One of the hardest-working people on any school campus is the person in charge of facilities. Pulled in every and any direction depending on the day, they keep the school operating and safe on a daily basis. It won’t come as a surprise, then, that the facilities manager has crucial responsibilities during an emergency scenario, taking stock of remaining resources and monitoring gas, water, and power lines just to name two.
As I often say here at Joffe, however, preparation makes an incredible positive difference in keeping our community safe during times of crisis. With that ethos driving us, let’s take a look at some safety questions that every facility manager should consider when evaluating how your school’s facilities impact its safety readiness.
Does every gathering place have PA speakers or audibility?: In many places, the answer is yes, but think carefully. During an assessment at one of our partner schools, while our team was learning the layout and safety practices of the school, the librarian offhandedly mentioned that she rarely hears PA announcements unless the door is open to the hallway. I share this story both to attest to the thorough and effective safety assessments we provide, as well as note that anywhere students gather on campus must have a way to remain in the campus-wide communication loop. It might be worth doing a test of non-classrooms that people could be inside during the outset of an emergency situation.
Does every classroom have a wall phone or radio?: Yes, everyone has a cell phone. Unfortunately, in 2019, cell phones (at least mine) are pretty bad at making and receiving phone calls. Depending on the emergency, cell service may be interrupted as well, and don’t get me started on battery life. To be sure that people in a room can contact the main office, emergency services, and everything in between, make sure there’s some form of non-mobile phone communication available.
Do multiple people know how to handle critical infrastructure?: I think a lot of school employees will chuckle ruefully at this, but what if you weren’t on campus when emergency strikes? Who would step up in your place and assume your responsibility? For facilities managers, this question is particularly pressing. What if the gas needed to be shut off, because upon evacuation a student smells gas? How many people in your school community are able to locate the gas, have the keys to enter the room, and understand the process by which you shut it off? If that knowledge is located in one individual’s brain, share it! Spreading this information is a great way to increase safety at your school.
Does each gathering place have a clearly marked evacuation plan (in the same spot)?: In the pressure of an real emergency, it’s amazing what we may forget. Every room in your building must have an evacuation plan with a clearly marked path to the best exit. Not only that, it should be in generally the same area of each room so that it can be swiftly identified when needed. These plans are particularly useful and necessary for people less familiar with your campus, or in the case of a blocked pathway requiring a different escape route.
Can every room be quickly locked and its visual access limited?: This is fairly self-explanatory, but a seriously worthy question for facilities managers. If improvements are needed to doors or blinds, that may be a hefty expense. Ideally, however, each room can be locked from inside the room and blinds drawn within 10 seconds. Each school will have a different calculation on this front, but it certainly merits further consideration.
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