Montemalaga Elementary

Emergency Preparedness for

On Site Volunteers

Emergency preparedness is the responsibility of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District and its employees. If a parent is on campus and an employee is present, the parent should follow the instructions of the employee. All employees have reviewed the school’s emergency plan and are familiar with procedures.

When a school volunteer or parent is on campus in the event of an emergency and no district employee is present, you should be aware of the following:

General Observations:

Each teacher is assigned a buddy, so if you are in a classroom, a teacher in a nearby classroom will come and check on you. The teacher will help guide you on what should be done to guarantee the safety of students and adults.

The parent on campus should also check the classroom or the main area of work for the following:

• Locate the emergency backpack and lockdown supplies.
• Locate the two-way radio located in each classroom and make sure that it is on and out of the charger.
• Food, water, first aid supplies and a portable toilet are in every classroom.
• By the classroom door, you should find an evacuation map and an emergency checklist—The emergency checklist will cover exactly what you should do in the event of an emergency such as: earthquake, fire, flood, gas leak, lockdown, bomb threat, air quality alerts, active shooter on campus, etc.
• Stay calm and do not panic

Please follow these few guidelines if you are on campus and the specific emergency occurs:

Earthquake

If you are on campus when an earthquake happens you and anyone around you should do the following:

• Duck under a desk, place one hand on the back of your neck and hold on to the leg of the table with the other hand.
• Stay away from windows, overhead fixtures, filing cabinets, bookcases, computers, and any other objects that my fall
• Listen for instructions over the loud speaker. The instructions will be clear and keep you informed about when it is safe to evacuate the building. If no instructions are heard, you may evacuate the building when the shaking/moving has stopped.
• When evacuating the room, students and adults need to be in a single file line and always walk away from building overhangs. Students need to evacuate without any talking. You will be leaving anyone who is not able to walk in the room. Search and Rescue will be there shortly to get anyone left. Indicate on the laminated door card that a specific number of people are left in the classroom. Do not close any doors.
• Be sure to take the emergency backpack located in each classroom with you when you evacuate.
• Lead the students to the lower field area where students will be sitting on the grass according to their classroom number on the fence.
• If an earthquake happens when you are outside, move to an open area away from buildings, trees, overhead wires, ballwalls, basketball hoops, etc. Duck and cover your head with your arms. 

 Fire

In case of a fire, the following situations could occur:

• If you see a fire on campus or on the campus perimeter, move everyone away from the area and sound the closest fire alarm. The office will respond appropriately. Listen to directions on the loud speaker—A fire alarm sounding indicates that there is an emergency. Staff and students know to wait for instructions telling everyone exactly how to proceed in order to be safe.
• If you are in a classroom and are instructed to leave the building due to fire, be sure to turn off the lights and close the classroom door
• If you are outside and hear the fire alarm, listen to the instructions and (if it is safe) students will line-up by classes on the lower field

Lockdown

Intruder or criminal activity on or near campus:

• Notify the principal or main office
• Take students in classrooms for shelter in place. Shut and lock all doors and windows
• Take roll, and stay with students in room. Wait for further instructions from office-

Intruder or criminal activity on or near campus:

• When informed of a lockdown, go to the nearest room quickly and await further instructions. If you are outside, take cover in the nearest room and instruct students to do the same.
• No person is allowed to leave the school until it is safe
• During lockdown, communicate any suspicious activities or noises to the office by phone, email, or radio
• Lock all doors and close window blinds
• Do not open the door for anyone until the all clear is given or if law officers clearly identify themselves
• Crawl under desks
• Tell students to turn off cell phones so no light or noise can attract attention.
• Take roll call and report to office
• Do not leave the classroom or work area
• If the intruder enters your area, consider defending by blocking entry with furniture, throw items, use a fire extinguisher, ambush from the side. Instruct students to run if they can.
• If outside, and an intruder has a weapon tell students to RUN in the opposite direction in a zig-zag manner

 Shelter in Place

If a Shelter in Place is instructed, be sure to quickly lock the door by sliding the black device on the door to allow the door to close all the way. Also, be sure to turn off any fans or other air moving devices. Make an attempt to seal doors and window openings with plastic and duct tape.

Be sure to take roll call and report to the office by email, radio, or phone and wait for further instructions.

Thank you for working with the Montemalaga staff and PTA to keep all of our students and families safe. It is so important to be prepared for any emergency situation. Our efforts continue to make a difference-