Earthquake and Emergency Drill
On May 23, 2008 Aurora School executed an all school earthquake/emergency drill including evacuation to a safe area where all students were sorted, tagged and taken care of until all parents or authorized persons arrived to sign them out and take them home.
This drill was the culmination of a year of planning and preparation and included many behind-the-scenes components that were instrumental in making this drill a successful one.
Parents were trained on the proper procedure for a safe and orderly pick-up of their and any other child that they were authorized to pick up. All staff had assigned roles, wore safety vests and had their classroom emergency backpacks on. Staff also split into emergency search and rescue teams or first aid teams and practiced their roles.
The emergency supply shed was unlocked, and all necessary materials for this practice drill were taken out. A Command Center was created, portable and private toilet and a first aid station were erected.
The children had also practiced their roles, so were calm and prepared for this drill. Rey Almedia, Executive Director, was comfortable in his leadership role during this exercise, and the protocols for releasing children to an authorized adult were well thought out and executed.
Thorough instructions and a "Family Guide to Drill & Emergency Procedures" were developed in partnership with a trained safety consultant and distributed to all families. The documents included detailed instructions on what to do in a real emergency and the steps parents need to follow to safely and efficiently retrieve their children.