Ensuring Safety: Understanding Lockdown Procedures in Schools
In today’s world, school safety is a top priority, and part of ensuring that safety involves being prepared for potential crises. One of the most critical procedures in a crisis response plan is the lockdown procedure. Lockdowns are enacted in situations where there is an immediate threat to the safety of students and staff, such as an armed or unknown intruder, or a nearby dangerous situation.
Properly understanding and practicing lockdown protocols can make a significant difference in how effectively a school responds to such threats, minimizing risk and maximizing the safety of everyone on campus.
At Illini West, we follow the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) developed by the I Love You Guys Foundation. This protocol provides clear, actionable steps that all staff and students can follow in an emergency. The SRP is a widely adopted framework designed to simplify and standardize response procedures across the country, ensuring consistency and clarity in times of crisis. It’s built on five basic actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. Here, we will focus on Lockdown and its specific role in keeping our students and staff safe.
What is a Lockdown?
A lockdown is in response to our most serious events. It is a safety protocol used when there is an imminent danger on or near school grounds, such as an armed intruder or a threat that requires everyone on campus to seek safety behind a locked door.
The abbreviated definition of a Lockdown is "Lock, Light, Out of Sight".
During a lockdown, students, staff, and visitors are required to stay inside secure areas, away from windows and doors, and remain as quiet as possible.
The goal of a lockdown is to create a barrier between the threat and those in the building, to prevent the individual(s) causing harm from gaining access to classrooms or other areas, and to keep everyone out of sight and out of harm's way. A lockdown can last for an extended period, depending on the nature of the threat, and will only be lifted when law enforcement or school officials determine that the danger has passed.
When is a Lockdown Used?
A lockdown procedure is activated when there is a serious, credible threat to the school’s safety, such as:
An active shooter or intruder on or near the school campus
A dangerous individual in the vicinity (e.g., someone fleeing law enforcement or involved in violent behavior)
A nearby emergency, such as a gas leak, that requires all students and staff to stay in place and avoid exposure to potential hazards.
In some cases, law enforcement agencies may request a lockdown if they are handling an ongoing situation in or near the school. The key is that a lockdown is used only in response to situations where immediate action is necessary to protect the lives of students and staff.
Lockdown Procedures
Illini West uses a Standard Response Protocol (SRP) to respond to a crisis event. An SRP provides a standardized approach to responding to a lockdown situation. The steps involved in a Lockdown are clear and simple to follow:
Lockdown Notification: The first step in any lockdown is to notify everyone on campus. This may be done through the PA system and the district's Crisis GO app, which communicates directly with students and staff. It’s important that everyone knows immediately that a lockdown is in effect.
Secure the Building: Once the lockdown is announced, staff members are trained to immediately clear the hallways and then lock all classroom doors and windows. If possible, any entrances to the building or open areas are also secured. Staff also ensure that students are safely away from windows and doors. In some cases, staff may work to barricade entrances if necessary.
Take Cover: Students and staff move to the safest location within the classroom or designated safe areas in the building. Everyone remains out of sight, quiet, and away from doors and windows. It’s also essential that no one leaves their secure location during the lockdown unless directed by law enforcement or authorized school personnel.
Wait for Law Enforcement or Official Communication: No one should exit the secured areas until they are given the "all clear" signal by law enforcement or the school’s designated crisis response team.
Communication and Accountability: Throughout a lockdown, our team works to maintain communication with local authorities. Additionally, our staff will be working to account for all students, ensuring that everyone is in a safe and secure location.
If a Lockdown has been implemented by the district, it means we have an event that requires first responders. After a Lockdown is implemented by the school, operational control is transferred to law enforcement. You should expect that as a result, you will be denied access to school property until law enforcement officials have given the "all clear".
Conclusion
Lockdowns are critical safety procedures that ensure our schools remain as safe as possible in the event of a direct threat. By following the clear guidelines outlined in the SRP and practicing lockdown drills regularly, we equip our students, teachers, and staff with the knowledge and confidence they need to act appropriately in times of crisis.
We remain committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students, and crisis preparedness is an integral part of that commitment. Together, we can make sure that everyone knows what to do when seconds count, and ensure that our schools are not only places of learning but also places of safety.
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