AP 104 - (formerly Policy 5208 and procedures 5208.1, 5208.2, and 5208.3) – Critical Incidents

Background

The Surrey School District No. 36 (the “District”) recognizes that schools and other District sites may be affected by incidents arising both within the school or site and from events occurring in the broader community. This administrative procedure establishes a clear, coordinated framework for prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery from critical incidents.

Definitions

“Critical Incidents” refers to any intolerable situation, unstable condition, or sudden change that disrupts the normal functioning of an individual, group, organization, or community, and requires immediate attention and resolution. Such incidents may be confined to a single school or site or may extend more broadly necessitating intervention by District authorities, emergency and/or community services. Critical incidents include but are not limited to:

Fire;
Death/Serious Illness;
Suicide;
Inclement Weather / Power Outage;
Earthquake;
Intruders;
Bomb Threat;
Medical / Mental Health Emergencies;
Hazardous Material Spill / Explosion;
Missing Student; and
Violence / Weapons / Threats.

Procedures

Response Plans

Each District school and site shall maintain a comprehensive plan for critical incident response to ensure preparedness for emergent situations. The plan shall include:

i.	A thorough assessment of potential hazards;
ii.	Regular drills; and
iii.	Clear communication and staff awareness of established procedures designed to maximize the safety and well- being of staff, students and the public.

Emergency Social Services

a.	In collaboration with the City of Surrey and the Provincial Emergency Program, the District shall designate specific schools for use by the community in the event of an emergency.

Critical Incident Response Teams

Establishment

i.	Each District school and site shall establish a Critical Incident Response Team at the commencement of each school year.
ii.	The names and designated roles of all school team members shall be submitted to the Assistant Superintendent no later than September 30th of each year.
iii.	District site team lists shall be provided to the Assistant Superintendent responsible for Student Services by no later than September 30th of each year.
iv.	All teams should meet each September to review general procedures for responding to critical incidents and their school and site specific plan.

Scope

i.	To “return the school/site to normalcy” by providing managerial assistance and administrative support to the school/site while dealing with and mitigating the effects of the incident on staff and students.
ii.	Does not manage a critical incident, but rather manages the school/site’s response to a critical incident. In so doing, the effect of the incident may be mitigated and the school/site community will recover more quickly and completely. As issues will be dealt with in a timely and appropriate fashion, secondary trauma may be reduced.

Assessment Measures

a.	Assessment measures shall be carried out on a regular basis and may be incorporated into, or supplement, the inspections made by the school or site-based health and safety committee.
b.	Principals and site managers must guarantee easy access for emergency vehicles and equipment. To ensure unimpeded access for emergency vehicles, the Director, Physical Plant & Transportation Services, or designate, in consultation with principals and site managers and representatives of Surrey/White Rock Fire Services, may designate specific portions of a school site as fire lanes. No vehicles are to be parked within 8 meters (25 feet) of any school buildings, to ensure full perimeter access to buildings. When a person refuses to remove his/her vehicle from a designated “no parking” area, or when the driver or owner of a vehicle parked in such an area cannot be readily located, the principal or site manager, or designate, may have the vehicle removed. Providing it can be demonstrated that no reasonable alternative was available, the Board will support such action as required.
c.	Principals or site managers must immediately notify the Physical Plant & Transportation Services Department when fire extinguishers are empty or missing, when fire alarms are not working, or break glass stations require attention.
d.	The school Safety Committee must frequently assess high risk areas such as industrial, science, and food preparation areas. The committee should also ensure that spray painting is carried out in accordance with B.C. Fire Code Regulations and compressed gas cylinders are securely chained at all times.
e.	The school Safety Committee must carefully monitor the procedures for storage, use and disposal of hazardous substances.
f.	The school Safety Committee must conduct periodic inspections of the school to identify potential earthquake hazards and reduce potential dangers posed to staff, students and the public.
g.	Principals or site managers must formulate an evacuation plan for safe routes and open-space assembly areas. Elevators are extremely vulnerable to earthquakes and should be avoided.
h.	Principals or site managers should be aware of the necessity to have established procedures to deal with: main shut off valves for water, gas and electricity; heating-air conditioning equipment; chemical storage and gas lines in laboratories; portable (battery-powered) PA equipment, radios, lighting, first aid equipment, fire extinguishers, overhead power lines; underground gas and sewer lines.
i.	Services such as water, gas, electricity, heating-air conditioning equipment must be reactivated by qualified maintenance personnel.

Drills

Regular evacuation drills are essential to help ensure safe conduct and immediate and appropriate reaction in the event of an emergency. Principals or site managers are reminded that procedures used during earthquakes are different from procedures for evacuation in case of fire, and require some different assessment and planning. Classroom discussions, demonstrations and exercises regarding emergencies and safe and orderly evacuation of facilities should be frequent enough to ensure that all staff and students are familiar with procedures to be used and reasons for their use.

Principals or site managers should consult with District resources before determining appropriate response procedures for a particular school. Building design and materials may be key indicators as to how drills and emergency response procedures are to be carried out.

Please note that these are only guidelines and meant to serve as the basis for a portion of the preparatory and action plans of the school. The principal or site manager is responsible for coordinating the communication of all critical incident procedures to staff, students and parents.

Principals and site managers are given the following guidelines for conducting fire drills:

Fire drills should be held as frequently as necessary, but not less than three (3) times in the fall and three (3) times in the spring during each school year. (B.C. Fire Code section 2.8.3.2 – Fire drill frequency)

ii.

School security systems are electronically monitored and the activation of a fire alarm will automatically notify the security company. Schools must phone the security company prior to a fire drill to ensure that Surrey/White Rock Fire Services are not directed to respond. After completion of the fire drill, security should also be notified.

iii.

The foregoing procedures are to be followed even in the case of false alarms. Willful false alarms by students are to be treated as follows:

1.	Kindergarten to Grade 3 – Students apprehended causing a fire alarm should be admonished by the Principal and a Fire Department Public Educator should be contacted to assist in educating the student about the seriousness of the incident.
2.	Grades 4 to 12 – Students apprehended causing a false alarm may be immediately suspended. A Fire Department Public Educator should be contacted to assist in educating the student about the seriousness of the incident.

iv.

Principals and site managers are given the following guidelines for conducting earthquake drills:

1.	Complete earthquake drills should be held as frequently as necessary but not less than two (2) times during each school year.
2.	Prior to an earthquake drill, staff and students should be provided with information as to what might be expected through each phase of an earthquake and what actions should be taken.
3.	Drills should cover what actions are to be taken during the actual earthquake, aftershocks and after the ground stops shaking. If inside the classroom: Extinguish any burners in science labs or turn off stoves in food preparation areas. Move away from potential hazards (e.g. windows, shelves, wall hanging, chemicals). Take cover under a table or desk, in a corner or against an inside wall. Assume drop position and stay quiet until earthquake is over and further instructions are given for evacuation. If in halls/stairway or place where no cover exists: Move to the interior wall (be careful of lockers) and kneel with back to the wall. Cover sides of head with elbows and clasp hands firmly behind neck. After the initial shock is over, teachers will evacuate the classroom/school to a prearranged outside location, alert to the possibility of aftershocks. If outdoors: Move to an open space (away from buildings, overhead power lines and gas lines). Assume the drop position until the earthquake is over. Watch for dangers that may require you to move. If on a school bus: Drivers should immediately stop the bus away from possible hazards. Overhead objects should be removed from racks. Occupants should remain in their seats and hold on or assume drop position under seats, if possible, or in the aisles.
4.	When leaving classrooms, staff should ensure evacuation routes are safe and that any classroom emergency supplies are also transported outside. Staff will direct students to pre-arranged assembly locations where they will remain until re-entry to school buildings has been approved, they are directed to relocate elsewhere or students have been released to parents/guardians.

In the Event of Fire Emergency

a.	Activate the site fire alarm for building evacuation.
b.	Confirm the location of the fire.
c.	Call 911 for Surrey/White Rock Fire Services, providing details of incident, e.g. location, nature.
d.	Even in the case of a small fire that has been extinguished, report it to Surrey/White Rock Fire Services and school district Physical Plant & Transportation Services Department immediately.
e.	Determine if staff and students have safely evacuated the school building.
f.	Check access routes, gates and fire lanes to ensure they are not obstructed.
g.	Inform Fire Services of students/staff waiting in secure areas of the school for assistance to be removed from the building.
h.	Inform Fire Services of names, ages and possible locations of unaccounted for students/staff.
i.	Notify Assistant Superintendent or Associate Superintendent, Continuing, Career & International Education, and Manager, Communication Services.
j.	Stand by and be of assistance to Fire Services as required.
k.	Staff and students must remain in designated areas until Fire Services gives the “All Clear”.
l.	Contact District Resource Counsellor as necessary.
m.	Activate school’s Critical Incident Response Team as necessary.
n.	Notify the Director, Financial & Risk Management Services, at the Board Office, to arrange for an insurance investigator where there is damage over $3,000.
o.	Complete an Incident Report for all incidents.

In the Event of an Earthquake Emergency

a.	Wait for the shaking to stop – check yourself and others around you for injuries.
b.	Be alert to aftershocks.
c.	Decision to evacuate all or part of school should not be automatic – there may be more danger outside the building than inside.
d.	Identify safe evacuation routes and safe assembly areas.
e.	Activate fire alarm to signal staff and students to evacuate. Do not use elevators.
f.	Determine names, ages and possible locations of unaccounted for staff/students, including any students/staff waiting in secure areas of the school for assistance to be removed from the building.
g.	Ensure all power, fuel and water mains have been shut off – contact school district Physical Plant & Transportation Services Department if required.
h.	Check for possible fires, utility leaks, hazardous material spills and call emergency services and provincial emergency response as necessary.
i.	Implement procedures for communication, search and rescue, first aid, shelter, supervision, student/staff release, etc.
j.	Ensure staff/students remain away from buildings, overhead power lines, trees or other hazards that may fall while outside.
k.	Attempt to contact the District Board Office to relay the extent of damage or injury at your site.
l.	Await instructions from emergency officials over battery-operated or car radio where possible.
m.	Consider school plans in the event that students must stay past school hours and/or emergency evacuation to another site.
n.	Schools will remain open indefinitely until every child has been released to a parent/guardian or other authorized person.
o.	Do not re-enter the building until approval has been given by the Director, Physical Plant & Transportation Services, or designate and until power, fuel and water services have been reactivated by qualified maintenance personnel.

In the Event of a Bomb Threat

As a caution, do not use any transmitting devices such as radios, cellular phones or pagers as they may trigger an electronic detonator. Do not assume that there is just one device and do not touch a suspicious device.

Complete Bomb Threat Telephone Checklist and notify the principal or site manager.

If a bomb threat is received either by phone or written communication or a suspicious device is located, call 911 for police assistance.

When written communication is found, handle it with care, by edge and place it in a folder immediately, to preserve any evidence that may be found.

Assess threat (nature, time, location, suspect) and perform quick check of location, where identified.

Consult with police and Assistant Superintendent or Associate Superintendent, Continuing, Career & International Education, and consider school evacuation and closure.

If immediate evacuation is necessary, proceed to Evacuation Procedures.

Evacuation Procedures

Known Location:

1.	Evacuate staff and students from the area nearest the threat and then in stages, evacuate the surrounding areas of the school.
2.	Do not use fire alarm.

ii.

Unknown Location:

1.	Use fire alarm and relevant evacuation procedures to evacuate all staff and students.
2.	Police will lead a comprehensive search of the school site.
3.	Do not re-enter the building until the “All Clear” is given by police.
4.	Notify Manager, Communication Services, if school closure necessary.

Other Emergencies

In the event of other critical incidents (hazardous materials spill, flood, etc.), the principal or site manager must rely on established safety and communication procedures. More information on Critical Incidents is available in the Critical Incident Quick Reference (flipchart) and the Critical Incident Resource Guide (yellow binder).

10.

Logging Critical Incidents

It is expected that all fire drills, earthquake drills, bomb threats and other emergency situations be recorded in the Critical Incident Resource Guide.

In recording the information, please note the:

i.	Date and time.
ii.	Nature of the critical incident or drill.
iii.	Duration of the critical incident or drill (start/finish time).
iv.	Specific amount of time required to reach `All Clear’ of danger.
v.	Short anecdotal comment as to any pertinent details of areas in need of improvement, such as: exit congestion, lack of proper access for emergency vehicles, communications inadequacies, staff/student awareness, assembly areas.
vi.	Person responsible for conducting the procedure.

The Critical Incident Resource Guide should be kept as a reference for Health and Safety personnel, Surrey/White Rock Fire Services, new principals, site managers, and other supervisory personnel who might benefit from the information as to the frequency and chronology of such events.

11.

Emergency Social Services

Use of Schools for Reception Centers and Emergency Shelters

In B.C., municipalities are responsible for providing Emergency Social Services (E.S.S.).

ii.

In cooperation with the City of Surrey and the Provincial Emergency Program, School District No.36 (Surrey) has agreed to designate certain schools to be used as either Reception Centres or Emergency Shelters in event of an emergency.

iii.

A Reception Centre is a site where evacuees may be received during a disaster. The centres are used to register evacuees and coordinate emergency services such as food, shelter, housing, etc. The Reception Centre may also be required for emergency shelters.

iv.

An Emergency Shelter provides short-term food and shelter accommodations for evacuees.

A call for a Reception Centre during a community emergency takes priority over regular school use. Every effort will be made to use non-district facilities or expedite the process to cause the least disruption to the school. The Reception Centre staff will work closely with the school administrative staff to facilitate a smooth process.

vi.

A plan for Reception Centre management will be maintained by the manager of Service Operations. It contains:

1.	Call Out Response
2.	Designated Sites List and Map
3.	Call Out Spread Sheet
4.	Annual Check of Procedures and Supplies
5.	Supplies Check Sheet
6.	List of Volunteers and Phone Number

vii.

Sites are designated as primary and secondary. If the primary site is not able to be used or is overflowing, the secondary site may be called into service.

viii.

Designated sites:

Primary

a.	L.A. Matheson Secondary
b.	North Surrey Secondary
c.	Tamanawis Secondary
d.	Semiahmoo Secondary
e.	Pacific Academy (Designated by the City of Surrey Emergency Plan, not a Surrey School District site)

Secondary

a.	Queen Elizabeth Secondary
b.	Johnston Heights Secondary
c.	Princess Margaret Secondary
d.	Clayton Heights Secondary
e.	Elgin Park Secondary
f.	Fraser Heights Secondary

Personnel

a.	Manager of Service Operations – Reception Centre Coordinator
b.	Service Operations Supervisors – Reception Centre Managers
c.	Service Operations Custodial Staff Volunteers – Facility Management & Support Staff *Designated by the City of Surrey Emergency Plan, not a Surrey School District Site.

Role of Emergency Social Services (E.S.S.)

The E.S.S. Director or deputy will notify the Reception Centre coordinator if a Reception Centre is required. An emergency may result from:

1.	Power outage during extremely cold temperatures.
2.	Evacuations due to fire, flood, earthquake, chemical spills, bomb threats, gas leaks, etc.
3.	Other weather emergencies such as snow blizzards, ice storms, tornadoes, etc. or a number of other natural or man-made disasters.

ii.

The E.S.S. will provide the managers that will staff the various stations at the Reception Centre.

Role of the District

i.	Provide District sites for Reception Centre or Emergency Shelters.
ii.	Provide District personnel to assist with the management and operation of facilities being utilized as a Reception Centre or Emergency Shelter.

Role of Service Operations

i.	In the event a Reception Centre has been activated, the Emergency Social Services Director will call the Reception Centre Coordinator. They will in turn call the respective Reception Centre managers and ask them to attend the site. The Reception Centre coordinator will continue to call the volunteers to staff and set-up the Centre.
ii.	The Reception Centre Coordinator will notify the Assistant Director of Administration, Operations, Grounds and Transportation Services and the school administrative officer. The Reception Centre coordinator will then report to the Emergency Operations Centre.
iii.	The Reception Centre manager will be responsible for checking and maintaining the Emergency Social Services boxes, stored at each designated site. They will also be responsible for updating the volunteer information in the Emergency Social Services file.
iv.	The Reception Centre coordinator will be responsible for representing the school district on the Emergency Social Services Committee. The Reception Centre coordinator will also be responsible to maintain the Emergency Social Services Plan for Reception Centre management.

Role of School Administrative Officers

i.	Administrative officers’ main responsibility for the staff and students and any arrangements required to facilitate their relocation within the school.

12.

Loss of Life

Responding to Loss of Life: The following steps shall be taken when dealing with the loss of life in the school/site community. Detailed information regarding critical incident response may be found in the Critical Incident Resource Manual.

Gather factual information

1.	Confirm the critical incident with appropriate source(s) of reliable information (ie. RCMP, immediate family).

ii.

Contact District Staff

1.	Assistant Superintendent; Director, Communication Services; District Resource Counsellor

iii.

Activate the Critical Incident Response Team

1.	The Critical Incident Response Team should meet to discuss and develop an appropriate plan of action, taking into consideration the needs of the school and wishes of the family.

iv.

Contact Community Resource Personnel

In the event a critical incident involves:

a.	The RCMP, follow up with the School Liaison Officer.
b.	The Ministry for Children & Family Development, contact the manager.
c.	An attempted or completed suicide, contact Surrey Community Services, Suicide Prevention Education and Counselling Program (SPEAC), at 584-5811 and Adolescent Crisis Response Program (ACRP), at 585-5561.
d.	Student/staff of a particular religious group, consult with the local place of worship as appropriate.

Considerations for Counselling Support

1.	If appropriate, designate counselling centres for students and staff.

vi.

Communication with Staff

1.	Arrange for an emergency staff meeting to present the facts as known at the time and review the critical incident response plan. Administration should ensure that itinerant, Continuing Education and afternoon shift staff at the site are also to be notified of the incident and response measures.

vii.

Talking to students about the incident

1.	The manner in which information is relayed to the students can have a major impact on the emotional response of the entire school community. It is not appropriate to use the public address system or an assembly to inform students of a critical incident.
2.	Students should be informed of the critical incident by way of a prepared statement to be read in a classroom setting. It is important to inform students as soon as possible so that rumor does not compound existing challenges. It is also important for staff to communicate that they care about the people affected by the incident and to model appropriate concern.

viii.

Communication with Parents

To assist them in dealing with parental inquiries, staff should be prepared with a script that covers the facts of the critical incident. Depending on the nature of the incident, a letter may be sent home with every student in the class or school. Care needs to be exercised to ensure that only information approved for disclosure is included in the letter. Sample letters are available through the Manager, Communication Services.

ix.

Follow up

1.	Follow up after a critical incident is necessary to ensure that all affected individuals have had appropriate access to services and to review how well the response was managed so that improvements can be made when handling future incidents.

Lowering the Flag

i.	It is customary that the school flag be lowered for the death of a student or staff member. The flag is raised again after the funeral/memorial service or on an agreed upon date.

The Funeral or Memorial Service

The principal should be in contact with the family regarding the funeral or memorial service and the school should work with the family in an effort to honour their wishes as much as possible. Wishes should be communicated to all staff and students as soon as they are known.

ii.

The funeral or memorial service serves a definite purpose in helping to establish the reality of the death, provide closure, and extend support to the family and friends. When appropriate, staff and students should have the opportunity to attend the funeral or memorial service. In some cases, it may be appropriate to make minor adjustments to the school day to accommodate those wishing to attend a service. Any proposed adjustments to the school day should be discussed with the Assistant Superintendent.

iii.

A Principal or other staff member may be asked to speak at the service. It is often appropriate to do so.

iv.

Many students may have had little experience with a funeral or memorial service. If students are likely to attend, school staff should make every effort to ascertain the cultural and religious context in which the service will be held. This information should then be shared with all students. Questions of particular interest may include:

1.	Appropriate dress and decorum for the service;
2.	Viewing of the body either before or during the service;
3.	Internment of the body; and
4.	Reception following the service.

Shrines

The creation of “shrines,” special places of remembrance, and “ribbon campaigns” are now commonplace after a sudden death. Shrines often form at the site of the death, or at the student’s locker or desk.

ii.

Often there is a very real need to create a shrine and it will be impossible to stop the creation of one. It is especially important for the Critical Incident Response Team to be proactive and use their wisdom and knowledge to modify either the type or location of a shrine.

iii.

Special considerations:

1.	The location of the shrine should be in a place that will not impede the regular operation of the school, as it returns to normalcy.
2.	Once a location for a shrine has been decided, staff should be vigilant to ensure that other “unauthorized” shrines are not created. Should individuals wish to place articles in an unauthorized location they should be re-directed, in a sensitive and caring fashion, to the authorized location and articles moved there as soon as possible.
3.	The material and nature of the shrine should be temporary and no permanent or semi-permanent materials should be used (e.g. have students/staff write their messages of condolence on a large sheet of paper).
4.	A plan for removing the shrine must be in place and communicated to all staff and students before the shrine is created. When a special location is set up, staff and students should be informed that this will be the special place until the funeral/memorial service (or some other set time) and then after that time all articles will be given to the family.
5.	If a ribbon campaign is being considered, staff need to incorporate into the plan a specific date that the campaign will end.
6.	It is strongly recommended that schools consult with associate/ neighboring schools prior to making a commitment with regards to shrines or memorial activities.

School Recognition of the Tragedy

i.	A memorial service or dedication at the school in recognition of the tragedy may be considered in some cases. Schools should discuss the appropriateness of such an activity with the Assistant Superintendent.

Physical Memorials

i.	The creation of a memorial is often suggested upon the death of a student or staff member, such as plaques on schools, rooms or playground equipment, creating a memorial garden, or the dedication of a school annual.
ii.	It is not recommended that a school create a permanent monument in honour of the deceased without careful consideration and consultation with District senior management. Physical memorials may become problematic, as targets of vandalism and disrepair, or in cases of renovation or closure of the school.
iii.	Financial memorials such as bursaries, scholarships and funding of charities seem to offer a more positive alternative to physical memorials. These options offer the opportunity to demonstrate caring for the deceased while at the same time permitting the community to move forward. In addition, they provide schools and families with the flexibility to “retire” these memorials as desired.
iv.	Dedicating entire school annuals to a deceased staff member or student may also be problematic. It may be more appropriate to dedicate one page rather than an entire annual.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) is an early intervention initiative available to staff and students following the experience of a traumatic event. This service is aimed at reducing the distress experienced by individuals immediately following the event and hopefully preventing the development of more serious difficulties. Schools/sites should consult with the district resource counsellor regarding the appropriateness of using CISD.

Media Guidelines

i.	Rarely does a critical incident occur within or at a school without the media becoming interested. The degree of interest and variety of media involved usually depends on the nature of the critical incident and, in some cases, its relation to current issues or events.
ii.	The principal or site manager should provide direction to media personnel and control access to students when they are on school property. Never should a reporter, camera person or television crew be left on their own while on school property.

References	Support Services for Schools Order, Ministerial Order M149/89 as amended M198/25, issued under the School Act, R.S.B.C., 1996. Safe and Caring School Communities Policy, Ministry of Education and Childcare.
Related Documents	Appendix 5208.1-1 Appendix 5208.1-2 Appendix 5208.1-3
Approved:	June 10, 2026