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Emergency Management

Pasadena ISD has adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), a nationally-recognized, proven methodology that ensures a uniform response by faculty, staff and students to school-based emergencies.

About SRP

The Standard Response Protocol has been developed for implementation within K-12 and university education settings by the “I Love U Guys” Foundation, a Colorado-based non-profit organization committed to student safety. The SRP has been endorsed by the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the office of the Governor for the State of Texas.

Administrators, campus staff and students are trained each school year on SRP and conduct SRP-based emergency drills each semester, as well as state-mandated fire drills, to reinforce emergency preparedness. While SRP is not a replacement for school safety plans or programs, it standardizes Pasadena ISD’s approach to emergency management by providing for consistent terminology and response actions during an emergency.

SRP Actions

The SRP is all-hazard in nature, meaning it is not based on individual scenarios, but rather on the response to any given scenario. The most significant benefit of the SRP is the standard language used by teachers, students, parents, staff and first responders. The protocol also allows for a predictable series of actions as an incident unfolds. The SRP is based upon five actions: Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter and Hold. Each action provides specific staff and student directives that are unique to the action.

IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGY

Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter emergency management index

HOLD

Hold is issued to quickly clear all hallways. Students and staff remain in their classroom or current area, and school business continues as usual. A Hold may be called during a medical emergency, an urgent maintenance issue or any situation requiring cleared hallways.

Students

  • Remain in your classroom or current location.
  • Continue school business as usual.

Teachers

  • Recover students and staff from hallways.
  • Secure classroom door.
  • Take attendance and note the time.
  • Continue school business as usual (except student transitions), until notified that Hold has been lifted.

Parents

  • Please do not come to the school, as Hold incidents are resolved quickly.  Students typically return to normal bell schedules within minutes.
  • Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.

SECURE

Secure occurs when an indirect hazard exists outside of the building. Secure utilizes the physical facility to act as protection. School business continues as usual, once staff and students are brought in from outside and perimeter doors are secured. No movement occurs in or out.

Students

  • Return to inside of building
  • Continue with business as usual

Teachers

  • Recover students and staff from outside the building.
  • Secure perimeter doors.
  • Post Secure signage.
  • Increase situational awareness.
  • Take attendance and note the time.
  • Continue school business as usual.

Parents

  • Wait for updates from Pasadena ISD via normal communication channels. 
  • Please do not come to the school, as no-one is allowed in or out of the school building during Secure. 
  • Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.

LOCKDOWN

Lockdown occurs when there is a threat/hazard inside the building. Interior security features are used to protect staff & students. Individual classroom doors are secured, occupants remain silent/out of sight & lights are turned off. Barricading of doors or self-evacuation may occur.

Students

  • Move away from windows or doors.
  • Maintain silence.
  • Silence mobile devices.

Teachers

  • Secure classroom door.
  • Turn off lights.
  • Move away from doors or windows.
  • Maintain silence.
  • Silence mobile devices.
  • Take attendance and note the time.
  • Wait for first responders to open the door.

Parents

  • Wait for updates from Pasadena ISD via normal communication channels. 
  • Please do not come to the school, as no-one is allowed in or out of the school during a Lockdown.  
  • Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student. 

EVACUATE

Evacuate occurs when students and staff must leave the building. Students and staff are calmly transitioned to predetermined evacuation assembly points. For hazards other than fire, the type of hazard and special instructions are announced.

Students

  • Bring your phone, if not in a backpack or purse (if it is already on your person).
  • Leave your stuff behind.
  • Form a single file line.
  • Show your hands, if requested.
  • Listen carefully for alternate instructions.

Teachers

  • Grab the teacher folder or roll sheet, if safe to do so.
  • Lead students to Evacuation location.
  • Take attendance and note the time upon arrival at the predetermined evacuation assembly point.
  • Notify campus officials of any attendance discrepancies.

Parents

  • Wait for updates from Pasadena ISD via normal communication channels. 
  • Please do not come to the school, as most evacuations are short-term with students immediately returning to the building following a brief period of time to evaluate the hazard. 
  • If parent reunifications at another district campus will be required, parents will be notified of the reunification location via normal Pasadena ISD communications channels.
    • NOTE: Parents or guardians must bring a valid government-issued photo ID to any Pasadena ISD reunification site.
  • Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.

SHELTER

Shelter occurs when protection is necessary against incidents such as tornados or hazardous materials. Shelter actions vary by hazard, & may include: severe weather (transition to pre-designated shelter areas), hazmat (close doors/windows, turn off HVAC systems) or earthquake (drop/take cover).

Students

  • Follow established procedures, based upon the hazard.
  • Listen carefully for alternate instructions.

Teachers

  • Follow established procedures, based upon the hazard.  
  • Take roll and notate the time once it is safe to do so.  

Parents

  • Wait for updates from Pasadena ISD via normal communication channels. 
  • Please do not come to the school, as most shelter incidents are limited in duration.   
  • If a shelter incident is followed by an evacuation and parent reunifications at another district campus will be required, parents will be notified of the reunification location via normal Pasadena ISD communications channels.
    • NOTE: Parents or guardians must bring a valid government-issued photo ID to any Pasadena ISD reunification site.
  • Ensure the school has current phone numbers and information regarding persons authorized to pick up your student.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • During an emergency, Pasadena ISD will utilize the same methodologies used for day-to-day communications with parents.  This may include phone calls, emails or text messages from the district Communications Department or your campus administrator.

  • The SRP has been developed for implementation in K-12 and university environments by the “I Love You Guys” Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to student safety.  In addition to receiving an endorsement by the Texas School Safety Center (TxSSC), the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the office of the Governor for the State of Texas, the SRP is currently being used by thousands of school districts across the nation. 

  • Pasadena ISD will contact you using the same tools used for day-to-day communications with parents. This may include phone calls, emails or text messages from the district Communications Department or your campus administrator.

  • Parents are urged to stay home and await instructions from the district anytime SRP-based protective measures are being utilized to ensure the safety and security of students and staff.

    During a Secure or Lockdown, traffic routes around the school must remain clear to allow for arriving first responder agencies. Both of these SRP-based actions will result in an increase in police presence as the circumstances are investigated.  In addition, no-one is allowed in or out of a Pasadena ISD facility during a Secure or Lockdown.  Parents congregating near the front entrance of a Pasadena ISD facility during a Secure or Lockdown may create additional perceived risks for responding police agencies while the credibility of a threat or hazard is being evaluated.

    Evacuate, Shelter and Hold actions are typically resolved in a very short amount of time once a hazard has passed or has been determined to be a non-issue. 

  • Standardization of emergency response actions from campus to campus reduces the amount of time required for protective measures to be implemented, and therefore can prevent or mitigate the potential negative effects of an incident. Pasadena ISD has adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), a proven methodology that ensures a uniform response to school-based emergencies.

    The SRP is not based on individual scenarios, but rather on the response to any given scenario. One large benefit of the SRP is the standard language used by all responders; this includes students, parents, staff and first responders. The protocol also allows for all involved to use a predictable series of actions. This standardization in response ensures that all incidents are handled in the same manner district-wide and everyone knows what is happening or what to do  as an event unfolds.