Benton Middle School - Crisis Plan

Attention: The chorus event at Forest Park High School, scheduled for Friday, February 5th is cancelled due to the weather forecast.

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Crisis Plan

Did you know? ….every school in Prince William County is mandated to create crisis response plans for the following contingencies:

aircraft disaster
angry parent, employee, or patron
asbestos release
bomb threat
bus accident
dangerous persons/escapees in vicinity of school
elevator entrapment
fire or explosion
food borne illness
gas leak
hazardous materials release in school or in vicinity of schools
hostage situation/threatening person with a weapon
intruder/trespasser
lost student
medical problem
power outage
shooting
suicide, threats and attempts
tornado/severe weather
weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological and nuclear)
workplace violence

Benton has all these plans in place. Each year our entire Crisis Management Plan is reviewed by the Prince William County School’s office of Safety and Security.

The elements of these plans are practiced by students and staff to insure familiarity and compliance with the plan. The lack of any injury or loss of life at Bull Run Middle School this past June is a testament to the soundness of these plans.

Fire drills are practiced regularly. Often a response to a crisis requires this kind of safe, orderly building evacuation. Benton also participates in the state-wide tornado drill. This drill places students in a safe position (drop & tuck) in an area away from doors, windows, and areas of large roof expanses (gym and cafeteria).

A lock-down procedure differs in that students are not moved, but rather kept safe where they are. No one is permitted to enter the building; all exterior doors are locked. There is a plan in place for accounting for each student present in the building that day. The school would remain in lock-down until the "all clear" signal is used.

The details of the plan are not publicized to protect our students. This limited information is
being shared so that parents will be aware that Benton has a crisis plan and drills students and staff to keep us all safe.

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