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Friend, 

Over the past few months, we’ve been hearing one question come up over and over again: “How can emergency drills be effective and confidence-building without being 'scary' or 'traumatizing'?” This is a big, good, and important question. It’s big because it is at the heart of everything we work toward in our emergency preparedness efforts —

keeping people in our school communities both physically and psychologically safe. Every step we take in our safety efforts should be centered around these dual goals. It’s good because asking this question shows that we’re thinking not just about getting practice for emergencies, but about getting the right kind of practice. The kind of practice that will help people feel empowered and confident rather than disempowered and triggered. And it’s important because asking this question helps ensure our approach is inclusive of all members of our community. By taking this step back to think about the big picture, we take into consideration accommodations for those with special needs or sensitivities.

If your school is one of the many navigating this question, here are four best practices that can help:

1. Create an intentional, thoughtful drill cadence for the year: To build confidence and comfort, drills should build gradually over the course of the year. Be sure the first few drills you do at the beginning of the year are basic (simple fire drills are a great starting point). Having this baseline helps ensure people understand the overall approach and principles of your school’s drills before being asked to do more complex drills. Here's a template to get you started.
2. Make sure everyone knows it’s only a drill. Even when the drill isn’t specifically announced in advance, it’s important to make sure everyone on campus knows it’s a drill and not a real emergency while practicing. Give a general timeframe for the drill even if you don’t give an exact date (“we’ll be doing a lockdown drill in November”) so no one is caught completely off guard. And when announcing the beginning of the drill, be sure you use the words “this is a drill” to avoid any confusion. There are some who have opposing views on this. We talk in webinars frequently about our 'why' behind this position. 
3. Make trauma-informed drills a priority topic for your safety committee. If you have a safety committee, make sure they have information and resources about the importance of practicing drills in a trauma-informed way. If you don’t already have a mental health professional on your safety committee, consider adding one to be sure that perspective is represented in all your planning and preparation. 
4. Design all drills for inclusiveness. Much like you do with other school-based planning, be sure to consider how you'll run a drill with any students or staff members with specific accommodations or unique needs. Ensuring drills are accessible and understandable to every member of your community is necessary as part of meeting the goal of keeping everyone safe.

These four steps will help ensure your drills meet your whole community's needs. It is never easy, but it is absolutely worth the effort. If you ever need additional resources, or if your school is seeking a partner in this work, we're only ever an email away.

In strength,

Chris Joffe

Founder and CEO 

(X)Twitter:@JoffeChris 

The Department of Justice recently released their preliminary findings on the shooting on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Joffe safety consultant, Olivia Ellison, reviewed the report and analyzed key observations and recommendations, shedding light on crucial insights for school administrators, law enforcement, and communities. As we navigate the aftermath of this devastating event, Joffe stands committed to advocating for proactive measures and fostering resilience within our communities.

In a new blog post, Chris Joffe shares his perspective on Alaska Airlines' response to the unexpected faulty door plug incident that caused an emergency landing for Flight 1282 last month. In his analysis, he looks at what the company’s leadership did right when it comes to public communication, and what lessons we can apply to our own school-based crisis communication plans. 

Question: “When doing lockdown drills with our elementary school students, how do we talk about why we are doing the drill and how we should act without scaring them or making them fearful about school safety?”

- School Leader in Tennessee 

This is one of the most common questions we get when working with elementary schools. And it’s an important one, because we know young students absorb so much from their surroundings, so being sensitive to how they’re perceiving lockdowns is critical. Here are a few ideas for ways you can explain lockdowns in a more accessible way:

1. Animal Visitors: You can compare lockdown drills to how we would practice if there was a wild animal in your building. Depending on where you are in the country, phrases like "a moose on the loose" (a term officially coined by Jorge Paz, our Regional Director of School Security Services) help us visualize how to keep us safe in many different scenarios. 
2. A Magic Castle: You can create a story where the school is like a magical castle, and during the special drills, everyone goes to their own safe spot inside the castle to make sure they are protected — it’s a magical way to stay safe and feel secure.
3. Superhero Training: Frame the drill as a special training for everyone to become school superheroes. Explain that just like superheroes have to practice to keep their skills sharp, everyone in the school practices staying safe to be ready for anything.

Remember to keep the conversation positive, emphasizing the teamwork and safety aspects of your drills. You can use your creativity to come up with examples that resonate with your students’ interests and imagination. 

If you’d like to submit a question for a future newsletter, please email it to us!

Simple school solutions

Check out our latest simple school solutions for a quick, easy and developmentally appropriate way to share information about lockdown drills with younger students. Grounded in a trauma-informed approach, it includes fun and accessible illustrations, and focuses on a simple message kids can understand and implement to keep themselves and others safe. 

Helpful resources

Mental Health Course Bundle - Big savings!

Unlock the keys to fostering a mentally healthy school environment with our exclusive Mental Health Course Bundle on Joffe Academy. Dive into asynchronous modules covering 5 crucial topics that include a companion assessment with a mental health certificate of completion. In this bundle, you can also gain valuable insight from mental health experts like Dr. Bruce Perry, a psychiatrist specializing in child trauma and Claire Marie, a trauma informed drills author. Use the code JoffeMentalHealth to receive 50% off this course bundle worth $120.

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Want to learn more about school safety?

Check out Chris Joffe’s new book, All Clear: Lessons from a Decade Managing School Crises. Chris breaks down all his lessons, tips, and tricks for successful emergency response in schools.

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