The Standard Response Protocol Extended (SRPx) is an important piece of the All Hazards Plan. The Standard Response Protocol Extended provides five distinct options for school officials to choose at the outbreak of crisis. Each uses language designed to be easily understood by children, parents, school personnel, and first responders. The responses are:
Lockout: “Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors”
Lockdown: “Locks, Lights, and Out of Sight”
Evacuate: “To the Announced Location”
Shelter: “For a Hazard Using a Safety Strategy”
Hold: “In Your Classroom”
The Standard Response Protocol Extended, while serving as a guide, is also accompanied with training workshops and practice for students and school personnel so whenever these commands are issued in schools, the children and adults within the schools will immediately know what to do.
In order to have county-wide coordination, additional partnerships with those having law enforcement and emergency expertise were established. The Community Partners listed are committed to this initiative.
Having these partnerships can make a significant difference at the onset of a crisis. Not only will school personnel be better prepared to act, but law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel who are the first to arrive will have a greater understanding of the situation and the actions that are being undertaken by the school personnel at the scene.
Berks County Department of Emergency Services
Berks County Chiefs of Police
PA State Police – Troop L
Berks County Sheriff’s Department
Berks County Mental Health/ Developmental Disabilities Program
Berks County Chapter of the American Red Cross
Berks County Fire Services
Berks County EMS Agencies
As part of the cooperative effort with our schools and community partners, BCIU has developed All Hazards Plan curriculum tools. Lesson plans and activities were created for Berks County teachers to use in their classrooms to teach the five Standard Response Protocol Extended (Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter, and Hold) and Run, Hide, Fight model (response to an active shooter).
The lesson plans are created based on the following levels:
The lesson plans and activities for the Standard Response Protocol Extended and Run, Hide, Fight model are being disseminated to Berks County Curriculum Coordinators, Berks Administrators of Special Education, and Berks County Superintendents at their September network meetings.
Another ongoing priority for the school districts in Berks County is Keeping Kids Safe. Working collaboratively with our first responders and mental health providers will assist us in increasing safety for the children and the adults that serve our youth in our Berks County schools.