This week staff and pupils rehearsed our invacuation drill. Each term we drill both our invacuation and our evacuation procedures. So that everyone knows what to do, we plan for and rehearse procedures even for events that are very unlikely to occur. 

 

What is an invacuation and when would it happen?

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. 
Situations where our invacuation procedure may be used include:

• a potentially dangerous animal 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
• a dangerous person or intruder on the school site
• an incident related to terrorism

 

This time, we imagined a scenario of a serious gas leak on the school site. Everyone rehearsed opening windows to ventilate rooms. Year 3 and 6 classes, along with class 5F, rehearsed moving to a different part of the school building.

 

What is the invacuation procedure?

When we initiate the invacuation procedure, everyone in school will be alerted by the sounding of a specific alarm, followed by a message to school staff using our internal communication 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 either 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'.

 

Are there any other plans?

We also rehearse evacuation to leave the building, for example, in the event of a fire.

 

We also have plans and arrangements to evacuate the whole site and relocate elsewhere if needed.