All-Hazards Planning
Emergency Preparedness for Berks County Schools

The Berks County Intermediate Unit, along with local school districts, law enforcement, first responders, and community partners have established a county-wide all hazards emergency plan that meets the requirements set forth by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The plan is continually reviewed to ensure it meets the ever-changing needs of all stakeholders.

Standard Response Protocol Extended (SRPx)

The Standard Response Protocol Extended (SRPx) is an important piece of the All Hazards Plan. The Standard Response Protocol Extended provides five distinct options for school officials to choose at the outbreak of crisis. Each uses language designed to be easily understood by children, parents, school personnel, and first responders. The responses are:

Lockout:   “Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors”
Lockdown:   “Locks, Lights, and Out of Sight”
Evacuate:   “To the Announced Location”
Shelter:   “For a Hazard Using a Safety Strategy”
Hold:   “In Your Classroom”

The Standard Response Protocol Extended, while serving as a guide, is also accompanied with training workshops and practice for students and school personnel so whenever these commands are issued in schools, the children and adults within the schools will immediately know what to do.

Curriculum Tools

As part of the cooperative effort with our schools and community partners, BCIU has developed All Hazards Plan curriculum tools.  Lesson plans and activities were created for Berks County teachers to use in their classrooms to teach the five Standard Response Protocol Extended (Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter, and Hold) and Run, Hide, Fight model (response to an active shooter).

The lesson plans are created based on the following levels:

  • Pre-K to Second Grade

  • Intermediate Elementary Level

  • Secondary Level

The lesson plans and activities for the Standard Response Protocol Extended and Run, Hide, Fight model are being disseminated to Berks County Curriculum Coordinators, Berks Administrators of Special Education, and Berks County Superintendents at their September network meetings.

Another ongoing priority for the school districts in Berks County is Keeping Kids Safe. Working collaboratively with our first responders and mental health providers will assist us in increasing safety for the children and the adults that serve our youth in our Berks County schools.

In order to have county-wide coordination, additional partnerships with those having law enforcement and emergency expertise were established. The Community Partners listed are committed to this initiative.

Having these partnerships can make a significant difference at the onset of a crisis. Not only will school personnel be better prepared to act, but law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel who are the first to arrive will have a greater understanding of the situation and the actions that are being undertaken by the school personnel at the scene.