College Emergency Procedures

Scots College Emergency Procedures:

• Key staff are nominated to form a crisis management team and are responsible to carry out the different response plans for our school
• The College has an extensive emergency plan in place for all civil emergency situations.
• The College has evacuation drills for different emergency scenarios and practice drills are held regularly. For example this year the College will hold drills for an earthquake, fire and lock-down. You can view the College evacuation map here.
• The College evacuation zone sits above the tsunami safe line for our area and therefore we do not have to locate to higher ground in the event of a tsunami. If deemed necessary The Good Shepherd Church carpark is available an a nearby higher alternative.
• Telecommunications allowing, parents will be notified of their child’s safety via the College App (instead of text message), Facebook, email and the school website
• The College has a considerable stock of emergency, shelter and first aid supplies to care for students and staff onsite

Parents & Caregivers – what you can do:

• Ensure the College has all up-to-date mobile, email contact information for you and your nominated emergency contacts. You can check and edit these details when you log on to your PC Schools Spider account. Please note your child will only be released to you or his nominated emergency contact.
• An SMS will be sent out to all parents in the event of a major disaster as an emergency notification.
• Download the College App to receive urgent notifications. From past experience the College App and Facebook have been the most effective channels of communication.
• ‘Like’ Scots College on Facebook. Please note you will need to visit the College’s facebook page as we cannot guarantee any posts will appear in your personal newsfeed.
•  Have your own family emergency communication plan in place, particularly if your family is located in different parts of the City during the day.
• In the event of a major disaster the College is well equipped to provide for student and staff onsite and for this reason parents/caregivers do not need to risk their own lives by rushing to collect children.
•  Utilise official sources of information across the Wellington region – Metlink , NZTA, Wellington Emergency Response, Red cross hazard app – all which provide updates on how flooding and earthquakes continue to impact upon the region.
• If your child has specific dietary requirements then we recommend providing a named, sealed container with non-perishable foods to College Nurse Jo Smith in the Health Centre who will store it with the other emergency food supplies.

If you have feedback, please email us here.

Earthquake Preparedness & Emergency Evacuation Plan

Phase 1: Pre-event

• This constitutes us having risk and hazard evaluations, emergency procedures documented, and an emergency co-ordination group or crisis team established. This team is made up of senior management, nurse, property managers etc. Each member has designated responsibilities should a major event occur.
• As part of this planning we have involved the expertise of both WEMO and the Fire Service in developing our evacuation plans and locating our muster areas.
• We also undertake termly emergency evacuation drills and earthquake specific drills are completed regularly as well as lockdown and general evacuations.
• We have emergency supplies of food, water and specialist equipment stored in a centralised location as well as having 9 emergency wheelie bins spread out around the school. These supplies are sufficient to look after a large number of staff and students should they not be able to be collected immediately.

Phase 2: The event itself

• It is important to realise that there will be no warning of an earthquake and no alarm bells will go off. All staff and students have to react to whatever circumstances they are faced with. Students are drilled to “Drop, Cover, Hold” while the shaking occurs. Once the shaking has stopped then staff will evaluate the situation.

Phase 3: Post event

• If it is minor then there may be no need for any further action.
• If it is more severe and there may be some chance of aftershocks, injury or damage to buildings then an evacuation alarm may be rung and all staff and students will evacuate to the muster areas at the back of the school for rolls to be checked and the crisis team to evaluate the situation.
• If it is a major event with obvious damage to buildings and/or fire then staff will immediately evacuate via the safest route to the muster areas at the back of the school. The crisis team will then take over management of the situation
• If a tsunami warning is issued the current tsunami modelling indicates that the outer edge of the tsunami risk zone lies on the front field and does not enclose any school buildings. All emergency meeting areas at the back of the College are above the Tsunami Warning Zone.

How will you know if you need to collect your child and from where?

• In the event of A MAJOR DISASTER, parents/guardians are asked to stay tuned to their radio or television for information on the Wellington region. If possible they should also monitor the College website and app for messages issued directly by the College.
• It is important to realise that the means of communication available to the College could be severely affected in a major disaster. The crisis team will endeavour to use as many means of communication as possible to ensure as many families as possible are kept up-to-date.
• When emergency conditions result in school schedule changes, information will be posted on as many of the following means of communications as possible; website, app and Facebook. An SMS will be sent out in the event of a major emergency.
• If communication and access allows then information may also be sent directly via email.
• The main phone line is to be kept free for Emergency service updates.

In case of an Emergency that requires student pick-up

If it is a small emergency involving a limited number of students then parents will be contacted directly by email or phone informing them of the need to collect their child or children from school.

If it is a College wide event then the need for student collection will be communicated as part of any announcements made via the College website, app or Facebook

Upon arriving at the school, it is important to STAY CALM and follow these directions:

1. CHECK-IN signs will be posted. The exact location of the CHECK-IN area will be determined post event. It will be established in a place deemed to be both safe and accessible. Follow signs or instructions to the CHECK-IN area. DO NOT GO TO YOUR CHILD’S CLASSROOOM or enter any buildings.
2. At CHECK-IN, you will be asked to show identification to verify you are either a parent or emergency contact as listed in our database. Students WILL NOT be released to people who are not on our database.
3. From CHECK-IN, you will be directed to the RELEASE area. You will be asked again to show identification and will be required to sign your child or children out.
4. Your child will be brought to the RELEASE area and released to you.