National School Safety and Security Services

Schools & Terrorism Preparedness Training

THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM ON SCHOOL SAFETY AND CRISIS PREPAREDNESS PLANNING

School homeland security training for school & public safety personnel

National School Safety and Security Services has received a number of inquiries from across the nation about the impact of terrorism on school safety and crisis preparedness planning.  Parents and media officials are asking school leaders what they are doing in terms of "heightened security" and school safety after September 11th, and if what they are doing is appropriate.  School crisis teams are asking if there is more that they could and should do. 

What should you do and how much is enough?

Unlike others who suddenly started providing school terrorism training shortly after the federal government announced grant funding for such programs in March of 2003, we have had a free web page on terrorism for schools since the afternoon of 9/11/2001.  We began presenting this well-received training program on terrorism and school preparedness in the Fall of 2001 and have  presented this training for the American Association of School Administrators, National School Boards Association, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of School Resource Officers, Texas School Safety Center, and numerous regional and local school systems nationwide. We have strongly advocated for additional resources to be provided to schools to improve school homeland security.

In an effort to help support school leaders in appropriately answer questions from members of their school community, we are offering keynote, workshop, executive briefing, community, and other presentations for school personnel and their public safety officials on the impact of terrorism on school safety and crisis preparedness planning.  Many of the items discussed reinforce good crisis preparedness planning strategies that relate to terrorism but were recommended far before the introduction of terrorist attacks in the immediate lives of Americans.  Other topics highlight the unique issues presented by current terrorist activities and how schools can incorporate balanced, common sense risk-reduction measures into their existing plans.

Our philosophy is the same as it has been following high-profile school safety tragedies in recent years:  Balance, common sense, and practical school security and crisis preparedness strategies can and should be employed, even in times of national crises. Our objective is to simply reduce fears and prevent overreaction by providing factual, common sense, and K-12 school-specific security and crisis planning strategies and information.  We help school officials reinforce their safe schools planning efforts while maintaining the best sense of normalcy possible and focusing on the delivery of instructional services in a physically and psychologically secure setting. 

Topics may include:

  • New times, new crimes:  The evolution of school safety and crisis preparedness planning --- From bullying to school shooters, snipers, and terrorist threats
  •   School responses to September 11th; Issues and resources in immediately responding to specific terrorist acts
  •   The concept of terrorism: A basic understanding for educators
  •   Schools as future potential targets of terrorism
  •   School emergency and crisis preparedness guidelines relevant to acts of terrorism
  •   New school safety considerations stemming from terrorism:  Anthrax scares, mail handling procedures, food protection, relationships with HAZMAT and other public safety officials, school field trips and travel, cell phones in school, and other unique issues
  •   "Heightened security awareness":  What does this mean for schools in terms of threat assessment and K-12-specific, practical risk-reduction security strategies?  Training your staff to recognize suspicious persons and activities
  •   Professional school security strategies: What is school security? School Security 101, School security assessments, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Physical security enhancements, and common themes from nationwide school security assessment evaluations
  •   Lockdowns, evacuations, shelter-in-place and other procedures; alternative sites, family reunification procedures, emergency kits, testing and exercising your plans
  •   Communicating school safety issues effectively to students, staff, parents, media and the school community in times of a national crisis

  •   Challenges to the future of school safety and crisis preparedness

Other topics may be added and programs adapted as related issues evolve nationwide. 

In addition to his primary experience and training in school security and emergency preparedness planning, presenter Ken Trump's background includes working part-time from 1985 to 1993 in the Emergency Control Center of the U.S. Federal Protective Service at Cleveland's federal office building. In this capacity he received ongoing training related to physical security, terrorism, and related issues. Ken also completed the Advanced Physical Security Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center during a two-week program in 1995.  He also recently received specialized training on suicide bombers and terrorism by an Israeli expert who served in the Israel Defense Forces, as a special agent and head of the executive protection for Israeli prime ministers, and as head instructor in the Israeli General Security Services agency.

We also offer tabletop exercises and related consultation services for testing school crisis plans. For additional information, contact Ken Trump.

Copyright � 1996-2007 by National School Safety and Security Services . All rights reserved