August 2008

Understanding and First Response to National Security Alert Codes from the US Department of Homeland Security and the AISD School Safety and Emergency Resource Manual.

The following information describes responsible safety and security emergency management during elevated National Security Alerts. The information is provided to help schools and facilities recognize and respond to, by descending order of severity, the Five National Security Alert Codes; Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue and Green. The information should be considered as a companion to the AISD School Safety and Emergency Resource Manual.

For requests about this information on safety/security emergency management, please contact AISD Police, 512-414-0462.

Code Red | Code Orange | Code Yellow | Code Blue | Code Green

CODE RED: A severe condition or severe risk of terrorist attack.

Be prepared, if notified by AISD Police, to close the school. Information about transportation will be provided at the time of notification. If condition warrants, all students may be transported to an off-site location. Students should remain in class until instructions are received about their dismissal and transport. All communication will originate from the AISD Police.

If advised by AISD Police or the fire department, initiate the Lockdown procedures in your campus/facility emergency operations plan. If advised to lockdown by AISD Poolice or fire department, post signs on the entrance and exit doors indicating the doors are locked and will not be opened for any reason until notified by AISD Police it is safe to do so.

If advised by AISD Police or the fire department to evacuate, initiate the emergency procedures for Emergency Evacuation. If a bomb is suspected, DO NOT use walkie-talkies, cell phones or other transmitting devices.

Maintain a "heightened awareness" for suspicious activity; including suspicious vehicles and or near campus grounds; suspicious persons in or near school buildings especially those taking photographs or videotaping, suspicious packages near the building perimeter and/or inside the school building or suspicious solicitations for information by unknown persons. Report any of these activities or persons to the building administration and the AISD Police (414-1703).

Principals/facility managers will keep records of all vehicles allowed to park for at least two hours on school/facility property during normal operating hours. The record should include the name of the owner, make, model and color, license number and phone number of the owner. Forward this record via email to the AISD Police Department on a weekly basis.

Unauthorized vehicles remaining at any district facility after 10:00 PM will be towed immediately. Only the principal/facility manager can authorize vehicles to remain after 10:00 PM.

Mailroom facilities/vehicles are considered high security areas and will remain locked at all times with access available to authorized personnel only.

Restrict access to the facility to facility/campus and emergency management staff only. Inform parents not to come pick up students unless notified to do so. Frequently check restrooms, hallways and stairwells for unauthorized persons.

AISD employees shall display a proper picture ID badge while on school property or while acting in an official capacity as a district employee. All district employees must sign in and out of schools and district facilities.

Convene the campus/facility crisis management team to review possible emergency response actions, remind members of their responsibilities and communicate a schedule for a periodic security updates or alerts.

Ensure that emergency telephone and pager numbers are updated and easily accessible.

Assess the status of window and door security: assess windowpanes, wall baseboards and doorframes for conditions that could permit airborne contaminants to enter the building. Forward urgent repair requests via the electronic work order system.

Monitor pager, e-mail, radio, television and telephonic communication for emergency advisories and alerts.

Address special medical needs of students and staff with designated staff.

Check go-kit and emergency supplies, i.e., batteries, flashlight.

Review with students, in a calm, low-key manner, the emergency procedures for lockdown and Emergency Evacuation Monitor all means of communication mentioned above for special transportation instructions from AISD Police should evacuation to an off-site location become necessary.

CODE ORANGE: A high condition or high risk of terrorist attack.

Be prepared for the possibility of an upgrade of security alert status to Code Red.

Review the lockdown procedures in your campus/facility emergency operations plan. Practice lockdown and incident command coordination in your campus/facility emergency operations plan. Assess the cancellation or rescheduling of off-campus school-related activities or events such as athletic events, field trips, etc.

Maintain a "heightened awareness" for suspicious activity; including suspicious vehicles and or near campus grounds; suspicious persons in or near school buildings especially those taking photographs or videotaping, suspicious packages near the building perimeter and/or inside the school building or suspicious solicitations for information by unknown persons. Report any of these activities or persons to the building administration and the AISD Police (414-1703).

Principals/facility managers will keep records of all vehicles allowed to park for at least two hours on school/facility property during normal operating hours. The record should include the name of the owner, make, model and color, license number and phone number of the owner. Forward this record via email to the AISD Police Department on a weekly basis.

Unauthorized vehicles remaining at any district facility after 10:00 PM will be towed immediately. Only the principal/facility manager can authorize vehicles to remain after 10:00 PM.

Mailroom facilities/vehicles are considered high security areas and will remain locked at all times with access available to authorized personnel only.

If a school or facility is under a specific threat, restrict the access to the facility to facility/campus and emergency staff only. When under a threatening condition, inform parents not to come pick up students unless notified to do so. Otherwise, closely monitor persons entering and leaving the district facilities, check picture IDs. Frequently check restrooms, hallways and stairwells for unauthorized persons.

AISD employees shall display a proper picture ID badge while on school property or while acting in an official capacity as a district employee. All district employees must sign in and out of schools and district facilities.

Convene the campus/facility crisis management team to review possible emergency response actions, remind members of their responsibilities and communicate a schedule for a periodic security updates or alerts.

Ensure that emergency telephone and pager numbers are updated and easily accessible.

Assess the status of window and door security, assess windowpanes, wall baseboards and doorframes for conditions that could permit airborne contaminants to enter the building. Forward urgent repair requests via the electronic work order system.

Monitor pager, e-mail, radio, television and telephonic communication for emergency advisories and alerts. Ensure extra batteries are available to ensure equipment is operable.

Address special medical needs of students and staff with designated staff.

Check go-kit and emergency supplies, i.e., batteries, flashlight.

Review with students, in a calm, low-key manner, the emergency procedures for lockdown and Emergency Evacuation Monitor all means of communication mentioned above for special transportation instructions from AISD Police should evacuation to an off-site location become necessary.

CODE YELLOW: An elevated condition or significant risk of terrorist attack.

Be prepared for the possibility of an upgrade of security alert status to Code Orange.

Review the lockdown procedures in your campus/facility emergency operations plan. Practice lockdown procedures and incident command coordination in your campus/facility emergency operations plan.

Maintain a "heightened awareness" for suspicious activity; including suspicious vehicles and or near campus grounds; suspicious persons in or near school buildings especially those taking photographs or videotaping, suspicious packages near the building perimeter and/or inside the school building or suspicious solicitations for information by unknown persons. Report any of these activities or persons to the building administration and the AISD Police (414-1703).

Mailroom facilities/vehicles are considered high security areas and will remain locked at all times with access available to authorized personnel only.

Closely monitor persons entering and leaving the district facilities, check picture IDs. Frequently check restrooms, hallways and stairwells for unauthorized persons.

AISD employees shall display a proper picture ID badge while on school property or while acting in an official capacity as a district employee. All district employees must sign in and out of schools and district facilities.

Convene the campus/facility crisis management team to review possible emergency response actions, remind members of their responsibilities and communicate a schedule for a periodic security updates or alerts.

Ensure that emergency telephone and pager numbers are updated and easily accessible.

Assess the status of window and door security: assess windowpanes, wall baseboards and doorframes for conditions that could permit airborne contaminants to enter the building. Forward urgent repair requests via the electronic work order system.

Monitor pager, e-mail, radio, television and telephonic communication for emergency advisories and alerts.

Address special medical needs of students and staff with designated staff.

Check go-kit and emergency supplies, i.e., batteries, flashlight.

Review with students, in a calm, low-key manner, the emergency procedures for lockdown and Emergency Evacuation Monitor all means of communication mentioned above for special transportation instructions from AISD Police should evacuation to an off-site location become necessary.

CODE BLUE: A general condition or general risk of terrorist attack.

Review the Lockdown procedures in your campus/facility emergency operations plan. Practice lockdown and incident command coordination in your campus/facility emergency operations plan.

Maintain a "heightened awareness" for suspicious activity; including suspicious vehicles and or near campus grounds; suspicious persons in or near school buildings especially those taking photographs or videotaping, suspicious packages near the building perimeter and/or inside the school building or suspicious solicitations for information by unknown persons. Report any of these activities or persons to the building administration and the AISD Police (414-1703).

Mailroom facilities/vehicles are considered high security areas and will remain locked at all times with access available to authorized personnel only.

Closely monitor persons entering and leaving the district facilities, check picture IDs. Frequently check restrooms, hallways and stairwells for unauthorized persons.

AISD employees shall display a proper picture ID badge while on school property or while acting in an official capacity as a district employee. All district employees must sign in and out of schools and district facilities.

Convene the campus/facility crisis management team to review possible emergency response actions, remind members of their responsibilities and communicate a schedule for a periodic security updates or alerts.

Ensure that emergency telephone and pager numbers are updated and easily accessible.

Assess the status of window and door security: assess windowpanes, wall baseboards and doorframes for conditions that could permit airborne contaminants to enter the building. Forward urgent repair requests via the electronic work order system.

Monitor pager, e-mail, radio, television and telephonic communication for emergency advisories and alerts.

Address special medical needs of students and staff with designated staff.

Check emergency supplies, i.e., batteries, flashlight.

Review with students, in a calm, low-key manner, the emergency procedures for Lockdown and Emergency Evacuation. Monitor all means of communication mentioned above for special transportation instructions from AISD Police should evacuation to an off-site location become necessary.

CODE GREEN: A low condition or low risk of terrorist attack.

Review the Lockdown procedures in your campus/facility emergency operatoins plan. Practice lockdown and incident command coordination in your campus/facility emergency and crisis management plan.

Maintain a "heightened awareness" for suspicious activity; including suspicious vehicles and or near campus grounds; suspicious persons in or near school buildings especially those taking photographs or videotaping, suspicious packages near the building perimeter and/or inside the school building or suspicious solicitations for information by unknown persons. Report any of these activities or persons to the building administration and the AISD Police (414-1703).

Mailroom facilities/vehicles are considered high security areas and will remain locked at all times with access available to authorized personnel only.

Closely monitor persons entering and leaving the district facilities, check picture IDs. Frequently check restrooms, hallways and stairwells for unauthorized persons.

AISD employees shall display a proper picture ID badge while on school property or while acting in an official capacity as a district employee. All district employees must sign in and out of schools and district facilities.

Convene the campus/facility crisis management team to review possible emergency response actions, remind members of their responsibilities and communicate a schedule for a periodic security updates or alerts.

Ensure that emergency telephone and pager numbers are updated and easily accessible.

Assess the status of window and door security: assess windowpanes, wall baseboards and doorframes for conditions that could permit airborne contaminants to enter the building. Forward urgent repair requests via the electronic work order system.

Monitor pager, e-mail, radio, television and telephonic communication for emergency advisories and alerts.

Address special medical needs of students and staff with designated staff.

Check go-kit and emergency supplies, i.e., batteries, flashlight.

Review with students, in a calm, low-key manner, the emergency procedures for Lockdown and Emergency Evacuation. Monitor all means of communication mentioned above for special transportation instructions from AISD Police should evacuation to an off-site location become necessary.