Recently, I published an article entitled, Protecting And Empowering Your Worship Center; in it, I emphasized the importance of a Security Plan, which generally includes an Emergency Action Plan or Emergency Operations Plan that applies an “all-hazards”, holistic approach to emergency management. I cited an example of a standardized building response protocol where the danger from criminal activity was outside and an evacuation was not the safest option; the use of the term “lockdown” was conveyed in a generic way. Now, I’d like to explore a bit more some of the nuances in the various response categories when dealing with building emergencies — namely, the action types promoted in the nationally-recognized Standard Response Protocol (SRP) from the “I Love U Guys” Foundation. The Foundation stresses that a critical ingredient in personal safety is a standard response to any incident (less emphasis on “scenario-based” measures) — including weather events, accidents, intruders and other threats to personal safety. The SRP is essentially comprised of four “actions” followed by specific directives, regardless of the scenario: The actions are LOCKOUT, LOCKDOWN, EVACUATE & SHELTER.
Lockout! is followed by the directive: “Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors” and is the protocol used to safeguard individuals within the building. Examples include shots fired or criminal activity in the general vicinity of the building.
Lockdown! is followed by “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” and is the protocol used to secure individual rooms and keep individuals quiet and in place. Examples include an armed intruder within the building, or possibly, such intruder is in immediate proximity to the building.
Evacuate! is always followed by a location, and is used to move individuals from one location to a different location in or out of the building. Examples include hazardous materials release and smoke conditions within the building.
Shelter! is always followed by a type and a method and is the protocol for group and self protection. Examples include weather emergencies and outside environmental hazards.
The benefits of the SRP are quickly apparent; by standardizing the vocabulary, all stakeholders can understand the response and status of the event, and the protocol allows for a more predictable series of actions as an event unfolds. The protocol is fluid. An intruder event may start as a Lockdown, but as the intruder is isolated, first responders might transition parts of the building to an Evacuation. This common language is being taught to millions of students in the US and Canada; as these students enter the workforce or are in non-school environments, the standardized language and expectations provide a more conditioned response. Feel free to review materials from The Standard Response Protocol – BIZ (for businesses and institutions), and perhaps you’ll consider incorporating the program at your organization or facility.
ABOUT “I LOVE U GUYS” FOUNDATION: On September 27th, 2006, a gunman entered Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, Colorado, held seven girls hostage and ultimately shot and killed Emily Keyes. During the time she was held hostage, Emily sent her parents text messages… “I love you guys” and “I love u guys. k?” Emily’s kindness, spirit, fierce joy, and the dignity and grace that followed this tragic event define the core of The “I Love U Guys” Foundation. FOUNDATION MISSION: The “I Love U Guys” Foundation was created to restore and protect the joy of youth through educational programs and positive actions in collaboration with families, schools, communities, organizations and government entities.
Additional Resources
(click links to view/download PDFs)
SRP BIZ Operation Guidelines.pdf
SRP BIZ Poster.pdf
SRP BIZ Red Green Alert Card.pdf
SRP BIZ Red Green Medical Card.pdf
SRP BIZ Red Green Roll Card.pdf
SRP BIZ Staff Handout v2.pdf