Essential reunification resources and supplies should be collected into go-kits that can be easily transported and accessed following an evacuation. It is important to have at least one backup site identified in case the original evacuation/reunification site cannot be used (e.g., the site had been damaged by the same crisis/disaster). Because emergencies can happen at any time during the school day, schools and childcare facilities hold drills to help students and staff practice staying safe in the event of an emergency. One important thing to keep in mind is the content of the notification message. Lack of access to the student information system (S.I.S.) For the purposes of this document, reunification is defined as the process of assisting displaced disaster survivors, including children, in voluntarily reestablishing contact with family and friends after a period of separation. Description Title: Easy as ABC – Three Steps to Protect Your Child During Emergencies in the School Day. Educators and child care providers play an important role in helping children stay safe before, during, and after emergencies. Helping Children with Disabilities During an Emergency (CDC) The National Center for Child Traumatic Stress ; National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement ; Journey of Hope (Save the Children) Children and Disasters (American Academy of Pediatrics) Helping Children Cope After a Disaster (FEMA Accessible) Should it be required, the reunification of students with their parents following an active shooter event will be one of the most complex and involved responsibilities school staff members may ever face. Remember, it is our primary concern that students remain safe at all times, and there is a plan for an orderly dismissal and release of our students. The top part should also ask for the name of the person picking up the student, their relationship with the student, and their phone number. Utilizing reunification cards can help to ensure a smooth reunification process. Clearly, schools will need to determine in advance how to notify caregivers their children have been evacuated and need to be picked up at the reunification/evacuation site. (2015). School Emergency Forms In our world today, it is more important than ever that we plan and prepare for any emergency… That plan is called "reunification", and it will have a huge impact on how the community grades your school's emergency response. Often these sites include nearby schools; however, they may also include other facilities such as large churches and recreation centers. This handout addresses key considerations to this process in the event that a school has been evacuated. This will be dependent on the level of impact experienced by students, staff and the community. Please bring your identification. Full-scale drills are rarely conducted as they involve deploying all necessary resources and require much in the way of planning and financial resources. In addition to the means of transportation to potential evacuation sites, the reunification plan should also include predetermined routes for getting students, school staff, security, first responders, and other support personnel to and from the site. Reunification is the means for safe, orderly and documented reunion of students and families when event(s) at a school or in the neighborhood require that students are physically returned to a parent, guardian, or designated emergency contact. Why Should School Psychologists Care About Medicaid? This process is crucial as the reestablishment of social supports is often the only mental health crisis intervention needed and is especially important for younger children.. Informal tabletop exercises can be helpful in clarifying roles and responsibilities of crisis response team members and school personnel during reunification. NCMEC is staffed 24-hours a day. Reunification following school evacuation: Guidelines for administrators and crisis response teams. The vast majority of parents in the United States work outside the home. Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Creating Safe School Climates (available at the Secret Service Web site: NIMS Resource Center: Public Information (available at the NIMS Web site: Introduction to the Incident Command System for Schools Independent Study Course (IS-100.SCa) (available at the Emergency Management Institute Web site: Incident Command System (ICS) forms (available at the NIMS Resource Center Web site: National Organization on Disability Web site (, Managing the Psychological Aftermath of School Incidents Seminar (, Responding to Pandemic Flu in the Classroom Seminar (, School Nurse’s Role in Incidents Seminar (. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Post-Disaster Reunification of Children: A Nationwide Approach Published November 2013 by FEMA, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), American Red Cross, and National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CSSRC Staff Review 11/27/13 Emergency drills involve actual practice of reunification protocols, while functional exercises involve responding to a simulated event within realistic time frames. 1. Ideally, the site will have a number of large rooms so that students can be divided up and grouped by grade level. This process of notification will vary from school to school depending on available resources. Similarly, taking attendance at the reunification site is the only way to account for students. and cover releasing students to their parents or guardians. A predetermined and practiced reunification process helps to ensure that reunification will not add to the anxiety and trauma of the crisis. Ideally, the site will have a number of large rooms so that students can be divided up and grouped by grade level. In addition, having these individuals visible can facilitate a sense of safety and security. Keeping track of who is at school and who is not is critical to minimizing chaos and anxiety during reunification. Our mission is to protect every child, every school, every day. This checklist can be used in developing a reunification functional annex to the district or school’s EOP/Safety Plan. The bottom part of the card should also include the student’s date of birth. Regardless, the site must be large enough to accommodate the entire student body and all school staff, as well as caregivers and additional volunteers as needed. and schools on the reunification of children with parents or legal guardians following an emergency or disaster. To support the reunification of children under 21 years of age with their parent (s)/legal guardian, FEMA works in collaboration with the NCMEC. When caregivers arrive on site, they fill out a card for each child they are picking up. School reunification plans vary by several factors, including legal requirements to have plans in place, the size of the school, and existing school systems and/or networks. Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program Toolkit (available at the HSEEP Web site: Fire and Explosion Scenario — Instructor: Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning Guide (Volume III) (available at the HSEEP Web site: Exercise Evaluation and Improvement Planning Independent Study Course (IS-130) (available at the HSEEP Web site: Exercise Planning and Conduct Guide (Volume II) (available at the HSEEP Web site: Hazardous Materials Scenario — Instructor: HSEEP Overview and Exercise Management Program Guide (Volume I) (available at the HSEEP Web site: Sample Exercise Materials Guide (Volume IV) (available at the HSEEP Web site: Sample Exercise Materials Independent Study Course (IS-120.A) (available at the HSEEP Web site: Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment for Schools (available at the National Clearinghouse Web site: Identifying School-Based Hazards—Building Mitigation Checklist: Identifying School-Based Hazards—Classroom Mitigation Checklist: Identifying School-Based Hazards—School Grounds Mitigation Checklist: National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF) Web site (. An estimated 69 million children in the United States are in school or child care on any given weekday. Primer To Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks (FEMA 428) (available at the FEMA Web site library: Reference Manual To Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks Against Buildings (FEMA 426) (available at the FEMA Web site library: Understanding Your Risks: Identifying Hazards and Estimating Losses (FEMA 386-2) (available at the FEMA Web site library: CERT: Community Emergency Response Team Information (available at the Citizen Corps Web site: Lead and Manage My School: Emergency Planning Toolkit for Schools (available at the Department of Education Web site: Masters of Disaster, Disaster Education: A Preparedness Curriculum for K-8 Teachers (available at the American Red Cross Web site: Thirty Tips for Emergency Preparedness (available at the Department of Homeland Security Web site: Threat Assessment in Schools: A Guide to Managing Threatening Situations and to Create Safe School Climates (available at the Secret Service Web site: Evacuation and Reunification video (available at the Deer Valley Unified School District Web site: Managing the Psychological Aftermath of School Incidents Seminar (. School crisis response teams are encouraged to schedule and conduct some type of reunification practice at least once a year, at different times of the day and year. The school resource officer grabbed a youngster, held him or her over the officer’s head and said, “Whose is this?” We call that Reunification Plan, the Simba Plan. Recommended Citation:NASP School Safety and Crisis Response Committee. Center for Safe Schools - School Risk Assessment Form Completion of the Risk Assessment matrix is a first step in creating or reviewing your school All Hazards Plan. In addition, it can be incredibly helpful in the immediate aftermath of a crisis to have not only lists of caregivers who are authorized to pick up each student, but also a list of those with custodial and/or contact restrictions to ensure that students are only released to legal guardians and authorized caregivers. Brief Facts and TipsThis handout addresses key considerations to this process of notification will vary school. 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