MCPS Adopts Enhanced Safety Protocols to Improve Emergency Response

(MCPS) is implementing an enhanced security protocol to respond to emergency and crisis situations, ensuring the safety of students, families and staff. The new Standard Response Protocol (SRP) simplifies and standardizes the language used during emergencies, making it easier for everyone to understand and act quickly.

This protocol is based on the nationally recognized Standard Response Protocol, which provides a simple and effective framework for school safety.

The SRP is built around five clear actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter.

The new actions that the MCPS community needs to become familiar with are:

• Hold: This directive is used to keep hallways clear. An example would be a medical emergency or a hazard in a hallway. While a Hold is in effect, students and staff remain in their classrooms, and normal activities continue.
• Secure: This is used for external threats, such as police activity in the surrounding neighborhood. When a Secure is called, all students and staff are brought inside, and external doors are locked. Regular activities continue inside the school.
• Shelter: This directive will now be used exclusively for environmental hazards, like severe weather. Depending on the hazard, specific safety strategies will be used to keep everyone safe inside the school.

The actions for Lockdown and Evacuate remain the same.

• Lockdown: “Locks, lights, out of sight.” This action is used for an immediate threat inside or very near the building. Staff and students are instructed to lock classroom doors, turn off the lights and stay quiet and out of sight. No one should open the door.
• Evacuate: This action directs students and staff to leave the building and go to a designated evacuation area. It is used when it is safer to be outside the building, such as during a fire, gas leak or structural issue.

All MCPS schools are required to complete a series of emergency drills by the end of October to practice these new procedures. Schools will also review other safety procedures, including how families would be reunited with their children after an emergency and how staff and students should respond to serious threats.

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In the event of a lockdown, schools and/or Central Services will communicate with families every 20 minutes with updated information as it becomes available. This practice has already been in place and keeps families connected during serious incidents with information available at the time.

For more information on the Standard Response Protocol, please visit the MCPS website.