School safety, security, and violence prevention resource

Manuals are important. They exist for a reason. Whether you are talking about a manual for a product or a manual for employees at a workplace, the idea is for the manual to be the go-to material when someone needs assistance. That is why I was a bit surprised to hear that the school safety manual that the Berkeley County school safety committee is the first of its kind in the entire state of West Virginia.

The Journal News published the first of a two-part series last weekend:

A manual developed by a Berkeley County school safety committee has become a model for the whole state, according to officials.

The Berkeley County Schools Council on Productive and Safe Schools has worked to develop a manual of protocols and procedures in the event of an emergency at schools, such as hostage situations and community upheaval to floods or tornadoes.

“It’s a check list for the schools that tells the principals, teachers and janitors what to do and how to do it in the event of emergency,” said Rick Deuell, assistant superintendent of human resources.
Deuell said that the Berkeley County Schools manual has been a model for West Virginia.

I suppose that even if it may seem a little late in the game to be developing manuals, it is still a step in the right direction. After all, coming up with a comprehensive manual that would serve as reference material does not really only take over night. In this case, authorities are saying that the manual is comprehensive and has even deemed as a model for the entire state. Better late than never?

So why is this county the first to come up with such a manual?

“We started a lot earlier than everyone else because of our location (near the) D.C.-Baltimore area,” Deuell said, adding that part of the school system’s goal is to develop emergency situation plans with law enforcement and Homeland Security officers.

He said they “have been wonderful to work with. We have instant and constant communication with all of our law enforcement.”

Deuell said that because of the location of the school system in relation to Washington,
D.C., as well as the Interstate 81 corridor and the train that passes through, local officials have to be prepared.

Deuell said location and preparation have a lot to do with why the school system is so cautious.

That’s all well and good. I think, though, that other counties throughout the country should have their own manuals as well. It would even be better to have one standard throughout the whole country, with specific details tweaked for different locations.

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