Barney Ford Elementary
Safety Drill Update
08/30/24, 3:18 PM
August 30, 2024
Dear Families,
Thank you for choosing Barney Ford to provide educational services to your child. We are proud to be able to serve you and your children and we will continually strive to provide a safe learning environment for them.
The safety of all children, school staff and support personnel are very important to us. In order to maintain a safe environment for our children to study and learn, it is necessary that we practice our emergency and crisis response plans by having drills designed to exercise our procedures. We will be conducting various drills throughout the school year. Our first drills were held yesterday and today.
This letter is to help you understand the importance of them as well as to understand each type of drill, which is explained below. The students and staff of your school will be practicing four primary emergency drills each year.
They are FIRE DRILLS; SHELTER-IN-PLACE DRILLS; SECURED PERIMETER DRILLS; and LOCKDOWN DRILLS.
FIRE DRILLS
The school will conduct a “Fire Drill” each month that school is in session. This is a Fire Code requirement as well as a requirement by Denver Public Schools. We want each student to understand and be aware of the importance of this drill and not be afraid when the fire alarm has sounded. During the “Fire Drill” students and staff will exit the building to predetermined staging areas. Once the Denver Fire Department has cleared the building, students and staff may reenter the building. By practicing, they will know what to do and how to do it.
SHELTER-IN-PLACE DRILLS
The “Shelter-in-Place” drill will be conducted once each semester of the school year. The purpose of this drill is to be prepared to move to a safe location within the building in case of severe weather such as tornados or hailstorms.
LOCKDOWN DRILLS
The school will conduct one “Lockdown Drill” each semester of the school year. This type of drill will secure the school building and safely shelter all students, staff and visitors inside the building. The purpose of this drill is to keep the students safe from any danger outside or inside the building. During a “Lockdown Drill”, all perimeter doors to the school building will be secured, and will remain secured until the danger has passed. No one will be allowed to enter or leave the building until the authorities release the lockdown.
SECURED PERIMETER DRILLS
A “Secured” will be initiated when there is a threat or hazard outside of the school building. Whether it is due to violence or criminal activity in the immediate neighborhood or a dangerous animal in the playground, Secured uses the security of the building to act as protection. Students and staff that are outside of the school building are brought inside and resume normal school activities in the building. To ensure safety, no one will be allowed to enter or leave the building unless authorized by authorities.
Please remember that these safety practice drills are done to help maintain our schools as a safe place to learn and work. If you have any questions regarding any of these Safety Drills or other safety concerns, please contact your school office.
Sincerely,
Jason Shiroff
Assistant Principal
Barney Ford Elementary
Kip Sixbery
Emergency Manager
Denver Public Schools
Department of Climate and Safety
