Strategic School Safety Leadership: Preparing for the “Unknown Unknowns”
School emergency plans are usually built around the knowns. Strategic school security leadership gets tested by the “unknown unknowns.” Schools appropriately plan and train for foreseeable emergencies: fires, severe weather, medical emergencies, threats, violence, evacuations, lockdowns, reunification, and other scenarios. But some of the most difficult situations confronting superintendents and school administrators do not fit […]
School Evacuation and Parent-Student Reunification: The School Safety Challenge Hiding in Plain Sight
When school leaders discuss #schoolsafety and #schoolsecurity, the conversation often centers on active shooters, access control, weapons detection systems, panic buttons, and other visible security measures. Yet one of the most complex and frequently overlooked aspects of school emergency preparedness is far less likely to make headlines: Parent-student reunification following a school evacuation. Many school […]
Two-Way Radios vs. Staff Cell Phones in Schools: When Seconds Matter, Simplicity Wins
In a number of schools during our security and emergency preparedness assessments, we sometimes hear from school safety and administration teams: “We use cell phones to text or call for help and a Google Chat group for emergency communication – we’re covered.” It sounds modern. Efficient. Familiar. And we hear this in schools that have […]
Dr. Ken Trump’s school safety, security, and emergency preparedness forecast for 2024
The beginning of a new year is an excellent time to reflect on the prior year and ponder what the next year may bring. As in our personal lives, professional observations may vary and forecasts will often not pan out. But looking from the lens of others can add perspective and depth to our views […]