What is a ‘crisis’?

Simply stated a crisis, for the use of our discussions, is an event which threatens to harm the Fort Worth ISD students, employees, parents/visitors or District property. The term “crisis” is synonymous with “emergency” regardless of whether it involves threats of nature, law enforcement, medical issues or any other unexpected disruption of the regular class day.  

What types of crisis are possible within our schools?

Without too much imagination we can all think of the horrible, tragic events that have visited schools around the world. In today’s environment, knowing that such events can happen anywhere is an unfortunate reality. While we practice for traditional disasters such as tornados and fires, we all must understand that hazardous materials, intruders and other terroristic threats must be top-of-mind in emergency planning. Additionally we are subject to flooding, power outages and mass contamination, just to name a few.

What is a Best Practice?

A best practice is a technique or action through either experience or research, which has consistently proven to lead to a specific positive outcome.  

What is KNOW THE PLAN?

KNOW THE PLAN is the name given to Fort Worth ISD’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) for dealing with unexpected emergencies. The need to prepare is real.  Personal or community emergencies disrupt thousands of lives each year. Being prepared and Knowing What To Do can reduce fear, anxiety and losses that accompany localized events and wide spread disasters.  Awareness and preparation may reduce the impact of a disaster and possibly even avoid one altogether.

How has FWISD’s Know the Plan EOP been developed?

The District’s EOP has been developed through the adoption of Best Practices, experience and in cooperation with local and state emergency operations professionals. The EOP is a ‘working’ plan subject to adaptations dictated by evolving technology and changing community conditions. For additional information contact the Emergency Management Coordinator at 817-814-2673.

What are the Key Elements of KNOW THE PLAN?

The four key elements of any emergency plan are:

1.  PREVENTION - See Something, Say Something 

You might be able to prevent an emergency before it even happens, just by speaking up. What might not seem significant at the time (for instance, someone taking pictures of a school), when combined with other actions and activity, may become a composite indicating the possibility of criminal activity. “Connecting the dots” of suspicious or potentially dangerous activity before a it occurs is an important part of keeping your community safe.

2.  PREPAREDNESS - Make a plan

Having a plan before an emergency strikes is key to the protection of life and property. Know the Plan is Fort Worth ISD’s campaign for all stakeholders (students, employees and parents) to understand our Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) [hyperkink]. The EOP is a well-developed roadmap providing general guidance for emergency preparedness activities including Prevention, Planning, Response and Recovery.

Every campus in the Fort Worth ISD has a specific Emergency Operations Plan. We invite you to discuss the plan and local campus principal.

Many emergencies, especially those related to weather or fire, are not confined to schools or school property. Any such event affecting a campus could well have significant impact on a surrounding neighborhood. For that reason it is recommended that every family have its own individualized Family Emergency Operations Plan.

3.  RESPONSE - Act Now

It is crucial to Know The Plan in an emergency is crucial. The Fort Worth ISD Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) [hyperlink] is designed protect the lives and well-being of its students and employees through the prompt and timely response of trained school personnel should an emergency occur.

Response operations are intended to resolve an emergency situation as quickly as possible, while minimizing risks to people and property. Such responses might include severe weather events, medical emergencies, fires, law enforcement activities, intruders, sheltering in-place or evacuations.

Typical campus responses include:

• Shelter in Place [hyperlink]
• Evacuation [hyperlink]
• Reverse Evacuation [hyperlink]
• Lockdown [hyperlink]

4.   RECOVERY - Move forward

If a disaster occurs, the Fort Worth Independent School District will carry out a recovery program that could involve both short-term and long-term activities.

Short-term operations seek to restore vital services to District-owned facilities affected by an emergency event and to provide for the basic needs of students and staff. Long-term recovery includes restoring physical facilities to their pre-event conditions and dealing with the sometimes traumatic, emotional after-effects gripping those involved.

To whom do I report suspicious activity near my child’s school?

If you see an obvious crime in progress, prowlers, fire or medical situations, call 9-1-1. All other activities should be reported to your campus principal, the Fort Worth ISD Safety and Security office at 817-814-2680 or Crime Stoppers at 817-469-TIPS (8477).

What plans are in place to ensure my child’s safety?

The Fort Worth ISD Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) [hyperlink] outlines procedures for a wide variety of emergency situations. Campus and District plans outline how and when students and employees should be sheltered in place, evacuated from buildings and locked in their classrooms.

For example, a general precaution in effect every day requires all exterior doors into a school, except the main entry point, to be locked after school begins in the morning until dismissal.  Signs are posted on doors providing specific information to help promote a secure environment. 

A Green sign indicates the primary entry point (door), which is kept unlocked with easy access to the main office.  A Yellow sign marks all other exterior doors, which should be secured.  Instructions on the signs direct visitors to the primary entry point. 

All visitors are required to report to the main office for visitor check-in.  Visitors will receive a visitor badge to wear while in the building.  All visitors should “check out” with the main office before leaving the building.

How will my child know what to do in the event of an incident?

Teachers and other school staff members practice Know the Plan so that appropriate instructions to direct children to safety are provided as dictated by the incident. Evacuation and weather-related drills are practiced regularly. We encourage you to discuss those plans with your child and your school principal.

What type of actions may a school use to keep my child safe?

What is a weather ‘watch’? 

A ‘watch’ just means that conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms and/or tornadoes to develop. Watches may be issued hours before a storm. The sky may be sunny when you first hear a tornado or severe thunderstorm watch. 

What should I do when a weather ‘watch’ is issued?

Check weather information as soon as you can. While watches may be issued before storms form, thunderstorms may be developing when the watch is posted, or thunderstorms may be ongoing and moving into your area. By checking the weather information, you will be aware of what is going on around you.

What is a weather ‘warning’?

Weather ‘warnings’ such as those associated with thunderstorms and tornadoes mean your immediate safety may be jeopardized because of an approaching storm. Warnings list locations in the path of the storm. Warnings usually advise you to seek shelter right away.

What should I do when a weather ‘warning’ is issued?

First, listen to the information in the warning. If the warning is issued for your immediate location, listen to the information issued for seeking shelter. Continue to monitor weather information.  You need to be aware of what is going on around you.

How can I find out when watches and warnings are issued?

There are a variety of ways for you to know when severe weather watches and warnings are issued by the National Weather Service (NWS).

• You can purchase a relatively inexpensive NOAA Weather Radio with automatic alert features for your home or office.
• You can visit the NWS website
• You watch local TV news and listen to local radio. Local media also offers instant notification to your mobile phone through social media such as Twitter.

Where can I find information on how to prepare for weather emergencies?

The National Weather Service (NWS) website, can provide information on how to prepare for all kinds of weather emergencies.

When an emergency happens at school can I pick up my child?

Not necessarily. Remember, school may be the safest place for children to be.  When public safety or District officials have reason to restrict access to a campus, it is generally because there is a threat or unsafe conditions in the area.  In this case, it is safer for students to remain on campus and parents to wait until they are given access to the school.  Coming to the school before public safety officials have cleared the threat may put the parent or other visitor in danger.  During any emergency, as much as possible, school personnel will maintain a safe and normal environment for children. The school day is not automatically canceled in emergency situations. 

What does “Reunification” mean in KNOW THE PLAN?

Reunification is an important part of the FWISD Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) [hyperlink]. Reunification means safely returning children to their parents or guardians. While the FWISD believes that school is often the safest place for children, there may be times when a disruptive event requires the safe, organized abandonment of a school campus.

What is a parent-student reunification site?

A reunification center is a facility large enough to temporarily and safely house the occupants of an entire campus. The primary goal of the reunification center is to safely and efficiently reunite and release students to their parents.

If public safety or District officials require that a school building be evacuated, students and staff members will be safely transported to a designated parent-student reunification center. 

Parents will be informed of the reunification location via the District website and local news media. At the reunification center, students will be released to their parents, or other authorized individuals, upon presentation of approved identification.

Who can pick up my child?

Children will be released only to individuals who are authorized on the student’s emergency information form. The emergency form is completed by parents and guardians at the start of each school year. Approved identification is necessary for parent-student reunification.  

Why can’t I get the evacuation and parent-student reunification locations ahead of time? 

In consideration of the safety of all of our students, Fort Worth ISD does not release this specific information prior to emergency situations because circumstances might force us to make changes in our plans. Parents will be informed of parent-student reunification center locations via the local news media, ParentLink, the District’s website, Twitter and Facebook.

What can I expect at the parent-student reunification location?

Parents will bring their approved identification (driver license, state-issued ID, passport, utility bill with name and address) to the Request Gate, where they complete a Student Release Form. The form will be verified by a staff member and the parent will be asked to wait in the Release Area. Following a second verification by staff parents and children will be. 

Does the school store adequate food, water and other basic supplies?

In the event that children need to be sheltered at the school, food, water and other supplies will be available.

What if my child has special dietary needs?

If you child has special needs and considerations, such as dietary allergies, you should inform the school nurse.

What types of support services are available for my children in the event of a serious emergency or disaster?

An emergency or disaster can be a frightening experience for all ages.  Feelings of anger and confusion may be intertwined with sadness and grief. Fort Worth ISD’s Student Support Services personnel, trained in crisis response, can help restore a sense of safety, security, and personal control.

In the immediate aftermath of an emergency situation, providing a safe and secure place, physically and emotionally, is most important. The goal is to re-establish a sense of safety, normalcy and predictability as quickly as possible.

How do I receive information during a major incident?

It is important that parents maintain updated information on their children's emergency forms at their school.

ParentLink is an automated phone system used by Fort Worth ISD to send phone, email and text messages to you in the event of an emergency. But you must make sure your campus clerk has accurate contact information.

In an emergency the Fort Worth ISD will post official messages on the District web site – www.fwisd.org – as well as on the District’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The District EdTV station, available on Charter Cable Channel 30 and AT&T Uverse 99, will carry emergency messages.

Finally, in an emergency the District will work closely with local news media to help keep parents and guardians informed.

Before an incident:

• Understand potential hazards in and around your neighborhood, including industrial areas, flash flooding, train tracks that could carry hazardous cargo and severe weather.
• Develop plans for what to do   
• Assemble a disaster supply kit to be self-sufficient for at least three days
• Practice your plan

Where can I get more Information about developing a Family Emergency Plan?

Links to emergency planning web sites are listed on the right hand column of the Fort Worth ISD KNOW THE Plan website.

Terms and Definitions

Below are a list of terms and definitions often used in emergency management. Familiarize yourself with them and become comfortable with their meaning.