Invacuation drill

On Thursday, staff and pupils rehearsed our invacuation drill. This is a new procedure for our school and each term we will drill both our invacuation and our Fire drill procedures.

 

An invacuation is a standard safety procedure, similar to an emergency evacuation/fire drill.  This procedure would be used if there is a threat to the safety of pupils, staff and others in school, and when it’s safer for everyone to remain in the school building rather than evacuate and go into the playground.  Situations where our invacuation procedure may be used include:

 

• A potentially dangerous animal on the school site
• A dangerous person or intruder on the school site
• An alert from the police about a disturbance or dangerous situation in the local community that could affect the school
• A nearby chemical incident or other risk of air pollution
• An incident related to terrorism

 

When we initiate the invacuation procedure, everyone in school will be alerted by the sounding of an alert via the telephone system.  Staff have been trained to follow procedures and ensure that, as in the case of a fire evacuation, everyone is safe.  During a drill/event pupils will stay in their classroom, or if outside make their way into the nearest classroom, and wait quietly until the event or drill is given the 'all clear'.

 

Our message to pupils for any internal lockdown is: in case a dog on the premises, water leak etc… as we do not believe it is necessary to give a message that causes alarm.  Our first test occurred this week and went very smoothly.  The next drill will happen in the spring term.

 

D. Mc Garrigle