A. School Receptionist Responsibilities
1. The school receptionist should try to keep the caller on the phone as long as possible, upon receipt of a bomb threat. Specifically, the receptionist should:
a. Try to remember the exact words used and get as much specific information (e.g. location of the “bomb,” time, school) as possible. The receptionist should write the information down and not rely on memory.
b. Ask the caller to speak louder and repeat the message.
c. Keep the caller talking and use another line to notify police.
d. Try and tell the caller the building is occupied with many students and teachers and that an explosion might result in injury or death.
e. Note the type of voice—male or female, soft, harsh, age, or accent. Also, the receptionist should note any unique phrasing or use of vocabulary.
f. Listen for background noises to help identify possible location of caller.
B. General Responsibilities
Upon receiving notification that a bomb threat has been made, the following steps will be taken:
1. Students and faculty will be evacuated to an area well away from the building using fire drill procedures. Faculty and staff should be assigned to supervise students. Faculty and staff should visually scan classrooms and the overall building and report unusual objects to the principal.
2. The police and fire department will be informed.
a. Law Enforcement & Fire Emergency 911
b. Central Office 588-2551
3. The district administrator will be informed.
4. A communications post will be designated at a location deemed to be safe. All communications to and from students, faculty, civil authorities and the district administration are to be channeled through this location.
C. Administration Responsibilities
1. The principal will have overall on-site authority and responsibility and should have specific “checklist” plans established (see 722.2-Exhibit).
2. The assistant principal or administrative building coordinator will assume direction and responsibility if the principal is not in the building. He/she will facilitate communications between students, faculty, police, fire department, and central office.
3. Staff members or emergency personnel will be designated to notify homes in the immediate one-block area of the bomb threat if deemed appropriate.
D. Search Procedures
1. A systematized building search plan will be developed in cooperation with police and fire agencies.
2. A collective decision by officials of the fire and law enforcement departments, the school principal and the district administrator shall determine whether to close school and send students home or to re-occupy the school building.
3. In the event of a decision to close school, the district administrator will notify the local radio stations to make an announcement alerting parents of the reason for the dismissal. School buses will be called and dismissal procedures administered.
4. If the school building is approved for occupancy, students will be dismissed from the designated “safety area” to return to the school building. The school day shall resume.
5. Specific procedural details to establish all steps taken during a bomb threat shall be on file in each respective school building. These outlines shall be reviewed on a periodic basis with building personnel.
6. All lost time for bomb threats will be made up unless otherwise determined by the Board.
Cross Reference: School Safety Plan
APPROVED: July 13, 1989
REVISED: November 12, 1998
APPROVED: December 10, 1998
REVISED: June 8, 2000
APPROVED: July 13, 2000
12/21/2004 pw