St Patrick’s College Critical Incident Plan

St Patrick’s College remains committed to ensuring the highest levels of safety for its staff and students.

To realise this commitment, the College maintains a Critical Incident Management Plan as well as several specific safety policies and procedures.

One method of testing the effectiveness and efficiency of our Critical Incident Management Plan is to practice and rehearse emergency evacuations such as fire drills, and lockdown events.

The College aims to practice such drills on a regular basis, with staff and students given no warning so as to ensure the legitimacy of the rehearsal.

In the event of an actual emergency, College staff or Emergency Services will attempt – as soon as it is safe to do so – to contact parents and guardians to advise of the status of the incident, if students have been evacuated, when they will be returned and when it will be safe to collect their children.

Parents and guardians should be realistic about how long it may take for the College to contact them when an incident arises, especially if children have been relocated off site.

As such we ask you to please keep the following in mind:

·         DO NOT contact the College, if it has been evacuated no one will be there to answer your call.

·         Staff are endeavouring to deal with the incident, so please do not distract them from seeing to the safety of your children first. Their safety is of paramount importance.

·         Parents and guardians calling staff mobile numbers may prevent staff from:

• •  Seeking assistance and guidance from Emergency Services thereby putting students in further danger
  •  Trying to contact parents or guardians about the whereabouts of their children.

If parents and guardians have provided their children with mobile phones, they should not call them. Making contact with parents and guardians may distract students from listening to instructions from staff and endanger their safety. Students will be advised by their teachers when they can safely use their mobiles to make contact.

If parents and guardians are on the phone with their child during an incident, they should provide them comfort and assurance. Students may become agitated and panicked if they hear fear in the parent or guardian’s voice and this may hamper staff in ensuring disciplined and calm behaviour.

We thank you for your ongoing assistance in ensuring the safety of our students and staff is always of the utmost importance.