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EMERGENCY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES


I. Basic Understanding The Claremont Unified School District's emergency policy is based initially on the fact that the safest place for young people in the event of an emergency during the school day is the school. Such an occurrence puts, of course, a heavy burden upon the school administrator and the school staff. Nevertheless, the safety and welfare of the students during such an emergency is the responsibility of the school administrator and the school staff. Students in turn have definite responsibilities in relation to staff members, to one another, and to themselves. To assure safety and well being during an emergency, all of the responsibilities of administrators, staff, and students have been detailed in this outline. Similarly, emergency procedures for all have been established. During an emergency, school administrators, school staff, and students must fulfill their responsibilities and follow the procedures that have been established.


II. Staff Responsibilities Under current law, the school principal is entrusted with the overall administration of his or her school and the overall responsibility for the safety and welfare of all students and staff, which may go beyond the school day. California Government Code, Section 3100: "In furtherance of the exercise of the police power of the state in protection of its citizens and resources...All public employees are hereby declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law." This means that in a major disaster, teachers, administrators and all school personnel play a very important role. In the Claremont Unified School District, all employees will become disaster workers and will remain on the job until released by their supervisors. In times of emergency, the school principal has the authority to do what is necessary to protect the safety of students and staff. He or she has the authority to assign certificated or classified staff to perform required duties at assigned stations during an emergency. The extent to which volunteers may be used is at the principal's discretion.


III. Assignment of Duties Every staff member - principal, teacher, custodian, school support secretary/office managers, health education specialist, food service assistants, etc. — has a responsibility for performing certain duties in times of emergency. Specific assignments are made in the District Plan and Site Plan.


A. Principal: The principal, or his/her designated representative, will assume overall direction of disaster procedures and will do the following:


1. Direct the evacuation of buildings, using designated signals and other procedures, as required, in the event of fire, threat of explosion, or following cessation of earthquake tremors;


2. Arrange for the physical transfer of students, when students' safety is threatened by flood, fire, or other emergencies; and


3. Issue orders to teachers to move children to designated areas of safety within the school when such action is deemed necessary. 


B. Teachers: Each teacher will be responsible for the direct supervision of his/her students, remain with students until directed otherwise, and will do the following:


1. Direct the evacuation of his/her students to designated assembly areas, in accordance with warning signals, written notification, or orders from the principal;


2. Give the DROP command during an earthquake or in the event of a surprise attack;


3. Take roll when the class regroups at the designated assembly area;


4. Report to the principal the names of any students who are unaccountably absent; and


5. Administer first aid as necessary or send students who are in need of first aid attention to the health education specialist or designated first aid area.


C. Custodian: Custodians and their assistants will be responsible for the use of emergency equipment, the handling of supplies, and the safe use of available utilities. They will do the following:


1. Survey the school plant and report damage to the principal;


2. Direct and assist in rescue operations, as required;


3. Direct and assist in fire-fighting activities until regular fire-fighting personnel take over;


4. Control main shut-off valves for gas, water and electricity and take other preventative measures to minimize hazards that may result from broken or "down" lines;


5. Disburse emergency equipment as needed; and


6. Take steps necessary to conserve usable water supplies.


D. School Support Secretary/Office Manager The school support secretary/office manager will assist the principal, as needed, work at the student request gate, and provide for the safety of essential school records and documents.


E. Secretarial Staff and Aides The secretarial staff will man telephones, monitor radio emergency broadcasts, assist the health education specialist as needed, act as messengers and carriers when directed, work at the reunion gate, and assist with supervision of students directly when circumstances require it. Classroom aides are responsible to the directions of the assigned teacher.


F. Health Education Specialist The health education specialist will administer first aid as needed, will supervise other persons trained in the techniques of administering first aide, and will organize first aid and medical supplies.


G. Food Services Personnel The food services personnel will direct the use and preparation of cafeteria stock and water supply whenever feeding becomes necessary during a disaster. Food services personnel will also assist with distribution of supplies from the supply container.


H. Bus Transportation The Claremont Unified School District contracts with outside transportation vendors to provide transportation services for its students. In order to provide the service with maximum safety, all students must realize the bus driver is completely in charge of the bus. School bus rules of conduct are established first and foremost to insure the student has a safe ride to and from home. The school bus is an extension of the classroom, and appropriate behavior is expected at all times. Bus drivers or a teacher (if the bus driver is incapacitated) will supervise the care of children when disaster occurs while children are in the bus. The bus driver or teacher will do the following:


1. If the bus is on the freeway, the bus driver will get off immediately if they can do so without going over or under an overpass.


2. Bus drivers will watch for falling objects and instruct students to drop, duck, and cover below the windows of the bus.


3. Once the initial shock is over, the bus driver will take students to the home school if possible without jeopardizing the passengers inside the vehicle.


4. Effect the transfer of students to specified locations when directed to do so by the principal or teacher in charge.


5. Assist other emergency services, as assigned by the principal.


6. If at a school, the school office in charge may commandeer the bus driver and bus/vehicle to help evacuate students if required.


7. Utilize bus radios as an emergency communication system if school telephone/communication system is inoperative.


I. Student Services Personnel Student Services personnel will assist at schools in which personnel are assigned. Student Services will provide crisis teams which consist of a psychologist and other appropriately trained personnel. These teams will provide psychological protection services.


J. District Maintenance and Operations Maintenance personnel will assist at schools in which they may be working at the time of the emergency or will be sent to schools to assist principal and custodian. Maintenance vehicles with radios will be assigned to assist with communications and security.