School Evacuation...You Never Know When...?

School Gas Leak Incident: (Derby, Connecticut) At approximately 9:53 am on Thursday July 17th, Derby High School was evacuated due to a natural gas leak reported at the school. 911 was called so the Police Department and Fire Department were dispatched and responded as the school was being evacuated to an adjacent school, Derby Middle School.  The School Superintendent issued a press release stating that all emergency procedures were followed by the school and no one was injured with school resuming operations later that afternoon.


Cause of Gas Leak: An extermination company (a third party contractor) was drilling into the foundation outside of the school and possibly ruptured the gas line according to media reporting. At present it is believed that the workers reported the gas leak to school officials who activated 911 response while evacuating the school.  

Points for Consideration / Discussion: 

• School incidents can occur at any time, when you least expect it, and can be when it is most inconvenient. (During summer school, adult education classes in the evening, during a parent teacher conference, during a school play, band competition, or an indoor or outdoor sporting event.) 
• Typically one of the school administrators are responsible for the oversight of the cleanliness and maintenance of school facility and should be kept apprised of all work done on, in, or outside of the school. 
• Those functions have impacts on deliveries (routine or not routine), IT installations, repairs and maintenance, alarm systems and camera repairs or upgrades, snow removal or salting, and landscaping. Those activities can result in people not normally associated with the daily functioning of the school to have access to the school facility or exposure to underage student body which should be a security consideration. 
• The School Administrator who is responsible for the facility, should always discuss and maintain situational awareness of work to be done with their Head Custodian or Head Facilities worker at the school. That school administrator should ask basic supervisory questions of any maintenance activities that will take place. IF digging is to take place, everyone should ask "Who notified the utilities company to ensure it is safe to dig, before we dig?" This isn't micromanagement but responsible supervision by query.
• Typically when the school is operating outside of the standard school schedule (summer, after school hours, nights, and weekends), there is not as many supervisors or as much emphasis placed on safety and security. It is important to not confuse enthusiasm with capability here. Part of any event should be a discussion with all participants on Evacuation, Lock Down, Lock Out, and Shelter in Place. This should be followed by a drill or walk through / talk through rehearsal. 
• Being aware in an "olfactory" way: Anything that smells out of the ordinary should be reported immediately. A gas leak or an electrical fire are often identified by an unusual smell first. A gas leak by an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) intake valve could send natural gas or fumes throughout a facility rapidly. 
• May people feeling sick at once. Or if numerous occupants of the building feel dizzy, light-headed, or have headaches; this needs to be reported immediately. If a school nurse or trainer is present, multiple people complaining of those ailments should trigger your reporting and possible recommendation to evacuate to get fresh air. 
• Remember, anyone can and should call 911 if there is a security or safety threat. Never assume someone else did. 
• How would an evacuation go during:
• Summer School ? Summer Academy?
• Indoor School Graduation?
• Parent Teacher Conferences at Night?
• Friday Night Basketball Game with a packed gym?
• After school program at your school?  
• Some Other Helpful Questions for Incidents at Off Peak Hours:
• During school off hours, who specifically is in charge of everyone else? 
•  Who is the person in charge of conferring with First Responders when they arrive. 
• Does the person who is in charge, know they are in charge? Do they know their role during an incident?
• Does part of their (non school district organizations) Memorandum Of Understanding (in the case of an after school or community program use of the school) require them to notify anyone in the School District Central Office if an incident occurs? 
• Who (specific persons) do they notify and how (specific contact information during the off hours)?

Could this incident have been prevented? If a gas line was ruptured during indoor or outdoor drilling, then the answer is YES. Conferring with the public utility company or building engineer (indoor work) prior to any digging can identify no-drill areas for safety purposes. 

While the incident in Derby was minor, what if there had been an explosion and injuries? The same type of questions (see above) would be asked during an investigation, and most likely during a cross examination in a criminal trial or civil suit so they are worthy of consideration know.

It is about Preparation, nor Paranoia. Prevention is so much better than a well executed Response. 

Schools with Pools: Risks and Hazards...Who Knows What They Are?

NOT A GRAPHIC ANY ORGANIZATION WOULD WANT TO SEE ON THE NEWS

Many educational institutions, both public and private, have swimming pools and they are a vital part of the school community. Whether they are used for swim teams, swimming lessons (essential life skill), or other appropriate aquatic activities they are important to the educational process.  There are hazards associated with pools that schools need to assess to first protect LIFE, next protect School Operations (including aquatic activities), and then protect the School Facility (safe use of the pool facility). 

RISK MITIGATION: There are enhanced RISKS associated with a school pool that can be mitigated if you are aware of the Hazards. Those hazards are drowning; shallow water blackout (hyperventilating and then holding breath during long underwater swims); slips, trips, and falls (running around a pool with wet tile); diving into shallow water, electrocution concerns, chemical hazards in particular unique to chlorine (too much chlorine in the water as an irritant or chlorine gas which can be deadly). During World War One, chlorine gas was purposefully used in gas warfare so the unintended creation of chlorine gas in a confined area can have fatal and legal consequences.

RISK MANAGEMENT: Having an All Hazard Risk Assessment for school pool operations is the key to protecting LIFE, SCHOOL OPERATIONS, and SCHOOL FACILITY. Assessing and educating all to the risks, developing a strategy (education, training, equipment) to mitigate those specific risks, and then assessing that mitigation process as a part of your school's preparedness culture is key.  

LINK TO TV NEWS

HAZMAT POOL RELATED INCIDENT: FRUITLAND TOWNSHIP, Michigan:  On July 11, 2014, the release of chlorine gas from the pool area at Michigan Adventure, a water and amusement park sent 28 people — 18 guests and 10 lifeguards — to the hospital. No severe injuries were reported as the exposure appeared to be minimal. Those taken to the hospital suffered respiratory issues, including mild irritation to the nose ears and lungs. Sixty Two other people are being medically evaluated caused dozens of others to require care on Friday afternoon. Those taken to the hospital, Mercy Health Muskegon, were treated and released said the hospital’s chief medical officer.

CAUSE OF HAZARD: Muskegon County Hazmat official told media sources that two pool chemicals were mixed, causing a chlorine gas cloud. Authorities said the chlorine release was under control late Friday afternoon. A Hazmat official said it was too early to speculate on what caused it, and park employees are investigating. In severe cases, those who come into contact with chlorine could develop a lung condition requiring supported ventilation, but he did not believe that would be necessary in this case. However, the effects of chemical exposure can be delayed, and as a precaution, he warned people to watch for wheeziness and shortness of breath, particularly in children.

MASS CASUALTY HAZMAT MUTUAL AID RESPONSE: Hazmat officials said the people who came into contact with the chlorine were quickly moved to a decontamination area in the parking lot, and given the circumstances, the process went very smoothly.  Authorities brought in a FIRE DEPARTMENT HAZMAT DECONTAMINATION large shower to rinse off people who came into contact with the chlorine. Multiple fire trucks, law enforcement officials and ambulances rushed to the scene around 3:30 p.m. A large shower was brought to the parking lot to help people who had come into contact with the chlorine rinse off, according a First Responder from the Whitehall Rescue unit.

The rest of the park remained open Friday afternoon as a Hazmat team went to test chlorine levels in the pool where the release occurred.  A spokesperson for the park said that it will be open for normal operation Saturday. (Note: If the officials aren't sure of the cause of the Chlorine release, why would they open up the pool section of the park...?????  Here is where parents need to think for themselves.)

RECOVERY: There is always the tendency to overlook the Recovery Phase from any incident because so much energy, emotion, and adrenaline goes into the response. Recovery is the key to returning to safe and secure living. Recovery also reinforces that the system and / or institution legitimately cares about what happened and about who was affected by the incident. The direct victims of an incident are not the only ones affected by an incident. Other affected may be: family members of victims, future customers, or students, parents determining will I let my kids go to that amusement park or school trip, etc.

Points for Consideration: 

• Could this happen at your school's pool? 
• Some school's use another facility for their aquatic activities does that change your school's responsibility or accountability?
• Is there a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between school's if the pool is a shared use facility. 
• What if this was a school trip to a water park, how would your school trip advisers and approved trip chaperons handle this incident? 
• Other than the parents of the victims, who is establishing a recovery plan and services for this incident?
• Prevention: Are there any local, state, or federal laws pertaining to safe school pool operation?
• Connecticut State Law  (Click Link)
• Does your school board of education know its role in school pool safety?
• Is there a school pool safety plan?  (Click Link)

It is about Preparation, Not Paranoia...

enjoy your school pool 

but make sure you are doing it safely 

and professionally.

Mock Crashes at High Schools Promote Safety

SADD Link Discussing How to Set Up a Mock Crash

Mock Crash in HS Parking Lot

Mock crashes are typically done by school authorities in conjunction with Law Enforcement, Fire, and EMS to simulate a real car accident. Mock crashes are typically done near the end of the year and / or before the Senior prom. Some consideration may be done to do this in the beginning of the school year instead of at the end. Some other steps taken are:

• First Responders talk about accident scene experiences.
• Presentation & Discussion by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers).
• Students wearing goggles that simulate visual impairment due to drinking.
• Students sit in a crash simulator (The Convincer)  which allows them to feel how a crash at 5 mph feels.

Anything that can be done to make students and parents more aware of the frequency and calamity involved in adolescent car crashes due to underage drinking, distracted driving, fatigue, and excessive speed. 

The Role of Unions in School Preparedness (Safety, Security, & School Climate)

It does take a school community (a village) to raise, 

educate, nurture, and protect a child. 

     Unions, as a part of that community, are a vital component in that process. The school community encompasses the school administration, faculty, staff support, SRO, students; but also includes parents and guardians; first responders (law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services); neighborhood and local businesses; school district leadership and staff; unions (teachers, custodian, security, food service); city services (emergency management, transportation, health and human services, etc.), and local elected officials. All of these stakeholders (internal and external) are part of the school preparedness network and must work together. 

     If everyone is involved in school preparedness and any adult in a school might be a "first responder" in a school incident; then the unions that represent them must be integrated into the safety, security, and school climate equation. The school custodian at Sandy Hook Elementary School is credited with warning others about the impending threat and saving lives in the process. 

• The custodian who performs safety checks on machinery and knows the layout of the facility to advise first responders is critical. 
• The food service worker who hears a discussion or comment that causes them to be concerned for the welfare of a child or a co-worker can prevent a disaster. 
• The school security or hall monitor who establishes a professional approachable rapport with students and co-workers is invaluable to the prevention and critical response in any school incident. 
• The teacher who is in the classroom, hallway, and cafeteria with numerous students sometimes before, during, or after school has a powerful role in the safety and security of the school community. 
• The above representatives and a union building steward should have a representative role in any school preparedness committee that meets regularly in the building and district.

As difficult as it may be to believe in today's hyper-sensitive school preparedness environment, if a school or district doesn't take school preparedness as seriously as it should, then the unions provide a voice to make the school community safer and more secure. 

If there is a concern brought forward by a worker to a union representative it may be the worker's perception or a reality, either way it needs to be addressed for resolution. So that in the area of safety, security, and school climate there is a common understanding of what is taking place. 

The key is professional collaboration vice an adversarial accusatory relationship between the unions and the school administrative leaders. If student learning in a positive school climate within a safe and secure school environment is our collective goal, then it is important to work together.  Both sides should welcome the opportunity to collaborate to improve things for all.  It is not about blaming each other for mistakes or shortcomings, it is about working together to fix them as soon as possible for the safety and security everyone.

Atlanta Elementary School Shooting Disaster Averted (Aug 20, 2013)

School Gunmen, Michael Hill Booking, 20

Bottom Line Up Front: This appears to have been a barricaded hostage situation at a school where the mentally deranged gunman was trying to commit "Suicide- By- Cop" by getting police to kill him. It WAS NOT an Active Shooter Situation (Newtown, Va. Tech, etc.) where a gunman comes in and starts shooting everyone. The gunman can be suicidal in either type situation and often are. 

Incident: Law enforcement stated it could have been a massacre for the school, but ended with nobody hurt. Officials believe the gunman walked into the front office of the school Tuesday afternoon at about 1 p.m. with an AK-47, despite the school security system that requires visitors to be buzzed in. He may have followed behind someone who was authorized to be in the building, but never got past the front office. 

     Once he was inside, the gunman told the school secretary to call a local TV station.  He told the TV station editor to "start filming as police die." "All the time of doing this, I never experienced anything like this," TV station editor said. "It didn't take long to know that this was serious."  Inside the front office, he held one or two employees captive for a period of time. School bookkeeper Antoinette Tuff said she was one of the hostages. Tuff said she tried to convince the gunman to put down his guns. 

     She said the gunman told her he had no reason to live because nobody loved him. "And I just explained to him that I loved him," Tuff told ABC News. "I didn't know much about him. I didn't know his name but I did love him and it was scary because I knew at that moment he was ready to take my life along with his, and if I didn't say the right thing, then we all would be dead." Tuff also said the suspect told her he hadn't taken his medication. In an effort to calm him down, she told him about her own troubles: how her marriage fell apart and about her struggles with opening her own business. "I told him, 'OK, we all have situations in our lives," she said. "It was going to be OK. If I could recover, he could, too." 

      "I think we can all make a reasonable assumption he came here to do some harm." said law enforcement as Hill "did not have anything else in the bag that would harm people." Only one weapon was recovered. During the standoff, Tuff told the media the gunman "went outside several times and shot at police officers." Police Chief Alexander said the suspect fired about six rounds while officers from at least a half-dozen law enforcement agencies that raced from the school returned fire. After they had talked, she asked him to put his guns down and empty his backpack. Law Enforcement sung Antoinette Tuff's (school secretary / clerk) praises. "She was in there, she was able to talk him down," he said. "She's a real hero in all this." 

Source of the Weapon: Authorities are looking to locate the owner of the AK-47, who they believe is an acquaintance of Hill's. Davis said officials believe Hill got the weapon from an acquaintance's house, although he wouldn't say whether the weapon was stolen or not. There was a photo of Hill holding a rifle, found on his cell phone. Hill told investigators he was on medication. "He indicated that he was on medication and had stopped taking it."  

Previous Violent Behaviours:   Tim Hill, the brother of Michael Brandon Hill, said his brother previously threatened to shoot him and suffers from mental disorders and "was bipolar and suffered from ADD," and that the two have not spoken recently. 

• A Henry County sheriff's official said Hill was also charged in March with making terroristic threats for an incident between Dec. 30 and 31 of 2012. He "unlawfully threatened to commit the crime of murder, a crime of violence, for the purpose of terrorizing another."  Tim Hill told the media the charge stemmed from Hill threatening to shoot him. 
• Michael Hill was issued a no-contact order afterwards. Court records show that Hill pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years' probation and anger counselling.

Present Violent Incident Charges: For this August 20th act of violence, Hill is charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, making terroristic threats and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was questioned for hours by police, but they have no clear idea of what may be a motive or whether Hill has ties to the school. Police chief Alexander said Hill "may have had prior contact" with someone at the school, but the investigation was still pending. No other individuals are expected to be charged.

Recovery Phase Initiated: Buses transported elementary school students from their school to nearby McNair High School on Wednesday to resume classes, a day after a potential massacre was averted. Students were greeted by counsellors and a sign that read, "Welcome McNair Elementary School. Our prayers are with you".  Excerpts taken from Internet article By Elizabeth Chuck, Staff Writer, NBC News

Discussion Points: Being mindful that the incident is new and the investigation is incomplete, here are some things to consider:

• Hostage Situation vice Active Shooter Situation: The gunman talked instead of just shooting everyone.  He was not (thank God) just trying to kill everyone he saw as fast as he could, or he was convinced otherwise.
• Typical Suicide By Cop scenario, a mentally deranged individual with violent intent who is suicidal attempts "suicide-by-cop" by creating a situation where police end your life because of the imminent threat you pose. His request to a hostage to call the media & his statement to TV editor about "start filming as cops die".    
• Response in a Hostage Situation is different than in an Active Shooter Situation. 
• Hostage situation: if there is no safe escape and you are detained by a gunman, build rapport and empathy with hostage taker so they see you as a person. School Secretary did this and it saved lives. 
• Active Shooter: A Run - Hide - Fight (similar to ALICE) response is more appropriate if immediate mass shooting occurs. 
• School Access Control: Having single access point entrance (critical), a locked entrance (good), and a buzzer access control system (good) still requires a trained human being to make a deliberate decision EVERY TIME they buzz anyone in or not. Once a person is buzzed in there needs to be person-to-person (P2P) screening contact as a seemingly innocent person may now (once in the school) demonstrate threatening behaviour (take out a hidden weapon, display aggression, etc.) once inside the school. A nefarious individual may "tailgate" someone buzzed in so be careful. 
• The P2P screening contact allows the opportunity to alert others (activate 911, announce "lockdown") to trigger an immediate response and possibly mitigate the threat (using your judgement) to regain the initiative against someone planning to do harm. The secretary did this as well by talking to the gunman. 
• Societal Mechanism to Maintain Visibility of a Threatening Member of a Community. "See Something, Hear Something, Say Something" can help identify a threatening individual and in this instance his brother reported him in March (charges filed, arrest, three years probation  and anger counselling, and medication). However who was tracking this and how could this have been prevented. What is the local areas threat assessment and threat tracking process, if any. How could this mentally deranged individual have been prevented from coming to the school to harm himself or others. This area is the critical vulnerability in preventing mass rampage shooters in our society.

Knowledge is Power and School Preparedness 

is about Preparation, not Paranoia.  

Anniversary of July 22, 2011 Norwegian Massacre

Young Survivors of 2011 Norwegian Shooting Massacre
(Click on the Above Link) to see some of the survivors...

On July 22, 2011, a car bomb killed eight people at the executive government building in Oslo, Norway. Shortly thereafter, Anders Behring Breivik, responsible for the bombing in Oslo, opened fire at a summer youth camp for members of the Labor Party on the isolated island of Utøya, Norway killing 69 (mostly young) people and wounding (209) many more; 500 people survived.

15 Year Old Norwegian Survivor

Comment: This was a psychopathic act of violence from a madman who was captured and is in jail. The survivors of these violence acts against these youth will result in recovery for many years, and more than likely the rest of their lives. Not to mention, the impact these incidents have had on their families, friends, and loved ones will need to recover as well. 

Our focus always has to be on PREVENTION of these tragedies, if you SEE SOMETHING, HEAR SOMETHING, YOU NEED TO SAY SOMETHING. If only someone in Anders Behring Breivik's life was concerned about his extremist beliefs and purchases of weapons & bomb making materials; or if someone had stumbled upon his violent cyber postings this perhaps could have been prevented...? 

From a Response standpoint, in the most extreme cases of rampage shootings knowing how to RUN, HIDE, and as a last resort FIGHT (Protect Yourself and Others). Unfortunately in today's world this is a LIFE SKILL that can make us all more resilient.

It is about PREPARATION, not PARANOIA....

HVAC Noxious Gas Leak Hospitalizes 28 Students in Tenn.

Nashville, Tenn:  More than two dozen students have spent the night in a hospital after carbon monoxide leaked at their Nashville private school. A hole in the school's heating unit is the reported cause of the leak. Drexel Preparatory Academy principal Cheryl Bowman told WTVF-TV students began coming to the office Monday morning complaining of flu-like symptoms. Officials decided to cancel classes. After students were sent home, the school got a call from Vanderbilt University Children's Hospital, saying several students had been brought in and showed high levels of carbon monoxide. Workers found a hole in a heating unit that serves the central part of the school, where the kindergarten and first-grade classes are located. Twenty-eight students were admitted to the hospital and put on oxygen overnight. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced by combustion.

Discussion Point:  

• BE AWARE. If more than one student or school member complains of a headache or seems uncharacteristically drowsy there may be a gas leak. REMEMBER Carbon Monoxide can KILL. Always Err on the side of caution. 
• This may also be triggered by the school healthcare personnel if they have a number of student's complaining of headache, drowsiness, or lethargy.
• LEAVE & VENTILATE. Have the students and faculty members leave the room and take them as a group to the school nurse. Let adjacent teachers be aware as you depart. Ventilate the room by opening the window (s). Don't necessarily open the door because you may spread the gas throughout the school if it is localized to your room.
• REPORT ASAP. Contact the school leadership and the School Nurse to let them know what is going on, which room you are in, and where you are taking the students. School Leaders will quickly assess and contact the Fire Department and their facilities personnel. The Fire Department will check the air quality and the Facilities (Maintenance) folks can assist in determining if there is a leak and where it may be coming from. Leave this to the professionals. 
• May REQUIRE a LOCALIZED OR FULL EVACUATION? If Fire Department Incident Commander deems the air quality to be dangerous, they may direct the school leadership to evacuate a part (ie., 2d floor) of the building, relocate personnel (to the gym or cafeteria), or direct an evacuation of the entire building to mitigate the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning or noxious fumes. 
• This situation may be further complicated by the time of year or season. If it is winter and you need to have a full evacuation you now have another issue: cold injuries if you have to stay outside for an extended period of time and if the weather is severe. 
• NEED TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK OR THE FACILITY REMAINS UNSAFE. Identifying the source of the leak is critical to preventing further injury to people and of secondary importance to determine when you can continue school operations. When does the school get cleared to re-open if it needed to be closed. The collaboration between the school and district leadership, Fire Dept., School District Facilities representatives, and District Public Affairs are vital to keeping the school community informed of what happened, what has been done to fix the problem, and the impact on the safety of students and teachers, and impact on school operations .  
• PREVENTION. 
• Does your school have Carbon Monoxide Detectors? If not why not?
• How often is the HVAC system inspected to determine if their are leaks, damage to ducts, intake or exhaust valves block? 

Preventing School Mass Shooters & Katherine S. Newman

While it is understood there is no psychological profile for a school shooter, there are behavioral indicators. Katherine S. Newman (scholar and author of the book Rampage: The Social Roots of School Shootings) came up with Five Criteria to help identify a potential school shooter in her book. This work has exhaustive research and data which I am shocked has not been incorporated into the state and federal discussions on school safety in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. 

The Five Criteria are: 

1. Marginality: individual feels socially ostracized (real or perceived) and feels marginal (loner, bullied, harassed).

2. Individual Vulnerabilities: mental illness, family problems, depressed, suicidal, or a combination.

3. Cultural Scripts: change roles, manly exit, notoriety better than being ignored, send a message, fame, advertise threats but then committed to follow through or face more negative attention, escalating commitment, designs (plans) the rampage script.

4. Under The Radar: unrecognized change in academic or disciplinary history, downward changes in behavior, violent writings in school or social media, criminal history, threats, lack of parental awareness.

5. Access To Weapons: at home or relatives, purchase or borrow weapons, steal weapons, and some weapon experience.

In 2008, she was a keynote speaker at a Campus Safety Conference and her talk was filmed. This video is 52 minutes long where she touches the five criteria and upon three main questions:

1. What motivates these school rampage shooters?

2. Why didn't the school identify the behaviors of the shooter beforehand?

3. Why didn't the community identify the behaviors of the shooter beforehand? 

This video is worth your time if you are an educator, law enforcement, or involved in school preparedness (safety & security). Especially interesting is how she talks about the societal aspects of school and community cultures that negate (by not reporting concerns) the prevention of many of these school shootings. 

This reinforces my strong belief that promoting a "See Something, Hear Something, Read Something, Report Something" in our schools and communities is critical to prevention of school shootings.  

Student Drownings Generate Safety Standards Review

Student Drownings Generate Review of Safety Standards

Click on the Link Above for the story and the video link below for a remembrance ceremony.

A number of student drowning deaths have generated a review of school safety standards affiliated with students conducting swimming or swim training.

IF THE COMPLETE AND THOROUGH REVIEW OF A STUDENT INJURY OR GOD FORBID DEATH HELPS PREVENT FUTURE INJURY OR DEATHS, THEN THAT UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT HAS A POSITIVE MEANING TOWARDS THE FUTURE. 

High School Student On Public Bus a Target of an Armed Assailant

THREATS AND ACTS OF VIOLENCE OUTSIDE SCHOOLS 

AFFECTS THOSE INSIDE SCHOOLS 

         On Oct 11, 2012 in Norwalk, Connecticut, a 21 year old man, Terrick "Scrap" Vanlierop, was arrested for allegedly repeatedly trying to board a Norwalk city bus to get to a high school student from Briggs High School that he allegedly had a dispute with. Vanlierop was also charged with shooting at another man on Woodward Avenue on the previous Monday afternoon. The man who was shot at said that as he was walking down Woodward Avenue and saw Vanlierop coming and was worried about Vanlierop's gang connections.  "This all is from an ongoing beef that started because of where I'm from. Because of where people live, there is an ongoing beef and people were getting shot and killed," he told police, the affidavit said. Vanlierop then pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and fired three shots at him. Norwalk Police found bullet holes in the siding of homes there and identified the shooter from a photo lineup.  Vanlierop was charged with criminal attempt at first-degree assault at his arraignment on Friday in a Norwalk court. He has three previous felony drug convictions on his record from 2009 and 2010, was ordered held on $91,000 bond.    

Points for Discussion:

• Acts of violence (random or planned) that occur in our cities can carry over into or near our school environment.
• June 2012, three Norwalk schools went into a lock-down after an alleged gang member was wounded nearby during a drive-by shooting. 
• Oct 11, 2012, a distraught boyfriend armed with a high powered rifle created a standoff in a neighborhood where an after school recreation center full of students was located.
• Gang activity is something that can "ebb and flow"and must be monitored by police, school resource officers (SRO), and the school (leaders, teachers, and students) community.  Violence can be triggered randomly (wearing the wrong colors, a perceived affront, etc.) so people must be alert.
• This armed violent offender was going after a high school student on a public bus – what if he had not been stopped...?
• While the bus this alleged assailant was trying to get on was a city bus it is still a threat to our students who ride those public buses. It could have very easily been a school bus, and where gang status is gained and increased by a gang member’s propensity and quickness for violence, the results could have been lethal.
• Capability developed by periodic and well planned drills allows local leaders to mitigate an incident, as well as to respond and recover more effectively reducing risk to students and faculty. 

SEE SOMETHING, HEAR SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING probably saved that high school student's life because someone stepped up and reported a previous crime.

Lightning: A Deadly Hazard to Outdoor Events

Lightening is the MOST UNDERRATED Weather Threat. As of 2001, it  has killed more people that hurricanes & tornadoes combined....


WE HAVE ALL BEEN OUTDOORS AT SOME EVENT, AND HEARD THUNDER AND SEEN LIGHTNING OFF IN THE DISTANCE. WE ALL HOPE THAT IT WILL AVOID WHERE WE ARE AT, BUT IF WE TRULY KNEW THE THREAT OF LIGHTNING WE WOULD AVOID IT AS IF OUR LIVES DEPENDED ON IT. 

Lightening Strike During a Men's Soccer Match: Recently in northern part of Houston, Texas during a soccer game two adult men were killed and a third injured after lightning struck a tree under which they had been seeking shelter from the rain during a soccer match according to law enforcement. A men's league soccer club game was being played when it began to rain around 12:10 pm. A group of players took shelter under a tree. Lighting struck the tree, killing one man at the scene according to Deputy Sheriff Thomas Gilliland. Two other men were transported by ambulance to a hospital. One was pronounced dead on arrival and the other was in stable condition, according to police. There were more people who took refuge under the trees during the storm (which is a dangerous mistake), but fortunately weren't injured.  According to the National Weather Service (NWS), nine people have been killed in eight states so far this year due to lightning. 


Here is a great resource for Principals, Athletic Directors, Coaches, Teachers, Athletes, and Parents to review:


Safer Design for Safer Play with the threat of Lightning  (Check this website out)


Points for Consideration:

• As parents, teachers, coaches, and spectators; what are the safety guidelines when it comes to thunder and lightning? (Check out the above website)
• How often do educational or athletic leaders take a look at inclement weather, and determine a bad weather decision point to cancel or reschedule an event?
• Lightning during an outdoor school event (graduation, sports game, gym class or even a school trip) can lead to a calamity, it the right decisions are not made in a timely fashion. Hundreds of people sitting outside in metal bleachers...
• If an event is ongoing and bad weather (thunder & lightening in the distance) occurs, there is a tendency to try and "gut it out" in the hopes it will "blow over" so we can finish the event. 
• What is more of a distraction? Stopping an event and transitioning it indoors, if possible OR gambling with the safety of everyone and risking their lives? 
• Mass Casualty, Loss of Life, Investigations, Law Suits, Memorial Services.... 
• While weather is often predictable, it is not always accurate, but the consequences of disregarding lightning can be fatal. 
• A lightening strike during a large event can cause a mass casualty event with numerous people having to be resuscitated often at the same time. Do you have a mass casualty plan other than calling 911?

Our goal is educating ourselves to prevent a hazardous incident from occurring. A key element to that is preparation by learning as much as possible about the threat of lightning in the first place, check out the above website.  

4 Kids Killed by Electricity in 3 Separate Recreation Incidents

Four children were electrocuted in three separate incidents involving routine summer activities. Electricity and water are a deadly combination and kids, parents, guardians, and recreation facility personnel need to pay more attention to this man-made hazard to avoid any more deaths or injuries.  

• June 28, 2012: An 11 yr old girl, Ashton Jojo, who was vacationing with her family was electrocuted and died at a miniature golf course at at Orange Lake Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. She was electrocuted as she tried to retrieve her ball she hit into a small 2 ft deep pond on the course around 2 pm. She and her family were on vacation from New York.  A man was injured trying to pull her out of the water. The course is closed and an investigation is pending. 
• July 4, 2012: A 13 yr old girl (Alexandra Anderson) and her 8 yr old brother (Brandon Anderson) were electrocuted and died while swimming near a private dock in the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. They could not be revived and were pronounced dead at the hospital. An investigation is pending and they are looking at electricity powered lights and a pump that supplies water to a children's slide used at the dock. 

• July 4, 2012: One boy (unnamed) was electrocuted and died while swimming between two house boats by a dock near the German Creek Marina on Cherokee Lake in the town of Bean Station, Tennessee. Another boy swimming with him was shocked at the same time but was revived on a medical helicopter flight. Bystanders who tried to rescued them were shocked as well. The marina was evacuated as a precaution afterwards and an investigation is pending as they try to determine the source of the electrical current. The wiring at the bottom of one of the houseboats may be the source, but it is undetermined at present. 

Points for Consideration:

• All three of these instances are tragedies which will affect the families and communities for a long time.  
• All of these tragedies could have been avoided with proper installation of electrical devices and safety inspections of recreation facilities and recreation craft.
• There will be lessons learned but often it takes a tragedy to bring attention to safety issues. 
• If your children are near water or entering a water environment where there is electricity, these tragedies teach us to  "assume nothing". Often people are embarrassed to ask safety related questions, but that type of engagement helps keep others honest, and may save a life.
• Electrocution injuries involve a burn as well as a shock. There are special First Aid considerations not discussed in this blog post. Always activate 911 immediately.
• Rescuing someone who is receiving an ongoing electric shock requires special consideration. First,  try to shut off the source of power. If you are unable to shut off the source of power than try to use a wooden stick (broom handle) or dry material to break the victim away from the source of electricity. If those attempting to rescue and render aid become victims than it makes a bad situation even worse. 

When in doubt, always check the safety (risk management) of whatever activity your children and loved ones participate. As preposterous as checking for the threat of electrocution is during a lake swim or miniature golf, it could have prevented these deaths. Unfortunately, you make your luck when it comes to safety and security of our children.  

Talk to Students, Staff, and Parents About SUMMER SAFETY

AWARENESS and PREPARATION, (Not Paranoia) KEEPS US SAFE and SECURE 

As the end of the school year approaches, our concern for our students, staff, and families does not. NOW is the time to talk to them about SAFETY and SECURITY prior to school ending for the summer. All of us would admit that having a SAFETY and SECURITY MINDSET should be a year-round philosophy, it often is not. Life's activities get in the way and the daily grind can distract us from apportioning and allocating the proper amount of time to ensuring the one's we care about are safe and secure. THIS IS ALSO A LIFELONG LEARNING CONCEPT that our students (and kids) need to understand if they are to grow up to be aware, caring, and involved adults, citizens, and parents to their own families. Accidents, attacks, and injuries are often the drastic events that occur, shock us, and remind us to stay focused. HOPING your loved ones and students stay safe and secure is not a recommended technique, instead educate them and if necessary train them so they are prepared. Here are just a few discussion points that may be helpful:

SUMMER TIME HAZARDS

• Swimming and Diving and Surfing
• Boating (power boat, canoe, kayak)   
• Lightning
• Fires
• Public Bathrooms
• Cars
• Extreme sports
• Not wearing helmets (head injury)
• Jogging or Walking or Biking alone or with headphones
• Parties or Dates gone bad

EDUCATION:

• Calling 911 when someone is hurt or unresponsive. Stay on the phone to give information.
• Lost kid: Do your kids know what to do if they get lost? Asking a woman is the safest response.
• Helmet Protection versus Head Injuries: It becomes an inconvenience until it is too late, preventing head or brain injuries from something as simple as falling off of a bike or a skateboard can be a life saver. Kids think it is not "cool" but I tell them look at professional athletes or military folks, they don't do any training without a helmet of some kind.
• Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs): If you go in a watercraft of any sort, do you wear a personal flotation device (PFD)? Remember sometimes the best swimmer gets knocked unconscious...have you ever tried to keep someone besides yourself afloat...?
• Stranger Danger: What to do if approached or accosted by a stranger? Be loud, rude, and assertive and be ready to fight (scream, bite, scratch, gouge, kick, etc.)
• Grown-Up Alone Time with Your Kids: Who has access to your kids, remember most assaults against children (infants, toddlers, teenagers) are by people the family knows, not strangers... be especially aware of those grownups your kids think "are cool or treat them grown up".
• Travel in Groups: Never go anywhere alone if you can help it, to include going into the bathroom at a public place (store, movies, etc.) Make everyone responsible for everyone else, not just themselves.

TRAINING:

• Basic First Aid
• CPR and CPR for an infant  
• Swimming lessons for non-swimmers
• Self Defense: What to do if someone tries to grab them.
• Scenarios Where Grown-ups try to Trick Them: Avoiding being tricked by predators (Can you help me find my puppy? Your mom sent me to pick you up? I am a policeman and  here is my badge...you need to come with me.) Discuss Date Rape scenarios where being drugged, high, or intoxicated at a party can lead to an assault.  

MAKING YOUR CHILDREN AND THEIR FRIENDS AWARE AND EQUIPT WITH SOME STRATEGIES AND SKILLS TO EMPOWER THEM TO BE AWARE OF UNSAFE SITUATIONS AND PROTECT THEMSELVES. AWARENESS OF NATURAL AND MANMADE THREATS TO THEIR SAFETY AND SECURITY IS THE FIRST STEP IN PREPARATION AND AVOIDING THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Freshman Drowns in East Hartford High School Pool during Gym Class

Jan 2012: A 15-year-old freshman student, Marcum Asiamah, drowned during a high school gym class at East Hartford High School. His family said he was excited to learn to swim during his gym class. Adults were present when students saw Marcum at the bottom of the pool. The teacher jumped in and performed CPR until first responders arrived. The teen was rushed to Hartford Hospital but did not survive and was pronounced dead at Hartford Hospital. the autopsy determined he was the victim of an accidental drowning.

Word of the accident spread quickly and many parents for calling their children to make sure they were safe. "A lot of the kids were freaked out and they were starting rumors about it," student Tracy Holmes said. "How do you let that happen?" said Solese Natta, another parent at the school. School Superintendent Mark Zito says the drowning remains under investigation. News 8 even called the CT State Department of Education to ask what the rules are for school's with pools. The representative reached said “They said they will look into this.” Manchester School Superintendent Mark Zito said in a prepared statement:

"Today there was a tragic event at East Hartford High School where a student drowned. The incident is under investigation and we have no findings that we can share with you at this time.  Student safety is of paramount concern and the school district will continue to work with the East Hartford Police Department to investigate this incident.  The pool will remain closed pending this investigation. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family and friends of the student involved in this incident.  The school district is planning to provide grief counseling and support for students, faculty, and staff. The details of that support will be made available shortly."

Students who were at the pool when the incident happened were sent home early. Some other parents elected to pick their children up from school early due to the incident. Superintendent Mark Zito, visited the family's home to offer condolences and a referral to a therapist to help them cope with their loss. Grief counselors were be available for students, faculty and staff at school the next day. A vigil was held two days later on a friday night at 5:30 p.m. so students can come together to remember this young student. At the candlelight vigil, Joshua Dillon, president of the East Hartford High School student council, asked students to speak, and a few accepted, offering prayers and condolences to the family.

Points for Discussion: 

• Don't wait for a tragedy to occur to determine what are the best safety practices for your facilities, and if there are associated risks, how you can mitigate them to an acceptable level.
• A swimming pool in your school offers unique opportunities for your students and staff as well as unique risks (drowning, head injuries due to diving, chlorine chemicals, etc.).
• Are there state department of education guidance or guidelines for pools at educational institutions, if not, why not?
• Some safety procedures to discuss:
• In military swim training or waterborne activities, those individuals who are non-swimmers and poor swimmers are identified and handled differently from those who can swim. 
• Establishing a supervised peer buddy system between students can aid in a student not wandering off or doing their own thing. This is an added layer to existing supervision and increasing student's level of awareness of looking out for each other. 
• The knee-jerk reaction is to close the pool indefinitely. While this is safest thing to do from a litigious standpoint, more good can be done by teaching children to swim and float to prevent further drownings.   
• Comment on School Leadership: While not knowing the results of the drowning investigation, I applaud the superintendent actually visiting the family to offer his condolences and support to them. This type of personalized leadership is often unrecognized by people in educational leadership positions due to a lack of leadership education and training, and a fear of litigation.

High School Teacher Arrested & Fired For Hitting Administrator Following an Evaluation

REDUCTIONS IN SCHOOL STAFF and PERFORMANCE COUNSELING 

CAN LEAD TO WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

Dec 13, 2011  

A Springfield Mass. High School of Commerce math teacher of nine years, Willie Vega (44 yrs old), was accused of and arrested for punching the female Vice Principal in the face after he received a bad evaluation. Police said Vega became “enraged with his evaluation,” stabbed it with a pen and crumpled it up before he punched the 41-year-old female vice principal. The vice principal tried to flee her office but police said Vega blocked the door. The vice principal then grabbed her portable school radio and called for help, police said. Vega’s punch caused the vice principal’s left eye to swell up, 

Vega will be summoned to Springfield District Court on Jan 25th on assault and battery and kidnapping charges, Springfield Police Sgt. Delaney said. Vega, was placed on administrative leave with pay while an internal review was conducted. The accused teacher Mr. Vega refused to answer questions at a school disciplinary hearing about the alleged assault. His decision to remain silent was based on advice from a teacher’s union lawyer, according to Timothy T. Collins, president of the Springfield Education Association. The internal review resulted in the termination of Mr. Vega's employment as a teacher according to Springfield Public Schools spokeswoman Azell Cavaan. 

School officials were “shocked” and “shaken” by the allegations and are “cooperating fully” with police. the school Principal Charles Grandson IV said yesterday the school made counselors available to students and faculty. “All of us are reaching out to and supporting the administrator involved and making sure that that person is taken care of mentally and physically,” Grandson told the media. “She is getting better and school officials are working to make sure she has the support she needs.” The accused teacher said he has a meeting scheduled with two lawyers today as he faces assault and kidnapping charges. “I can only say I’m going to defend myself fully and use every resource I have to defend myself,” Willie Vega, told the media, declining to comment further. He was released on personal recognizance. The accused teacher must obey a no-contact order with the victim, and also has to obey the school’s trespass order. 

Points for Consideration:

• As an employee, no one likes to be told their professional performance or behavior is substandard, but accountability is critical for any organization to function effectively. 
• As a supervisor, few are comfortable with face to face (F2F) performance evaluation counseling if it is negative in nature.
• A supervisor must prepare the performance counseling properly, especially a negative counseling. Things to consider:
• The environment: where is this taking place, observers in the room, physical setting, etc.
• Rehearsing and war-gaming the employee response: how might the employee respond, factoring in the dignity of the teacher, rebuttal scenarios, control of the meeting.
• Personal safety: if it is anticipated that the employee will react emotionally;  having another administrator, security, or even the School Resource Officer (SRO) standing by in a "low profile" manner can be a prudent measure.
• Personal and professional maturity of the employee receiving negative performance counseling AND the experience level of the administrator providing the negative performance feedback are factors to consider. 
• Strongly recommend the Administrator's supervisor rehearse and role-play a variety of counseling scenario outcomes. 
• If you anticipate the employee's response might get emotionally heated or even violent, you must rehearse the responses for this with the key personnel that could be involved.   

Remember, having to do more with less or reducing staff in tough budget times can cause great emotional and psychological stress causing unprofessional behavior and even violence at times. Educational leaders and administrators must prepare for this potential through realistic planning for the worst case scenario.