Meridian’s Emergency Response Procedures already include plans for responding to critical incidents like fire, earthquakes, and intruders. We regularly conduct drills on these types of incidents throughout the school year.

Recently Meridian, along with other local school districts, has spent time developing our "Shelter in Place" procedures. Originally designed by the chemical industry, Shelter in Place protects students and staff in the event of potential exposure to a dangerous chemical that could be released.

Here's how it works. If a dangerous chemical is released and poses a threat to students and staff during the school day, we would be directed by public health or safety officials to bring all students and staff members into predetermined areas. All heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems would be shut down, and all doors and windows would be closed and secured. The resulting neutral atmospheric pressure would form a barrier and help keep chemical agents from leaking into the building. This approach has proven to be safer than evacuating students into a contaminated outdoor environment.

During a Shelter in Place incident, our district facilities will be secured. On the advice of local emergency personnel, no one would be allowed in or out of a building until the authorities give the all-clear. While we protect our students in the school building, we recognize that for their own safety, parents and community members in the affected area would be sheltered in their homes or at work.

In the event of an incident like this, the school district will make every effort to communicate the status of our students to parents and the community.

In the event of a chemical attack or accidental chemical release (and upon the direction of emergency response officials), school officials will announce the directive to shelter in place. In response, staff members should:

• Move or keep students inside the school building
• Turn off all heating/ventilation/air conditioning systems (Maintenance Custodian or designee)
• Go into a room with the fewest doors and windows
• Close all windows and doors and seal the room to the extent possible
• Stay in the room until told by school officials that it is safe to come out