Planning and preparing to respond to a crisis situation is a critical part of our district’s emergency preparedness efforts. The district has a comprehensive emergency response plan and each building has a site plan. Although the specifics of the district and building plans cannot be public for security reasons, some general characteristics are shared here.

Emergency Response Plan

The safety of our Coeur d'Alene Public Schools students and staff is our first concern. Emergency response plans are developed by teams composed of administrators and staff. The plan contains an emergency directory, action plan, responsibilities and duties, and procedures for all kinds of emergencies.

Planning: The district maintains an emergency response guide that is a comprehensive plan for responding to a variety of natural disasters and hazardous situations including earthquake, fire, bomb threat, and hazardous materials incidents. This plan includes training resources, procedures and guidance relating to lockdown procedures, intruder response and natural disasters.

Preparing: Our schools have emergency plans in place, which include procedures for responding to incidents like fires, earthquakes, or intruders. Drills are held at all schools throughout the year so that students and staff can practice appropriate responses to hazards. We work in partnership with city and county law enforcement to prepare for emergency conditions and hazards in our schools.

Responding: The district plan has as its foundation three categories of response. Threat assessment (our STAT Team) is used to assess the type or degree of threat. Trauma Response (our CAT TEAM) is assistance to help staff and students deal with emotional situations such as the death of a student or staff member. Incident Response is procedures to be used during a natural or human emergency.

In the event of a district-wide emergency, district leadership, along with the Communications Department, will establish an Emergency Operations Center to provide support for students and staff at each school and communicate instructions to families. Local law enforcement and emergency management officials will communicate directly with the district to coordinate response plans and maximize resources, ensuring that assistance is available where it is most needed.

Security Measures in Schools