transportation
  
• Department
• -Upper Darby School District Senior Safety
• Officer
• -Upper Darby Township Emergency
• Management Services
• -First Responders

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Summary of Lockdown Evacuation Drill

• School-wide lockdown evacuation to off-site
  location.
• Go-kits.
• Teachers remained with their students.
• Bus transportation.
• Separate area at evacuation site for Autistic
  Support Program.
• Students returned to school at the conclusion of
  the drill.

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Drill Outcome

• All students and staff participated safely in the
  drill.
• Feedback from first responders about the schools
  actions was positive.
• Principal from nearby elementary school observed.
  Her school is also a potential evacuation site
  for school. She is better informed.
• Preparation made a difference.

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Research on Autism Emergency Response

• The following experts were consulted to enhance
• our understanding of autism and emergency
• response
• Autistic Support Staff
• Parent advocates
• Autism advocacy organization

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Autism First Responders

• Upper Darby School District purchased training
  video on autism for Upper Darby Police. They
  incorporated the video into yearly training
  program.
• Upper Darby School District provided a 1 hour
  training on autism the Autistic Support Program
  to firefighters and paramedics.

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Win-Win

• Upper Darby School District had the opportunity
  to share some basic information about their
  students.
• First responders earned training hours and gained
  a better understanding of what they may encounter
  when coming to our schools.
• Training provided a unique opportunity for
  dialogue between the school and first responders.
  

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Contact Information

• Margie Bates
• Upper Darby School District
• 4611 Bond Avenue
• Drexel Hill, PA 19026
• Telephone [phone]