Disaster Preparedness at Condit Elementary School
The purpose of this document is to provide information to the parents and families of Condit Elementary students.
Condit, as part of the Claremont Unified School District, has an active Disaster Plan that includes coordination with police, fire department, and city officials. Please review the overview of the district’s plan at http://www.cusd.claremont.edu/safe/disaster_prep.php. Another helpful link is www.ed.gov/emergencyplan. An excellent website to share with your student is www.fema.gov/kids. This site educates children in a fun way about a child’s role in disaster preparedness.
Earthquake Plan
If there is a major earthquake while you are at Condit, your day will be different than usual.
If you are in class, you will duck, cover, and hold, just like you practice during the drills. Once the earthquake stops, your teacher will lead you and your classmates outside to the South field.
· If your teacher is hurt, continue to line up as you do in the drills. As other classrooms head out to the South field, your teacher’s ‘buddy teacher’ will identify that your class is not leaving and they will come over to see why. (A ‘buddy teacher’ is another staff member that helps takes care of your class.) If your teacher can’t leave the classroom, the buddy teacher will place a pink card on your classroom door that says, “Needs Assistance”, and you will follow the buddy teacher out to the field.
· If a classmate is hurt, you will go to the South field with the buddy teacher and your teacher will remain with the hurt child. Again, the pink “Needs Assistance” card will go on the door to let other staff members know that someone needs help.
Once you are on the field, your teacher will take roll to be sure all your classmates are accounted for.
· If a classmate was not in the class at the time of the earthquake (in the bathroom, or the nurses office), your teacher will lead all the other students out to the South filed and take roll, just like during the drills. At that point, your teacher will hold up a pink card that lets other staff members know that a child was not in the classroom when the earthquake happened. A team of adults will search for the student until they are found and returned to their classroom.
· Each classroom has a backpack filled with important supplies that can be used during this time on the field. Your teacher will use the supplies as needed. These include activities that will help you pass the time while you are waiting for help to arrive.
· Your teacher may need to leave to take care of other students or help look for students. You will have another teacher that will take care of your class. This buddy teacher will be prepared to look after your class and their own.
· As time passes, someone will set up bathrooms that can be used and the school even has food and water to help keep you comfortable until help arrives.
· Help can come in a few forms, but the one you’re most concerned with is help from your family. When your family arrives to take you home, they will come to the big gate on Mountain Ave, south of the Kindergarten playground. The Condit teachers and staff will have set up a place to check out each student that leaves. Your family will need to have their identification with them because the school can only check you out to someone who is listed on your Emergency Release forms. One of the Condit teachers or staff will come get you from your class and take you to your family so you may leave.
· An earthquake can be upsetting, but knowing we have a plan will help you feel more secure about how Condit’s teachers and staff are prepared to care for you while at school.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my child if a disaster happens during school hours?
1. Our staff and students practice both fire and disaster drills on a regular basis. In the event of an emergency all students are evacuated to the field where all students are accounted for. “Missing” students are located and reunited with their teachers.
2. In the event of a catastrophic emergency some teachers and staff are assigned to supervise the students, while other teachers and staff will proceed to assigned duties including student release, search and rescue, and first aid.
How can I pick up my child after a disaster has occurred?
1. Students will be released to a parent or guardian through the gate on the field south of the Kindergarten yard. Your student will only be released to an adult listed on the emergency card. PLEASE keep this information current!
What if I am unable to reach my child?
1. As with any emergency, injury, or illness every effort will be made to reach the contact on the emergency card. Students will be kept at Condit until emergency facilities are set up through the City of Claremont or the American Red Cross. Of course, at no time will any student be left unattended!
What disaster supplies does Condit have on site?
1. Our disaster plan is designed to support our full staff and 650 students for up to 48 hours if necessary. Our bin is well stocked with fresh water, medical supplies, and search and rescue equipment. It also holds food, blankets and entertainment kits for students (paper, crayons, cards, etc). We are up to date with the supplies our District (and common sense) requires for a school of our size.
What happens is my child is injured while at Condit?
1. Emergency first aid will be administered as needed and contact will be made through district wide radios for any necessary 911 support.
Is the staff trained in first aid/CPR?
1. Yes! All district personnel are given first aid training annually, and in the spring of 2010 the majority of our staff volunteered their time to become CPR Certified.